Thursday, January 30, 2014

Weekly Links: You Can Now Study Beyonce In College



Hello everyone!
Happy Friday. 



I don't know about you all, but Flappy Bird is the only thing anyone would talk about this week. The app literally surged in popularity over night. If you haven't played or heard about the app yet  here's what you need to know...

Step 1: Don't. Don't play it. 
Seriously, it will ruin your life.
 It's too addicting and frustrating!

* Click the hyperlinks below to be redirected to the original article*


Being a girl can get pretty expensive.
 Most guys don't understand all that we do to 'present' ourselves each day. Buzzfeed humorously  asked a group of guys the prices of different products we use, such as bras and hair gel, and you can watch their guesses here.


This article from Huffington Post was floating around Facebook this week. Honestslogans.com takes popular companies and brands and, as the name suggests, changes their slogans. You should definitely check out the painfully accurate brand slogans the site created. I personally love the IKEA, Urban Outfitters, and DiGiorno slogans.



Alright, this link is for the ladies. Mostly because we tend to take an extremely long time to get ready. This link has 5 awesome tips on how to get ready faster when you're half asleep. I tend to pick out my clothes the night before, which is one of the tips, but there's a few other wise things we could all adopt into our daily routine.


Lorde is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry right now. Sunday night the 17 year old won 2 Grammys. You have probably heard her melodic voice on the radio at one point or another in the past few months.("and we'll never be royals, royalllssss") To celebrate her Grammy wins the  songstress wrote a personal thank you to her fans in a local New Zealand newspaper. I actually think this is a great idea and is a lot more personal than a mass thank you tweet.


Full House cast and Jimmy Fallon. Yes, two of the best things ever. Jimmy Fallon did a skit Wednesday night about being scared to leave Late Night. Who better to cheer you up than Danny, Uncle Jesse and Joey? That's right, nooo one. Bob Saget, John Stamos and David Coulier will be reunited once again on Sunday night during the Superbowl for a Dannon Oikos commercial. (which you may have seen already) I know Full House runs every night on TV, but there's just something special about seeing the Tanner gang reunited in present day especially on Jimmy Fallon.

 Random little links 
1. Mean Tumblr comments make a beautiful statement
2. Cool things about Chipotle

For my fellow readers here in the  United States-  who's ready for the super bowl this weekend? 

I don't know how I feel about companies releasing their Superbowl commercials early. Doesn't it take away the element of surprise?  Nonetheless, I have seen the Cheerios and Budweiser ( awww #bestbuds ) commercials and I absolutely love them; the rest I'm trying to hold off watching until Sunday. Also, very interested to see what Bruno Mars does for his half time show. He hasn't been around very long so he doesn't have many hits per se.  I am super pumped for the Red Hot Chili Peppers though!

Have a great weekend!
Best,
Sarah

Monday, January 27, 2014

It's Definitely a Monday

Hello everyone!
Some days it seems like all that can go wrong, does go wrong. More often than not, those days are Mondays.


This morning I had an awesome compilation of college pins from Pinterest filled with information that can be used in college and beyond. Unfortunately, instead of publishing this post, half asleep me deleted it.  I also never had this post saved some where else- ugh, lesson learned.

I'll have to re create the Pinterest post again for you all sometime in the near future! I didn't want to leave you all empty handed so below are some quotes. I love how just the right pairing of words can create a powerful quote that really sticks with you.






Sorry guys about deleting my post; I really wish you guys were able to see it today!   I hope you  have a lovely Monday and beyond. I'll talk to you all again on Friday!!

Best,
Sarah

p.s Weekend update: I actually loved ice skating. I surprisingly didn't fall and I will definitely be going again sometime soon.


Friday, January 24, 2014

Weekly Links: The Melting Pot



Hello everyone,
Thank god it's Friday!
I personally think the week flew by, but nothing beats the feeling of knowing it's the 'weekend'.

*click the hypertext below to redirect to the original article*



Alright my fellow Pinterest lovers:
1. You should follow me by clicking here!
2. Have you heard that now you can specifically tailor your recipe search?
Pinterest has now made it easier to track exactly what you're looking for food wise. All you have to do is search whatever recipe you are in the mood to try or pin and can then filter all of your options through certain categories -vegetarian, gluten free, you name it.  Something to note: this fancy feature only happens when searching a recipe or food not when you just browse the food and drink category collectively.


 And while I'm still on the topic of food....
I found the best blog ever; besides my own of course.
Alright, I kid. But seriously. I never knew  there were so many grilled cheese options!
I want to make them all, but of course living in a dorm prevents me from doing that. Guess what this girl will be doing all spring break. You got it; living in a world of crispy, cheesy goodness.


And while I'm still on the topic of food...
 This has been all over the web and news this week so you may have seen it. Someone on Tumblr posted a photo of their chihuahua next to their blueberry muffin and the similarities are uncanny. I decided not to post it on here because if you haven't seen it yet I want you to be surprised! So without further ado... Click here to see for yourself 


Ok finally something not food related!
As much as I love food, I equally love talking about body image and photoshop editing etc as you have probably learned already if you frequent my blog. This week I came across Hungarian singer Boggie and her newest music video is so powerfulPlease take a moment to watch it here

Last weekend I went out on an adventure. ( read about it here)
This weekend I am trying ice skating for the first time. Yes, 18 years and I've never put on a pair of skates. Also, a different type of adventure than last weekend, but I'm still crossing my fingers for the best.

 I hope you all have a lovely weekend, stay warm!

Best,
Sarah

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Outfit of the day: Skirts and Stripes

Hello internet lovelies. 
For those of you who had off yesterday, I hope you had a relaxing holiday.

Today I bring you an outfit 
from when I was home in December.


I've always had a love for putting outfits together, as every girl does, and I believe that- above else- comfort is key. I think this outfit is perfect to just throw on when you are unsure what to wear. (aka almost every day for a college gal like me- swap the sweatpants for a skirt ladies! Actually on second thought, don't listen to me. Sweatpants are awesome.)


Sweater:  Say What?  found at TJ Maxx
Skirt: La Hearts at PacSun
Necklace: Forever 21
 Hair Bow: American Apparel
Tights: Forever 21
Boots: Steve Madden 'Troopa' combat boots


 A sweater and skirt combo takes virtually no time to pair together and you can never go wrong with combat boots. ever.


Oh and I can't forget about the finishing touch- a bow. I love bows; they're cute and can tame my crazy curls.  (Sorry for the photo blur- oops!)


 I can't  wear this up here in Vermont quite yet unless I want to catch hypothermia on my way to class ( it's a lovely -8 degrees currently). Since that's not an ideal situation I guess I'll just fantasize in my head  about another time I actually can wear this again... in about 5 months. Hmm, but then again, by that point who needs sweaters or tights? oy vey.


When my photos start to get silly it's time to wrap it up. Have a fabulous day! Peace out.


Best,
Sarah

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Let's Go On An Adventure


Hey everyone!
It seems like Saturday is my day to truly delve into my mind as you can see from my last post on a Saturday here.

I am extremely lucky to be in the area I am in.
 It's a shame that I don't embrace this and go out and explore it until the weekend comes around. 

Go on adventure. Go eat somewhere new. Go walk on a trail. Go explore. Befriend  a stranger.

I always vow to myself that I will. I will go out and do these things.
Time and time again this principle gets lost and I end up sitting in my room doing homework, but hey there's nothing wrong with that.  I mean the sole reason I am here is to get a solid education. To eventually be an individual of true, authentic academic substance. 

Today I decided to actually listen to that little voice in my head and go out and do something.

As I mentioned before, I'm extremely lucky to be where I am. One of the perks being free bus transportation. My friends and I decided to check out the bus schedule and just see where the day would guide us. 

Ok, ok I hear you-  taking a bus is not all that adventurous.
Not having a destination, a purpose or care in the world about time is what made our excursion special.

 More than that, there was a special individual on that bus that has undoubtedly changed my life.

A man with soft blue eyes and some salt and pepper scruff sat next to us. His face was worn, yet not in the way that made him look defeated. He overheard our conversation about not quite knowing what to do. It started with a smile and snowballed into a full fledged discussion about life.

The kind man had traveled everywhere: Europe, Asia, Australia- you name it. He talked about his 3 kids and how they all grew up to be teachers. He talked about how crappy the weather usually is in Seattle where he lives. He talked about his love for skiing and cycling. He talked about the housing market and how floods of people drive up prices, which he didn't think was fair for his friend working at a non profit in California. " We don't all work for Apple and Microsoft, you know" he said. He talked about how things are starting to lose value. He talked about how the lives we lead are in an 'artifical bubble'.

I didn't know striking up a conversation with a stranger could be so valuable.  I believe this man is full of infinite wisdom; which I know we obtain with age.  As I sit here writing this, I struggle to do this man's powerful words, knowledge and presence  justice.  

In just  15 short minutes I learned to see the world through a new lens. From a complete stranger.

I wracked my brain, and challenged my friends to remind me of the nuggets of information he ever so kindly handed to us. It was a challenge. Not because I didn't understand. Not because I quickly forgot, but because I don't want to lose his authenticity. 

I want to remember all that he told us and replay it again and again. Tuck every message away and hide them for safe keeping. So here is the list my friends and I compiled. It is quite pale in comparison to what was said in the moment, but the weight of his overall message still holds true...

"Positive energy- it is out there."

"Don't fear for your parents. Don't fear for your grandparents. Don't take others' fears. You should worry about your own."

"Always travel with a companion. You can share things with them. Make sure it is someone who will tough it out with you.  Someone who will embrace strenuous and spur of the moment things. Because at some point you will definitely need someone who will tap you on the shoulder at 4 in the morning once you've nodded off in a bus station."

"A smile can change someone's day. You should be kind to everyone, but especially those who are close to you and those who deserve it."

"We live in the past too much. Only bring the good forward and into the present." 

"Learn another language; gain a foot up. Learn to speak to others."

"Always share kindness and love. We are all worthy of it."

"Look at the beauty in things: take that mountain and see that view from thousands of feet in the air."

As we parted ways, the man gave my friends and I ideas on where to go next and even made sure we got on the right bus route.  I never got the chance to see where he was headed next.

The only thing I regret is not getting his name.
To the kind hearted man on the bus today- Thank you.
You have forever changed me.

Best,
Sarah

Friday, January 17, 2014

Weekly Links: The Creators and Innovators



Hey, hey, hey
(Did you think of Robin Thicke or Fat Albert?)

It's Friday so I think we can just let my stupid humor slide.
I hope y'all had a great week!

I'm not quite sure what this weekend has in store, but I  do know that these gems below made my week.

*Click the hyperlink to be redirected to the original article*
Sigh...  I still don't know how to  fix the click-the-picture-to-go-to-the-article situation that has occurred.



Photographer Steve Rosenfield  has this great campaign going on called the What I Be project.  He had individuals of all ages finish the following statement: "I am not my ____" and the pictures that followed take that insecurity and magnify it in such a raw, beautiful way.  Not only does a picture say a thousand words, but this campaign confirms the proverb don't judge a book by its cover.
See more of the campaign here.


Hello, my name is_________
Imagine taking every internet fad, meme and phrase; compressing it into a name and bestowing it unto your newborn child. Software developer Stephen McLaughlin is granting permission  to the web to submit the good, the bad, the ugly- anything that people of the world wide web think would make a "good" baby name. As you can imagine, some ideas are really out there so the couple has a disclaimer- regardless of what is most popular, they will ultimately pick their daughter's name. The bundle of joy will be born the beginning of April so head on over to http://namemydaughter.com/ to submit your baby name idea! 



Nasty Gal put up  on their blog this week the cool doodles of Hattie Stewart. Stewart doodles on virtually everything to ultimately create a 'hot mess' ( but a beautiful one at that).  I personally love the Mean Girls doodle above and you can check out more of her work here.
I think her work should be displayed in the American Visionary Art Museum aka one of the coolest places on earth.


My freshman year of high school, I did a project on Progeria. For those of you that are unfamiliar with the disease, Progeria is an extremely rare genetic disorder that leaves kids with only about 13 years to live.  The disease causes extreme aging in children and there are roughly 100-103 kids currently living with Progeria in the world today. While doing my project 5 years ago, I came across a boy named Sam Berns. My heart was heavy when I discovered that Sam passed away late last week. Pictured above with his parents and founders of the Progeria Research Foundation, Sam shared his life philosophy constantly and taught everyone to live life to the fullest.


If you've stumbled upon my blog before, then you know my love for Disney in never ending. My room mate and I especially love Peter Pan and this week the  Peter Pan in the current Scotland production  proposed to his Wendy. My heart melts.

Have a great weekend everyone.
Best,

Sarah

Monday, January 13, 2014

My Favorite Things

Hello everyone!
 I have a question for you all: do you ever stop to enjoy the little things?

You know the little things that make you laugh or smile and- above all else- just down right happy? The things that make you extremely fortunate to be where you are?  Yeah, we tend to overlook those things!

Here's a few things that, while simple,  have made my days a little more memorable or happy in the past few weeks.

Hair piled into a perfect bun on my head...

A unique flash drive to hold in my hands...

A  maple walnut cupcake to stop my hunger...


An inspirational quote to speak to my soul...

And a song to love with my ears and heart...

Best,
Sarah

Friday, January 10, 2014

Weekly Links: T shirts, Tracks and Inspirational Talks


Hello everyone!
Aside from skating to class (literally), trying to adjust to a new schedule and already regretting staying up late, this week has been a good one. It's nice to say I have one week of my second semester under my belt.

With this week's links I couldn't get the picture link to work so until I fix the situation, click the hyper links below.

* Click the hyper links below to be redirected to the original article*




This week the Coachella music festival released its line up for 2014. The 2 week festival starts in April and is always a hot commodity.  Tickets sell faster than a 70% off  sale at Urban Outfitters and is every hippie's, I use the term loosely, dream to attend. Mashable made a list of the songs your ears need to listen to in order to get pumped for Coachella. Also, Outkast is reuniting and that make this girl very, very happy.


Speaking of Urban Outfitters, the company always knows how to make a statement. 
In this case, it's not necessarily Urban Outfitter's fault, but merely a backfire in the company's mindset to always try to support smaller brands.  Their "Depression" crop top was pulled after some customers found it offensive.  The brand Depression has been mistaken for the disorder, but the designers still stand behind the garment. And I don't particularity blame them. They're getting a publicity boost just by having a shirt bearing their logo. Is this shirt truly offensive? You can be the judge.


 Meet Lizzie Velasquez, a 24 year old who can never gain weight. Cue jealous women everywhere. I came across Lizzie while scrolling through my Facebook feed a few days ago. Someone shared an article about Lizzie deeming her " The Ugliest Woman Alive". This title shouldn't even exist? Title aside, I found a TED Talk from Lizzie and it was truly inspiring.


A fun quiz popped up this week, Instagram caption or philosophical quote over on BuzzFeed. I found this amusing as everyone tries to get "deep" after spending more time than they'd like to admit on the right filter and then wracking their brain for an inspirational,  at times irrelevant, quote to match. ( ahem. a la  Kendall and Kylie Jenner)


Last but not  least, here's a video that everyone in frozen areas of the country can relate to.  A new spin on a wet T- shirt contest.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Best,
Sarah

Monday, January 6, 2014

Outfit of the day: A Bohemian Influence

Hello everyone!


Today I bring you an outfit that I wore when I was home in December pre snow storm. It will be harder to take photos in the icy tundra that is  Vermont, ( The current weather: freezing rain) but I'll make it work somehow in the future.


Jacket: Daniel Rainn found at TJ Maxx
Tank top (not shown): Forever 21
Jeans: American Eagle ankle Jeggings
Socks:  Cream knit knee highs, Urban Outfitters
Hat: Target
Shoes: Steve Madden 'Troopa' combat boots


 The search was never ending to find a hat like this. I looked virtually everywhere (mainly in the summer) with no luck... well, unless I was willing to pay an unfathomable amount of money. That was just not going to fly on my college student budget. Luckily, over winter break I found this at Target for $16; perfectly priced for the added chain detail, I think.


My poor, beloved  'Troopa' boots; they've seen better days.  I'm surprised they even look black here- over the years they've taken on a  green, gray sheen. I  definitely see a replacement pair in the near future.



I think the best thing about this jacket is that it can go with basically anything. The patterned sleeves are also just enough that no other major accessories are needed.


Have a lovely day y'all. 
Best,
Sarah

Saturday, January 4, 2014

The Issue With Body Issues

 
I know, I know I don't post on Saturdays so...
1. Hi, hello there friend, how are you? I hope you're enjoying your weekend.
2. I found something that I think is important to talk about and there is just no other time quite as fitting to talk about it than right now.
 
Alright, here we go.
Our media puts a lot of emphasis on “the perfect body” or how we need to look a certain way. Teens especially feed into this and as a result go to extreme measures to fit into to what society portrays as ideal.
 
Magazines, TV Shows, Tumblr... all these mediums tend to portray tall and slender girls who are super toned or scary skinny as attractive.   Teenagers eat this up.  Their mental and physical actions start to snowball. As a result, because these images are the only thing a majority of the population sees, women ( and men!) feel bad about themselves and actually turn to self harm.
 
 Now by saying this, I'm not putting down the before mentioned body type or saying that the individual is not special, good looking or that there is something wrong with them for being that thin. Every body is different. Everybody and every body is beautiful! The time to appreciate ourselves exactly the way we are is long overdue.
 
Body image disorder, BID, is a real, serious issue that anyone can have. We've all learned that if you have nothing nice to say then don't say anything at all, yet when it comes to someone's size that rule gets thrown out the window. That just doesn't make sense to me.
 
Now that we are enveloped in the era of technology, harsh comments and bullying arise a lot more easily. Most of us hide behind our phones, computers, etc and think it's ok to call people out on their insecurities because it's not truly to their face. Well guess what everyone: it still hurts.
 
I spent quite a chunk of my time on the media and its hold on the body issues that occur in our society this past  semester and I plan on continuing to do so in the future. Consequently, when a new, major story comes out about body issues or BID I jump at the chance to read it. I found it appropriate to write this post  in light of Ke$ha's admittance to rehab. It was brought to the public's attention today that the pop songstress checked herself into rehab for an eating disorder. I applaud her for this, but how her eating disorder came to be? Not so much. A music producer, Dr. Luke, told Ke$ha that she "looks like a f*ing refrigerator".
 
 After reading Luke's comment I was sick to my stomach.
No one deserves to read or hear such a statement or anything remotely relative to that about themselves - ever.
  
 
Our media, our schema on body beauty is absolutely sickening. Click here to read an article that talks more about Ke$ha's situation and many others like it. I strongly encourage you to check it out. I admire Cassey Ho for so many reasons, but her never ending passion about body image issues is  undoubtedly something to be praised.
 
 
Next time you're browsing online or at the store remember that the images you see are not realistic. Magazines care about making sales, not how their covers make you feel about yourself. Photo manipulation is so overused- yet  still so discreet that with a few moves of a mouse someone can look instantly prettier or slimmer. What you see is not real. 
 
 The #thighgap tags on Tumblr and Instagram represent just a small percentage of the world that is actually that slim and guess what. The girls flaunting those images? They probably have insecurities of their own and bragging about it is their odd way to cope. We thrive off of positivity : don't put down anyone because the body they were given is different than yours. 
 
Life is hard enough as it is- love  and help others see just how beautiful they genuinely are. Embrace what you have. Love what you have. You, my dear, are one of a kind.

Best,
Sarah
 

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Weekly Links: the beginning of 2014



Hello everyone! 

I don't know about you, but having New Years eve fall on a Tuesday messed up my week. Each day melted into the next and I thought it was Saturday more times than I'd like to admit. This week's lack of structure aside, I didn't forget that today is Friday!  Here on Buzz, Boots and Berries every Friday... well, you know the drill.

*click the images below to be redirected to the original article*


Out of her pure love for blogging, Beautiful Existence ( yep you read that right) decides to take on a new challenge each year. For 2013 the Colorado blogger took on every "white girl's dream" and had Starbucks (and its sister brands) for every meal, 365 days straight. Starbucks' drinks are calorie bombs so I can only imagine how much weight was put on during this year challenge. Surprisingly, when asked on Twitter about her health, Beautiful Existence promptly replied " Better without doubt!" For 2014, Beautiful Existence is taking on a healthier challenge by pushing herself to learn 80+ recreational sports from REI.  I will definitely be checking her progress throughout the year!


It takes up to two months to keep a habit, hence why  many new years resolutions fail. Losing weight is without a doubt one of the biggest new years resolutions year after year that gets pushed to the side and forgotten by the end of January. I found this link interesting as it lists different breakfast ideas to jump start your day. If you start the day healthy you're more inclined to keep it that way! You got this.


Alright, so I've never been a huge fan of Legos. I mean seriously, have you ever stepped on one of those things? Pain aside, those little blocks can sometimes make some of the coolest creations. Above is a time lapse of a LEGO Macintosh computer and... it's pretty awesome.


Her Campus crafted a list of Disney princess new years resolutions and they're pretty spot on. I wish,  now more than ever, that these daring damsels were real so they could act on these. (no shame)


The Rose Parade had quite the controversy New Years day over Sea World's float. The float was beautifully arranged (as shown above). However, PETA was outraged that the orca dolphins portrayed on the float were shown in a family when in reality each orca is held captive at Sea World.  More than 100 activists stormed on to the float  and 19 people ended up being arrested. Every rose has its thorns. 

My winter break is wrapping up and I'll be back in the green mountain state by this weekend. I'm not quite mentally prepared for a new semester, but I can't wait to see my dorm mates and the beautiful mountains in a fresh, white blanket of snow. Oh, I'm also oddly excited to sleep in my dorm bed? Mattress pads are a life saver!

Best,
Sarah