Happy 4th of July ladies!

I hope you enjoy this holiday and appreciate the day off. Whether you’re spending it at the beach, watching fireworks, or firing up that grill, July 4th is a day to celebrate. It’s a day to reflect on how we got here and remember the people that made this country so great. It’s a day to appreciate our country and everything it has to offer us, whether it be the big things or the little things.

Today though, today I’m going to focus on the little things…

10.  Driving. On the right side of the road that is. I don’t have much experience abroad, and I have absolutely no experience driving abroad but I can tell you this much: I don’t think it would work out to well for me. So yes, I’m thankful to have my Jeep, and my license, and my ability to drive on the right side.

9. Red, White, and Blue. Primary colors often get a bad rep. But there’s something  great about red, white and blue- when the three are thrown together, whether that be on the American flag, or an Uncle Sam outfit.

8. BBQs. Nothing says America quite like a good old hot dog or hamburger right off the grill. (The fact that neither hot dogs nor hamburgers were invented here is completely irrelevant.)

7. Football. I know other countries have football as well, but their football is actually our soccer. Which makes sense because in soccer you actually use your feet. I don’t know why we call it football, but I love the sport all the same. And I appreciate the irony.

6. Thanksgiving. A holiday dedicated to, amongst other less materialistic things, eating so much food that we bust the buttons on our jeans? Dedicated to turkey and stuffing and sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie? Yes, please.

5. Our Youth. Not so much American teenagers on their own, but rather our collective youth. As a country. 235 years old may not seem too young but in comparison to most well-established countries, we’re spring chickens. Yes. I  did just say “spring chickens.”

4. Apple Pie. Why apple pie is such an American tradition I’m not so sure. I just know that it is. And I appreciate that. In fact, I appreciate it even more when it’s pipping hot and topped with vanilla ice cream.

3. Jeans. When I went to London in my junior year I was shocked and appalled by the lack of denim. I know America invented blue jeans and because of that we embrace it wholeheartedly, but it wasn’t until then that I realized other countries had not. I’d never survive.

2. American Authors. I know that when most people think of the classics they think of British Literature, but  America has some pretty amazing author as well. Fitzgerald. Twain. O’Connors. McCullers. Hemingway. Dickinson. Whitman. Just to name a few…

1. The Melting Pot. Yes, there’s an overlying “American” culture but part of what defines that culture is the diversity of our country. There is no one way to be an American, and that’s all sorts of freeing.

Time to turn this into a  love fest. What are the reasons you love the U.S. of A? 

I had a really happy moment recently: I tried on my bikini and it not only FIT, but I felt really PROUD of my body. The nagging critic in my head was speechless and all I could hear was internal praise. I mean, I better get some kudos after working my ass off, literally, for the past 2 months!

But somehow I feel like I’ve only won the battle, not the war, aka, Summer BBQs. With Memorial Day just around the corner, they’re a-comin’ and with them, beer, hot dogs, potato salad, chips and dip… It’s all going to tempt me beyond belief, especially once I have a few cocktails. So in an effort to maintain what I’ve worked so hard for, I’ve come up with a BBQ Game Plan.

This may sound deep, but setting an intention before I begin my day has really helped me stay on track. So why not set one before I head to any summer gathering where not-so-healthy food is involved?

Promise yourself to be kind to your body. Treat it like a temple; after all, it is what allows you to function normally everyday. Doing this will keep you conscious of your noshing choices.

Be sure healthy options are available. Find out if your friends, especially guy friends, are serving anything other than artery clogging fare. If they’re not, bring a veggie platter, and maybe some chicken or shrimp. That way you won’t be forced to eat a greasy cheeseburger. Read More »

I have come to the final decision that Thumper was right all along. As soon as spring arrived, he could only think about thumping that big foot of his so all of the animals would hear his mating call.  And I totally get it; spring is here and so are my raging hormones.  Boys and their forearms crawl out of North Faces and down comforter coats…and I can’t get enough.

That’s not all, though. Other things start to happen to my body when spring rears its mighty head.  Suddenly, I feel randomly productive.  I clean everything in my sight.  I wash a dish instead of just shoving it into the dishwasher.  I wash my socks instead of throwing them away because they are stained with feet sweat.  (I’m not kidding, I’m a disgusting person.) Let’s just say when spring comes around, everything falls into place and I feel like a giant firecracker is going to explode in my chest with excitement.

The first day I know it’s spring is usually the best day.  My nostrils flair into the wind, I smell smells I thought only squirrels could detect (i.e. dirt, acorn stubs, wet leaves, ant hills).  My fingers tingle and touch the breeze…oh, and what was that?  Did I just feel a soft blowing wind lift my baby hairs on the back of my neck? Happy sigh.

To say I’m smitten for spring is like saying I’m smitten for self-serve frozen yogurt, and anyone who knows me knows that I put way too many Oreo’s on my soft-serve I’m over the moon for both. And how can anyone not be? Oreo’s are delicious There’s nothing on earth as blissful and perfect as a spring day. Read More »

Looking for something fun and different for this Friday night? Forget a girls night movie night and forget funneling beers in a frat house basement, because if you’re lucky enough to live in this town, you’re getting BBQ AND a foot massage. Living the life.

Get more WTF Fridays here. Because this world is real messed up.

You are only a few hours away from a three day holiday weekend, ladies! Can I get a “what what”?! Memorial Day Weekend is the official kick-off to summer, which means only one thing: it’s time to get a bikini wax the inevitable family BBQ.

Truth: You love hot dogs off the grill.
Truth: Your family is ridiculous and you’d much rather spend the time with people who don’t make inappropriate jokes about hot dogs. Or at least people who make funny inappropriate jokes about hot dogs. And are under the age of 65.
Solution: CollegeCandy’s Memorial Day Family BBQ Drinking Game

Because Great Uncle Bert’s war stories (a war which he was not in) are easier to listen to when you’ve got Bud Light coursing through your veins. The best part? You can play alone and, being that you leave the BBQ with a killer buzz, you always end up the winner.

What you will need:
A case of domestic beer (we’re celebrating America, aren’t we?)
Various other alcoholic beverages
Your drinking hat Read More »

There’s a great many things to do and places to see in this world of ours.  As humans, our lives are pretty short (and if you party like I do, it’s probably going to be even shorter).  So we have to prioritize!  We have brains for a reason and that reason is…reasoning (well, at least some of us use them for that purpose: see comment about partying above).  Let me be your voice of reason as I show you all the things you should be doing right here, right now.

It’s hard to be sure of what to eat these days.  Health reports come out with a study against a certain food one day and for it the next.  Do I eat the egg yolk or do I stick with the whites?  Are pomegranates that good for me?  How many more vitamins do I really need to take?  It’s confusing.  And I don’t like being confused about food.  I just like eating it.

Everyone’s heard the old adage, “Everything in moderation.”  Sounds pretty obvious, right?  You can eat your egg yolk (as long as you don’t eat five eggs a day) and not feel guilty.  Even dessert isn’t off limits if you don’t gorge yourself.  So this is why I’m going to give a shout out to something that has gotten a lot of bad press lately: meat.  It seem everyone is jumping on the vegetarian wagon, what with all the new vegetarian options out there.  Hey, I don’t have anything against tofu (I actually love tofu, but that’s a different story), but I have to defend my meat.  It’s delicious, packed with nutrition, and can be used in a million different ways.  Here’s why you should eat more meat: Read More »

July is pretty much here (I know – where the eff did June go??), and I can’t help but notice more American-themed fashion/toys/food crowding the retail shelves just about everywhere.  At first I was confused (I mean, that red, white, and blue dress is cute, but wasn’t Fleet Week a while ago?), then it dawned on me…Independence Day.

After about a minute of feeling guilty about almost forgetting our Nation’s birthday, I started to remember why I adore the 4th of July so much.  I get to spend time with my family, spend all weekend drunk and in the sun, and eat massive amounts of food.

This year, however, I decided I wasn’t going to puss out after just three servings of barbecue.  So, I did a little research and gathered some tips from the masters (read: the competitors in the yearly Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating contest!).  Now you guys can join me in celebrating the founding of America the only way that is appropriate – by eating more than anyone else on the planet.

Don’t Starve Yourself Beforehand – When you starve yourself, you’re actually making your stomach shrink (in addition to being a pretty bad move in general).  Keep eating before the big day and you’ll  keep your appetite up.  Besides, who wants to rock that crazed, hungry person look during the family picnic?

Prepare Your Stomach - Assuming that you aren’t Takeru Kobayashi, you probably don’t eat like a maniac on a normal basis.  Therefore, you might have to stretch your stomach out to make room for all those amazing Independence Day meals (ribs? burgers? corn on the cob? Droooool).  Use this week to chug water and chomp on mad lettuce – you’ll expand your stomach in no time (thirds, much?). Read More »

Chipotle has become one of those super hip ingredients you find in everything it seems, right up there with pomegranate, and for very good reason: it’s frickin delicious. Smoky and hot, it adds a killer flavor to anything it touches, and this spread is no exception. It’s magical.

I’ve made it for many a backyard/patio/rooftop bbq, and it is always a huuuuge hit. Throw it on a burger, use it as a French fry dippin’ sauce, anywhere you want a really excellent dollop of flavor. It’s so easy you can whip it up in no time, and keep a jar on hand in your fridge for that impromptu summertime grill-fest (like the 4th of July??)

Chipotle Mayonnise

1 16 oz. jar Mayonnaise (makes a lot, but I like to use the whole thing so I can just pour the whole recipe back into the jar for storage, and have it on hand at all times.)
2 chipotles in adobo sauce, plus 2 tsp adobo sauce
1 large clove garlic
Juice of half a lime
Salt to taste (start with about ½ tsp) Read More »

The 4th of July.  An excuse to drink beer, dress up in festive clothes and eat late-night salty munchies… all day. Sounds like a typical college weekend and it is oh-so-welcomed after 2 months of spending our weekend nights at home with our parents playing Scrabble.

But what to wear?

Not only is it day-to-night activities, but you don’t want to pull a George Banks and be a total party pooper (that’s why we invited you!) avoiding the red, white and blue all together, but, then again, you don’t want to be so obviously festive that you look like a walking Old Navy ad (or a pro wrestler). Thank God I’m here!

I can dress you from the beach to the fireworks so all you have to do is show up, grab that Corona and hot dog and enjoy. Read More »

[The following post was written by the smart, savvy and totally rad ladies over at SomeoneSpoilMe.com]

As we all know, buying a gift for Dad is nearly impossible as he either seems to have everything or you just have no idea what he would want.  This causes most of us to procrastinate on buying him a gift, and then having to scramble at the 11th hour and settle for a gift that is less then mediocre. (Read: a tie.)

So if you that fit the description above, don’t worry; you still have some time this year (not much, but at least a day or two).  I have compiled my list of amazing gifts to give Dad that can all be shipped this week and make it just in time for the special day.

I got your back, ladies.

The Top 6 Last Minute Father’s Day Gifts:

Eleni’s I LOVE DAD Cookies: Eleni’s makes the cutest and most delicious sugar cookies.  They come wrapped in an elegant gift box and can be preserved for up to 1 week if the box is opened.  The box contains 18 cookies spelling out “I LOVE DAD” surrounded by cookie hearts.  The cookies cost $37 and must be ordered by 12pm PST on Thursday, 6/18.

BBQ Apron & Tool Set: If your dad loves to “man the grill” (or “dad the grill”…wait, that doesn’t make sense) then this is a perfect gift to give him. This durable apron serves as both an apron and carrying case that holds all the tools that Dad will need to grill.  Plus the apron has compartments that Dad can place the tools in while grilling.  This set costs $45 and must be ordered by 12pm PST on Thursday, 6/18. Read More »