Hi and welcome to the dead zone of summer. After partying it up on the fourth, the festiveness dies down and your party schedule is wiiiiide open. There are, of course, the random parties and local events to keep you entertained, but for the most part the excitement is dead and the big stuff is over.

With nothing going on, why not bring the party to your place? Cocktails, sun, friends and your bed within reach? What could be better?

Of course, entertaining requires a little prep, but it is a lot easier (and cheaper!) than you think. Below is a handy dandy guide on how to turn your humble abode into the summer hot spot. And all for less than $150. Let’s get started. Read More »

Despite what you might hearing the media, there are big things happening in music other than Aretha Franklin’s boobs (but seriously, how ginormous are they?!). I thought I’d share the rundown with all of you so you can stay on top of what’s happening in the biz.

First thing, I think they stopped saying “biz” several years ago. Remove it from your lexicon.

- The bloggers over at BestWeekEver exposed me to a little website called Muxtape.com today. You can upload your own music and turn it into a playlist that’s accessible to everyone on the site. It’s a great way to access new music (I got to fall in love with Cat Power all over again this morning) or just share your impeccable music tastes with everybody.

The uploading is a little slow, possibly due to an unusual amount of traffic, but invest some time in it if you have a few minutes. Read More »

When I was younger, I ended up being friends with one of those perfect girls. Well, perfect in most senses….(she was a party girl, after all)….but she got the best grades. She was gorgeous. She excelled at every sport. Every guy wanted her. Every girl wanted to be her. And her clothes..GOD. I wanted her wardrobe. But my mom wasn’t about to take me to the mall for a shopping spree. No way.

So when this girl revealed to me once that she ACTUALLY got all of her clothes at The Goodwill; I was in total shock.

“Are you F*%king kidding me?!”

All of that time, I had been envious over clothes that I could most definitely afford, but wasn’t grabbing because I thought the only thing worse than buying my clothes at Wal-Mart would be to buy them at a thrift store.

How wrong I was.

She and I started going on adventures together to The Goodwill and everything in the universe started to harmonize all of the sudden. (Okay, maybe it wasn’t THAT life changing, but I certainly started to learn a thing or two about fashion.) Read More »

* Sure, this story is shocking, but I’m more intrigued by the fact that Japan has porn vending machines! (Mainichi Daily News)

* Learn and Earn? Seriously? Just how bad do I need to do in school to make the government want to pay me to do better? (11Alive.com)

* One NJ teacher is making his students parents do homework too. Sweet justice. (NYT)

* Doctors say smokers who are quitting should be treated in the same manner as heroin addicts. (The Independent)

* Woman finds rodent head in a can of beans and is offered $100 for it. She won’t take it. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Hope it’s not laundry day!

No need to get your panties in a bunch, but in case you forgot to mark your calendars, today is the day we celebrate boyshorts, bikini cut, thong, silky, cotton, and polka-dot! It’s National Underwear Day.

Freshpair founder and creator of this glorious holiday, Michael Kleinmann, said,

“We created National Underwear Day because we are passionate about underwear, and we wanted to create a day where everyone could celebrate underwear the way we do each day. After all, no one just reaches into their underwear drawer in the dark and grabs the first thing they see. Most people match their underwear to their mood or to their outfit.“

I wonder if he knows some people don’t wear any at all!

However, if you’re lucky enough to be in the New York area at the moment, don’t be surprised if you spot hoards of male models walking around the streets in their skivvies, it’s all part of the day’s festivities. What a treat!

You’re skeptical. I can tell. You’re all like, “We’re celebrating a day dedicated to undergarments? WTF.” Read More »