3 Things You Need Now

1. Netflix, Hulu Plus, and HBO Go

Remember Blockbuster? Yeah me either. Brick and mortar locations for movie and game rentals are no more, and honestly, it's much more convenient for us as consumers. Now I certainly do want to knock Redbox, because sometimes you actually want to watch a recent movie, rather than just TV shows or movies filmed circa 2000--plus the convenience of the kiosks and the price can't be beat. If you don’t have a provider of on-demand Internet streaming media, I hate to tell you, you are not with the times. You need to get with them. Here’s why: 

+ Everyone else has them, and can watch Scandal, Girls, Game of Thrones, or even Runaway Bride whenever they want.

+ They aren't that expensive for the ROI. If you enjoy TV shows, movies, and documentaries,  this is where you get your bang for your buck.

+ There is at least 3 different providers, all three mentioned above would be nice to have at once, but lets be honest, living on a budget doesn't mean we can frivolously subscribe to everything, so pick one with content that interests you.

+ Free Trials - Hulu-Plus’ free trial saved me during my obsession with Scandal, and it lasts a week, so I was able to watch the whole second season free of charge. Turned out I liked the benefits the service provided so much, I ended up signing up full time.

+ You are automatically more popular if you can host Game of Thrones marathons via HBO Go.

+ Orange is the New Black - Enough said. Disclaimer: Available on Netflix only

2. A Duane Reade/Walgreens Rewards Card or CVS Customer Care Card:

This sounds silly, but I have gotten $10 off my next purchase more often than not because I use these things religiously. They don’t let you use them on prescriptions, but lets be honest, you never really only buy meds when you walk into one of these establishments. The magazine and gum is right next to the register, so save a couple bucks and just say yes when they offer you the damn card this time.

3. Cloth Grocery Bags

If you don’t have these yet, then it’s just embarrassing. Especially living in New York. Carrying groceries any distance already is too much for my lazy, millennial - aged self, but carrying groceries in New York City is quite the pain in the ass. The cloth bags, which are sold pretty much everywhere including the lovely stores I mentioned above,  retail for around a dollar, so its worth it . Also, its a great way to  reduce your carbon footprint with minimal effort and cost, so just buy one already. The key is remembering to bring it with you, that's the kicker. 

4 Sites Worth Subscribing to

We've all got our reservations, when handing out our e-mail addresses to just anyone, for fear of being spammed not only once but 30 times a day. I am right there with you, but being a girl on a budget, there are some sites I don’t mind submitting that e-mail form to. In fact, I actually look forward to the daily e-mails and have purchased one too many things on a few of them.

Now keep in mind some of these, are relevant to New Yorkers only, but others, go for it, they're just as good.

Refinery 29:

This site is my guilty pleasure. I could literally sit on it for hours and be completely amused and entrenched in all of the lovely things that it has to offer. Refinery29 is a lifestyle platform that delivers nonstop inspiration to live a more stylish and creative life. They have a ridiculous following and apparently even a reader or two in Vatican City. They cover style, relationships, shopping, life, health, and basically anything else that could relate to women and things they love. You can also tailor it specifically to New York if you happen to be a local.

Levo League:

This is one of my personal favorites, because the site is a social start-up designed to elevate young women in the workforce by providing the career resources needed to achieve personal and professional success. Being fresh out of college and looking for a full-time job, the articles are a great read during my lunch hour or during commercials during the Bachelorette. They also produce “Office Hours”weekly, which are 30-minute video chats with leaders across all industries. Don’t worry if you can’t watch them live, they record and archive the discussions for you to watch!

Bauble Bar:

My latest love. I absolutely adore all things jewelry and I would gladly spend every pay check at their Soho pop-up store or on the site. The site calls itself the “ultimate source for fashion jewelry,” what's not to love? They feature different designers and “guest bartenders” on their site, as well as provide lookbooks with the latest trends. If you are a local, they host weekly events this summer in their SoHo pop-up store featuring different designers, cocktails and treats, and of course lots of shopping. The site is not only affordable but offers high quality pieces you won't find at H&M and Forever 21.

Pulsd:

I’m not even sure how I came across this site, but I am certainly glad that I did. We all know about Groupon and LivingSocial, but Pulsd includes not only paid events and specials but also free ones. The site, which I have made specific to New York, allows you to bookmark venues, favor events, and invite friends. Events include anything from cheap boozy brunch, free facials at Bloomingdales, and even daily open bars all around the city. If you are on a budget but don’t want to take for granted living in a city like New York, this site is definitely worth a look.

Is it serious?

I am just going to put a big fat disclaimer out there right up front, I am no relationship expert. Let me reword in case that wasn't clear enough; I need advice on relationships, I shouldn't be the one giving it. So, trust at your own risk.

With that being said, it can’t be rocket science right? And with so many dynamics, personalities, and situations, what advice is actually applicable to all relationships? Exactly.

Obviously people who are close to you are nosy, excited, concerned, and just plain blunt when it comes to getting you to dish on your dating life, and the one question that continues to come up is, “Are you serious?.” I literally am at a loss for words every time. It doesn't matter if you have been together a day or a decade, if you are young, it's a daunting question. Your answer is immediately judged. If you say yes, you're automatically stereotyped as the crazy girlfriend who may or may not be a stage 5 clinger. If you say no, then your intentions look sleazy, and it comes across that you probably couldn't care less about him/her.

I think I speak for most girls when I say, of course we think about the future, that's normal. Chances are, he probably does too. The only difference is, you may be thinking ahead a month, and he is just thinking about where you are going to eat that evening. Another thing to keep in mind, who is just waiting for their relationship to end? Hopefully no one, because that is just awful, but honestly, you don’t start things that require time and energy hoping one day it will be over and not in a good way, right? But jeez louise, how the hell am I supposed to know if it’s serious?

Now, I think that this question can be interpreted in a number of ways:

- Do you see it going somewhere?

- Like OMG are you in love?

- Do you think you’ll get married?

- Are you just hooking up or do you actually like him?

But honestly, I think the best way to answer, for both your sake and your significant others’, is just to say in some way or another, “who knows.” Because really, someone asking that question might as well be asking you if it is going to be raining or sunny a year from today? Like HELLO?!, who the hell knows the answer to that.

Take this advice as you wish. It doesn't mean you don't care, it doesn't mean you don’t see a future, it just means that right now, you're in a relationship (hopefully happy), and that you’re taking it one day at a time. The worst happens when you make plans, and circumstantial expectations that GOD FORBID don’t work out. They are probably going to do more harm than good to your relationship.

So next time someone asks if it’s serious, ask them if you should wear rain boots on July 23, 2014.

Weekend in Williamsburg

For many people working in the city, or working anywhere really, the weekend is a time to relax, veg out, and maybe spend a little money on some good food and a couple of beverages. I have been feeling extremely guilty the past few weekends because it has been so insanely hot, I haven't wanted to venture out of my dark, air conditioned room. No matter the heat, this weekend I decided to venture to Brooklyn.

Williamsburg is trendy and a nice change of pace from the Murray Hill area where I currently reside. There are no tall buildings, but many bars and unique restaurants, and... I even saw a man walking a pig and now I desperately need one.

After “Yelping” “Dinner in Williamsburg,” we decided to go to the Post Office. It’s a whiskey bar (with food) on the South side of Williamsburg, and its probably one of the more unique places I have ever been. They have a ridiculous amount of different kinds of bourbon, and a ton of weird cocktails. The music here is on point and I highly recommend it if you're in the area.

Following dinner and some Brooklyn Lager’s we walked who knows which way to find a new place to try. Being New York, I would usually complain that it then started to rain, but THANK GOD it did, because that is what finally broke this awful heat wave. Anyways, to avoid the rain, we went to the closest bar to us, the Gordon Bennett Bar. Great place. Hardly anyone was there and the beers were pretty cheap. We made friends with the bartender, who had just recently moved into Williamsburg. He then recommended Surf Bar, the place we would ultimately finish our evening and end up with massive amounts of sand in our shoes.

Surf bar is probably the most at home I have felt since moving to New York from Florida. The ground is sand, so that right there is reason to make you home sick. Their “Soup of the Day” is always Sangria, and who could argue with that. Also, the inside looks like someone threw up Key West, trailer parks, and the beach all over it, and its honestly the greatest combination of things I have ever seen. Excuse the coke Icee on my shirt in the picture above, it was a 45 minute ride to BK and we needed something to drink on the way, duh.

Of course, I had to end the weekend with something cool to cross off of my touristy list. Even though I had been before, my roommate, her boyfriend and I, decided that Serendipity sounded great on a Sunday, and so we went. If you live in New York and are wanting to go, but are afraid you may get cooties from a tourist, late Sunday evening is a pretty short wait, and there are very few tourists in sight.

Mind Your Manners - Unless You Live in New York

Upon looking through a thesaurus to find synonyms for the word “manners,” second on the list caught my eye: Refined Social Behavior. How funny.

Manners are something that I have been ingrained with since I was old enough to speak. Being from the south, Tallahassee, Florida was about as “southern” as Florida gets, I was taught to always respect my elders, and to approach all things with poise rather than rudely or urgent.

At an early age, like all kids, I began to “want” and “need” almost everything. Trips to K-Mart (classy as it gets,) meant that I needed a new toy, and that I was not stopping until Betty Spaghetti was buckled into the empty seat next to me on the car ride home. But I quickly learned that in life we earn things, and receiving them is a privilege, not a right. From then on, I like to think those lessons shaped me into the polite (at most times), young lady that I am today.

These manners, or my refined social behavior for that matter, have come in handy when meeting parents, potential employers, and even simply existing in the southeast region of the United States. All of that changed when I moved to the lovely, but very sarcastic, city of New York.

Countless encounters with bosses, salespeople, and even interviewers have left me feeling downright silly and wishing I would have bit my tongue. Responding “Mam?” to a question you may not have heard correctly has got to be one of the most naive things one could do in a city like New York.

Responses I have heard to my so called “refined social behavior” have been:

- Honey, I am not old.

- Please don’t call me Mam.

- My mom is mam..

- Come again..?

- Say Whattttt?

And I could list even more. While this may not be alarming to you, I was in a complete culture shock if I had ever known one. The very thing that set me apart; my polite, sweet self..? I was all of the sudden annoying and rude. How is that even possible?

Now, when speaking to anyone who I would consider worthy of respect, I have to check my “mam” and “sir” at the door, and make my manners known in a more subtle way. Still with patience and a tone of respect, I now try my best to use phrases like “Excuse me?” and “I apologize?” Neither of which I am sure are proper grammar but honestly, they are better than the alternative which is feeling downright dumb.

Lesson: Read your audience. There are plenty of ways to make people feel respected, without making them feel...ancient.

5 Summer Makeup Splurges

Yves Saint Laurent Radiant Touch/Urban Decay Cosmetics Chill Makeup Setting Spray/Stila 'Stay All Day' Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner/Benefit Benetint/Benefit They're Real Mascara

New York is absolutely stunning. It’s fast paced, it’s unique, it’s glamorous...but it is also expensive. Extremely expensive. In an effort to save money upon moving into the city, I braved the heat, AC free, for 1 whole month. In hindsight, it really was worth the savings, until about the last couple of weeks, when I slept basically naked and couldn't put on makeup due to it immediately melting off.

Now if you live in New York, you know that the last few weeks have been abnormally hot, and performing your daily makeup routine just to swelter in the heat is frustrating. While I’m not sure if these are splurges to you (remember I make little to no money,) I have made a list of my summer makeup must haves (some a bit of a splurge) that help keep your makeup on in the crazy heat:

1. Yves Saint Laurent Radiant Touch $40 - I discovered this product in my mom's makeup drawer, while trying to find unused, brand name makeup to steal from her before moving into the real world on my own. This is an Instant highlighter. A must - have take-anywhere pen-brush for adding a touch of light or banishing shadows and signs of fatigue from the eye area, the hollow of the chin, the contour of the lips and the sides of the nose. -- I personally use it after applying foundation because I think it's effects are more pronounced, but it is great for covering up dark circles.
2. Urban Decay Cosmetics Chill Makeup Setting Spray $29 - I just purchased this item last week after getting my makeup done at Sephora. I don't know about you all, but I have been using hairspray to set my makeup, and it is terrible for your skin. Urban Decay's Chill features cooling time-release Temperature Control Technology that actually chills the surface of your makeup - to keep it looking gorgeously just-applied for up to 12 hours. It's a must have in the summer heat fosho.
3. Stila 'Stay All Day' Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner $20 - My best friend uses this eyeliner, and I always found myself wanting to borrow it. I even once made a special trip over to her apartment just so that I could use it on a special occassion. I finally broke down and bought my own, and it is literally fool-proof. Now, as much as I would love to be able to do neat wings on my eyes, I simply cannot learn to master it. This product makes it almost impossible to mess up putting on liquid liner. It's a waterproof liquid liner that glides on with ease, won't smudge or run and stays in place until you say when!
4. Benefit Benetint $30 - I swear by this stuff. It's great to save space in your makeup bag, because it does two things in one. Also, it seems to stay on better in the heat, and I love the way the pink looks. It comes in a couple of different shades as well. It's the original cheek-tint and can be worn on lips too!
5. Benefit They're Real! Mascara $23 - Because I am a VIB member at Sephora, I received a birthday gift of samples. I usually use Badgal Lash Mascara by Benefit, but this tube happened to be included in my birthday box. I am absolutely in love. It separates lashes and multiplies them times at least a million. The specially designed brush features staggered bristles that grab close to the root, boosting length and volume beyond belief. With a glossy, jet-black, long-wearing formula, you’ll flaunt luxurious, silky lashes that won’t smudge, clump, or dry out. 

21 Things I have Learned in 21 Years

Today is my birthday.

I know that the blog name may be a bit confusing, so, let me clear it up. Today is my 21st birthday, so although I may seem of age, I am still a youngin, and at that, just barely legal. The blog name refers to “Apartment 22," where I currently reside in the lovely city of New York, with my lovely roomie, Kelsie.

Finally I am 21 years of age, it only took FOREVER. I remember when I was just shy of 13 and at that time, ALL I wanted was to be 13 and see PG-13 movies with my friends. Having a July birthday I was the last of everything. The last to go to rated R movies, the last to get into a club, the last to drive, the last to vote, and now, the very last to legally sip on a mildly alcoholic beverage purchased by yours truly.

I like to think that although I am one of the youngest (and at times I act it), that I am also one of the more mature and “daring” I suppose. After all, I did graduate college a year early and uprooted to the big city. There will be much more to come on the blog regarding my birthday festivities and preparations, but on this day, the day of my actual birth, I will leave you with 21 things that I have learned in my looonngggg wait to be legal:

1. It’s really not that long, don’t be a diva. Nobody likes to hear you complain, yet again, how you have “so long” til you can do/be/achieve something.

2. It’s okay to care about others, but don’t live for them, they don’t have to deal with the ramifications of pleasing others, you do.

3. Enjoy the little things. I’ve always focused too much on “the next big thing” in my life, instead of appreciating wine nights, thank-you cards, and the ability to sleep-in.

4. Splurge. The older you get, the more quality matters. So even though you LOVE that worn to death purple maxi with a hole in the side, buy yourself some quality things. Not all at once, but every once in awhile.

5. Accept that some people are meant to become a part of your life, but aren't meant to stay forever. There is a time to be sad, but also a time to realize you need to move on...but really.

6. ALWAYS keep Q-Tips handy. They are great for everything.

7. Learn to enjoy at least one sport. Men's, women’s, co-ed, foreign-- it doesn't matter, just learn to sit, watch, and appreciate the process and athleticism of a sport, because you never know when it will come in handy. (Job, boys, networking, basically everything...)

8. Buy the small popcorn at the movies. You won't eat the extra two pounds, even if it only costs an extra fifty cents.

9. You’re parents are not the enemy. Why didn't we just tell the truth when we were in middle school, instead of sneaking their wine coolers from the fridge? They are your parents, and by all means deserve respect, but it’s okay (at this age) to be friends too.

10. Heels hurt, start practicing yesterday...

11. Making friends is not like Kindergarten anymore. You have to make an effort, something that most of us slide through the teen years with a minimal amount of.

12. Everyone should be subjected to playing with a puppy for at least one hour per day. Crime rates would decrease immensely. With that being said, any offers to purchase me one? It is my birthday...

13. Don’t half ass things. Like I said above, making friends requires effort, so does everything else. Fortunate as I am and have been--thank God for my family-- I’m realizing quickly that in the real world, especially in New York, nobody has time for your excuses and certainly not your half-done work.

14. Awkward is a relative term, boy have I met some gems here in the city.

15. Ketchup is not meant to be used on things such as fish, broccoli, quesadillas, or any other food besides burgers, fries, and chicken fingers really. When you are young you can get away with this, but it is NOT cool when you try, as an adult, to justify asking a waitress for some Ketchup to go with your Mahi.

16. God doesn't give us what we want, he gives us what we need. Every time. And although it may not seem like it in the moment, and we may be frustrated or angry, in the end, it's always what we need to grow. And I've also learned we shouldn't cry over spilled milk. Learn the lesson and then move on, but don't stay stuck in the past. It's a sure way to live the most unfulfilled and immobilized existence.

17. Google “How to take a deep breath” and then don’t ever forget how to do it. There is a technique ya know, and it comes in handy.

18. Maybe don’t put so many pillows on your bed. You have to take them off every time and put them back on every time, it will get old, trust me.

19. Love what you have, and have what you love. -- People, places, foods...it all counts.

20. Be intentional. People aren't mind readers, beating around the bush and fancy wording isn't going to achieve your ultimate goal. So, say what you mean and mean what you say.

21. According to my substitute teacher from the 6th grade, Mrs. Sullivan, the only two things in life that you have to do are: die, and live until you do.

And to close, just because I’ve learned all of these things, doesn't mean I practice them, but I certainly try.