Business + Technology | Austin’s Very Own Food and Wine Festival

By Kelsey Nussbaum

This weekend marked the first annual Austin Food & Wine Festival, which I was fortunate enough to attend.  The event boasted numerous celebrity chefs and food personalities including Marcus Samuelsson, Andrew Zimmern, Gail Simmons and Masaharu Morimoto (yes, everyone’s favorite Iron Chef). For VIPs the event began on Friday night, but for most the Festival began on Saturday and consisted of five rounds of food and wine/alcohol demonstrations and three Grand Tasting events between Saturday and Sunday.  

As was expected, the chef demonstrations were nothing short of impressive, but the trouble came to getting into the demos in the first place.  The tents for the demos were well organized and graciously spaced apart so as not to interfere with each other, but sine there as many as seven demos going on at a given time, the seating was very limited for each.  There was certainly something a bit disappointing about having to queue 40 minutes ahead of a 45 minute demonstration, just to be seated in the back row because of VIP priority, but I think they will have learned from this logistical error and hopefully employe staggered start times for demonstrations next year.

In addition to the demonstrations, the festival also had three exposition tents full of food, wine and liquor vendors all showing off their best product (as well as swag). During the Grand Tastings (presented by H-E-B), attendees were able to eat and drink to their heart’s content, sampling food and drink from over 100 vendors.  There was no shortage of delicious and creative foods to try and you can bet there was a drink no more then a arm’s length away.  As you can imagine people enjoyed themselves, especially their beverages.  At the time, I was enjoying myself along with the rest, but at the end of Saturday it got me to thinking about how beneficial an event like this is for the vendors. 

 Naturally, a food and wine festival would seem like a great opportunity to share your product; however,  when people are swarming, many buzzed, frustrated by the heat and only eating in bite-sized portions how well are their memories working?  As I reflected on my experience, I could remember a lot of excellent bites I had, such as the ceviche filled mini taco, but not the vendor from which it came.  Or other instances where I got the logo embossed tchotchke, but am not certain of what I consumed from that vendor or how much I liked it.  Larger companies, the ones who have marketing staff dedicated to sending teams to festivals,  would not be as concerned about the payoff of participating in the festival.  But it takes a lot of preparation and money to provide food or drink to thousands of anxious attendees, a cost that would be much more consequential for smaller, local businesses. And then do they get the returns?  

Maybe some VIP with deep pockets fell in love with a local vendor and will be contacting them about investing in an expansion. Personally, I am interested to see what the Second Annual Austin Food & Wine Festival has to offer and also what vendors come back and who decides to use their money for other promotional methods. Overall the Austin Food & Wine Festival had its fair share of logistical kinks, as to be expected for a first go around, but I have no doubt that next year’s festival will maintain the high levels of enthusiasm and talent to become a truly spectacular event. 

Beauty + Fashion | Classic Beauty and Fashion Staples

By Shelby Janner

Our Beauty and Fashion blog posts lately have been all about trends. While I love wearing (and blogging about) trends  to a certain extend (Neons! Pastels!), most of the time you’re better off spending money on classic wardrobe pieces that you’ll be able to transition from season to season, year to year. These are the pieces to invest in. Here are my picks, for both beauty and fashion:

A white oxford shirt and black pencil skirt

These are the ultimate. Dress them up or down, wear together or apart, invest in quality for these two pieces and they will take you all the way from your first job interview to your kid’s first parent-teacher conference. Or something like that. 

Black pumps

These are the white oxford shirt and black pencil skirt of shoes. Again, they go with everything, dressy or not (pull an MKA Olsen and wear them with ultra ripped-up jeans).

Dark wash jeans

Whether you find the perfect fit in stores, get them tailored to you, or alter them yourself, dark wash jeans are the ultimate denim wardrobe staple. Although bootcut is a classic, skinny is giving it a run for its money, so choose your cut wisely! 

Red lipstick

Red lips are called ‘classic’ for a reason, folks. However, its one of the hardest colors to find to look good on you because there are so many different shades with different undertones. If you’re really struggling to find the perfect red, hit up your favorite makeup counter and ask them to find a color that suits you. 

A skincare regime to stick with

This may not be as exciting or easy to find as all the previously mentioned, but I truly believe finding quality skincare and sticking to a regime instead of adding something every time a new trendy product comes along is the key to great skin.

I know I’ve only covered a few here, so tell me: What do you consider to be a classic fashion or beauty staple?

images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

Art + Entertainment | Are We There Yet? A Meditation on the Entertainment Industry’s War on Bullying

By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory


When I was growing up, bullying happened and that was the end of it. If you reached senior year of high school without having your body image steamrolled, your social habits nitpicked, or some part of your body assaulted, you were one of a lucky few. Surviving it all became a rite of passage, where girls earned the right to wield their quirks and curves like weapons and boys learned that their ability to swing was not directly proportional to the need to overcome life’s obstacles.

I’m not saying it was right, just that it was true.

Likewise, if you told 13-year-old me that, 9 years in the future, there’d be anti-bullying legislation and a plethora of nonprofit organizations to protect me, I’d have laughed and questioned why famous people would care in the first place. As I write this blog, though, I am 22 ½ years old and live in that very future, but my question hasn’t changed.

Yes, the media is making strides in supporting awareness. Take Glee for example: the show’s depiction of the trials and tribulations of gay and straight high-school students, alike, has done wonders for increasing youth tolerance and promoting proactive steps against youth violence and self-harm. On a similar note, the “It Gets Better” campaign was brilliant in its simple mission statement: to get people- celebrities and civilians, alike- to tell their own stories of survival as a means to inspire others to press on and do the same. It seems that the purer the communication method, the more powerful the message.


However, question the motivations of entertainment industry’s seeming obsession with the bullying, almost making it seem like a trend. The controversial new documentary film “Bully” has finally managed to escape the claws of the MPAA’s inflated ratings due to the violence in the film—while the film is using its corresponding “The Bully Project” to create a pattern of change in communities, but one cannot help but ask, “Why now?” What has changed in between my childhood and today? Has the value of a child’s livelihood been inflated with the rising buying power of minors? Are these supportive movements catching on because a new generation is truly engaged in creating change, or is it all just a trick of branding?
I want my little cousins to be empowered. I want them to know that they are more than the stereotypes superimposed on them and the ideas stuffed down their throats, but I want them to do it because they believe it- not because awareness is the flavor of the week.



In a MTV News interview a while back, Questlove from The Roots discussed the 14-Day Rule, or the American tendency to forget about a tragic event two weeks after its occurrence. My question is, when our two weeks end, where do we go next? How do we create lasting change? Once the glamour disappears and the problems remain, will the entertainment industry still want to be bothered by the serious bullying problem in our country?

Craft + How-to | Un-Jarred Tomato Sauce

By Jenny Kutner

Tomato sauce is integral to so many “young person” foods; it’s traditional on pizza, for one, as well as most other Italian dishes. Adapt it a little and it becomes salsa. Adapt it even more and it’s Israeli.  You can eat it with eggs.  You can pour it over chicken.  You can even turn it into soup!  Tomato sauce is the most perfectly versatile food.

Basic Ingredients
1 28-ounce can of tomatoes (crushed, diced, or whole—not seasoned)
Olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup onion (white or red), diced small
Crushed red pepper flakes
Salt

 Miscellaneous Additions
Adding different spices, herbs, or peppers to your sauce can completely alter the flavor.  A few suggestions:

-Jalapeños                              -Curry powder
-Cayenne                                -Chipotle
-Oregano                                -Red pepper
-Basil                                       -Cumin

 Here’s a slight twist on traditional tomato sauce that is truly good enough to eat out of the pot.  The only changes from a classic tomato sauce are the additions of spinach and feta at the end.  Otherwise, you can use this recipe as a reliable foundation!

Spinach & Feta Tomato Sauce
Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, add minced garlic; let the little guys sweat for about two minutes, allowing them to release their delicious garlicky odors.  Next, add your diced onions and sauté until translucent and tender.  Add the can of tomatoes.  If you’re using whole tomatoes, try squeezing them or mashing them up with your hands inside the can, with it turned sideways, before pouring them into the pot.  Turn the heat up and let the sauce cook on high, uncovered, for a few minutes.  Stir occasionally. 

 When the sauce begins to look—well—like sauce, turn the heat down to medium-low and season with salt, crushed red pepper, and basil (or oregano) to taste.  Then, add your spinach. Because spinach cooks down, I usually end up using anywhere between half and one whole bag.  Let that cook in the sauce for a few minutes before turning the heat off altogether and adding (about) 8 ounces of feta.  Give the sauce a final stir and…voile!  Serve with pasta, chicken, eggs, or just eat it with a spoon.

Health + Wellbeing | A Shameless Plug for Yoga

By Charlotte Hockens


    Yoga has been a constant in my life for the last several years; thank goodness. There are times where the amount of stress I’m under has me convinced that everything in my life is falling apart, whether it is schoolwork, relationships, or my health. Yoga is always a necessary respite from those negative thoughts. I can drop everything and walk into a sanctuary of healthy thinking and living. Here are two lessons yoga has taught me that I use outside of class too.
    You are here. That is incredible. Sometimes you deserve to congratulate yourself just for getting out of bed in the morning. And that’s ok. That doesn’t mean that you are lazy or inefficient. Often we don’t give ourselves nearly enough credit for all of the things we are accomplishing everyday.

    Stay focused on your own mat. Yoga reminds you to not define yourself in comparison to others. Occasionally, I look over at the yogi next to me and see a sunrise salutation so beautiful that I can’t help but feel embarrassed at my sloppy, imperfect form. But any yoga instructor will be quick to remind you that no one else’s mat but yours matters. Defining how you feel about yourself based on how good or bad you are compared to other people is problematic. Your self- worth needs to come from somewhere else: you.

Culture + Lifestyle | Behind the Scenes of Homeland Security

By Angel Sharma

    The citizens of the United States have entrusted the responsibility of their safety and security to the federal government, but how far is the government willing to go to ensure these standards? The Patriot Act was just the beginning of the government over stepping their boundaries in the name of “security” for the people, and within the last decade, the US government has implemented several other laws that trespass on a citizen’s rights. The severe breach of trust from the United States government has created a sense of insecurity among the citizens of this nation. The ineffectiveness of these policies only aids the unnecessary implementation of them.

The Special Registration Act was implemented in 2002 as a device under the infamous “War On Terrorism” enacted by George W. Bush. This systematic registration forced all non-citizens living in the United States (that could still be legal permanent residents) to be fingerprinted, photographed, and interrogated on the basis of suspect for any links to terrorists. This act was divided into two plans: A Port-of-Entry registration and Domestic Registration. The Port-Of-Entry registration required certain Middle Eastern nationals to be reviewed by the INS before entering the US borders. The Domestic Registration required males nationals 16 years of age and over from every Middle Eastern as well as most South Asian and African countries who had any affiliation of Islam to register in person at an INS office. Only 11 out of 85,000 males registered had some affiliation with terrorists, yet none had any real evidence of threat against the United States. Billions of dollars were spent into this program that in reality produced little to no result. The program did little besides deporting undocumented immigrants but invoked the notion of racial profiling in order to do so. Thankfully, the Special Registration Act suspended in 2011, but was shortly replaced by the US-VISIT act that allows sharing of biometric information of an immigrant when they first go through the US border patrol.

To what extent was the implementation of this program worth the cost of losing moral grounds and promoting racial profiling within the United States? This act only increased the violence and animosity towards countries and people affiliated with Islam. It dehumanized the people who follow the religion and very easily took away the rights of the residents who had chosen to come in through a legal process by still labeling them as untrustworthy. America, a nation built upon immigration flows, is now attacking those very immigrants based on the country they come from. This action has created tension between the countries that were blacklisted and the US government, only increasing the distrust between ethnicities and the government under which they live. Acts produced on the basis of racial profiling have been ineffective in the past and will continue to be ineffective because the only direct result of their implementation is a growing disparity between the residents and government.

Business + Technology | Keep the Change

By Kelsey Nussbaum

While I was home for Easter, I was out and about running errands with Mom and we decided to stop by Starbuck’s for an mid-morning dose of caffeine.  Naturally there were at least five cars ahead of us in the drive-thru, mostly SUVs or various mid-size sedans, the usual suburban fodder.  However, when we pull up to the window a bizarre series of events unfolds.                           

Our chipper barista hands us the coffee, but when my mom tries to hand her the card, she receives an unexpected reply, “Your order was paid for by the car in front of you.”  Of course, several thoughts cross my mind immediately and simultaneously cross my mind, but without skipping a beat, mom chimes in with “Well, then I’ll pay for the following order.”  

All the while, my inner dialogue:  This is awesome! Is it a new ‘thing’to cover stranger’s orders? Was this intentional? Maybe car in front of us got charged our order on accident? Or had the car in front of them paid for their order as well? Is the pattern going to continue? How long has it already gone on?  etc.

Despite all of my fascination over how this situation was created, what really got me thinking was my mother’s immediate reaction to just pay for a complete stranger’s order without even knowing the cost (which ended up being about what our order would have been anyways).  Would I have reacted the same way? Probably not. My penny-pinching, college student mind would have celebrated the free coffee and gleefully driven off without any reciprocal offer.  Talk about bad karma.  

Clearly, I’m still mildly perplexed by the incident, and its got me thinking about random acts of kindness and my penny-pinching ways. Maybe I wouldn’t offer to pay for a stranger’s entire Starbuck’s order, but there are plenty of other ways to spread some kindness.  Maybe next time you’re picking up coffee before school or work, grab a drink for a friend that’s been having a rough week or the person who helps get you through the day.  Getting counter service for lunch? Start leaving your coins or round your card to the nearest dollar.  Tips aren’t obligatory here, but the change adds up fast during a rush.  

Take a second and think about some small ways you can brighten someones day.  Why not invest in your karma every now and then?  

Photos from Business Insider and breezymama.com

Beauty + Fashion | Playing with Pastels

By Ronit Joselevitz

While neon seems to be the latest craze, we must not forget about those light colors that remind us of the spring season—I’m talking about pastels, and since Easter has just passed, recall images of chocolate wrappers and the Easter bunny in your head as you read below. When speaking about pastels, this hue allows for the mixing and matching of several colors within one outfit. That is, wearing cotton candy pink, lavender, pale yellow, and seafoam green all at once is in fact acceptable. 

This can be easily achieved without appearing like a fairy when you leave your house by starting with either white or a light wash of denim as your base. Then of course the layers (link past blog post about layers here) begin. Piling pastels adds dimension to the soft colors and allows for new color combinations to come about, offering an alternative to the standard black and white combo. Don’t let pastels frighten you, especially if you are of a pasty skin tone like myself because there is an easy solution. Wearing a denim jacket can work together with the pastels to have the opposite effect of washing you out. 

Colored pants are everywhere, so why not wear pastel colored pants paired with a pastel chiffon shirt and pastel cotton vest? Designers such as Phillip Lim and Acne included pastel palettes in their Spring/Summer 2012 Ready-to-wear collections, combining light orange with purple and white (think lighter tones of Willy Wonka nerds candy)! Don’t get too distracted by the neon that seems to compete with pastels this season, and let the image of Easter egg hunts continue to run through your head for maximum inspiration.

image credit 1, 2

Art + Entertainment | Hot Headlines, Cold Content

By Cassie Maneen 

   Headlines have to be good these days. The amount of information in our digital world can be overwhelming, and if they don’t get you in the teaser, well, they may as well have wasted their time. People don’t seem to have time in between work, school, and their tall soy lattes to stop & really read what’s going on. But with room for only 150 characters comes responsibility. Someone has to choose what content to put online, & the selectiveness of our collective attention demands a good choice.



    Yahoo is one of the biggest culprits of this maneuver to get you to click onward (and inevitably to view more “words from our sponsors”). When you visit the Yahoo homepage to sign into your account the infamous scrolling news feed is usually full of what could be a convenient way to glaze over current events before you check your inbox, but Yahoo seems to seriously miss the mark by featuring ridiculous stories—particularly about women’s issues.
   I understand that a news outlet needs to be fitted with diversified information ranging from global news to entertainment, but that’s beside the point. Why does Yahoo frame so many lifestyle stories about what the hell our boyfriends think? Sure, if your curiosity was just burning to know what your heels say about your sex drive, or how what you do with your hair just annoys your man, then you’ve apparently found the right place. Yes, in a world strife with political turmoil, environmental degradation, and a business cycle gone amuck, it can be nice to read a breezy story about something fun, but why does that require body bashing at the expense of the male gaze?
   

   Coverage of whether or not “plain women have a chance with guys,” or that “woman who is too pretty light[ing] up the web” is a misguided attempt to divert our attention. If we choose to see the new Titanic 3-D, it’s probably due to a penchant for the story, or geek factor over sticking our hands out behind our red and blue glasses to touch the iceberg. I doubt many people there bought the inflated ticket because Yahoo was sure to report, “Titanic star hotter with age”. I sure as hell know that a lot of the women I know wear red heels with their navy dress because they’re in the mood that morning, not because Yahoo suggested we do so in order that some guy at the office takes notice. Not to mention, just because Yahoo reports that your beaux is annoyed by your messy bun doesn’t mean women aren’t going to employ the time-tested flip & twist to get it up and out of the way in the name of productivity.
    It certainly isn’t the case that Yahoo is the only offender of misguided stories about women and what they should apparently be caring about, but they are a popular site seeing tons of traffic a day. Maybe they’ll take note, and usher in more things about women moving into new business sectors, the changing dynamic of working mothers, or starting new fashion trends for the reaction from the reflection in the mirror. Until then, I let the ticker pass by without any real consideration, and put my hair half-up with wedges—because I want to.

Craft + How-to | Alter Your Blue Jeans

By Susie Cansler

Knowing how to alter your own clothes doesn’t just give you the luxury of saying “close enough” on particularly tedious shopping trips, but also lengthens the lives of beloved garments. From my experience, tracking down the right pair of jeans is matched only in cruelty by swimsuit shopping. In an attempt to save you from the ever-torturesome pursuit of affordable yet comfortable jeans, I’ll tune you in to this very simple way of bringing in a pair of baggy jeans to fit your own legs.

You’ll need a marker, a ruler (or seam gauge if you own one), scissors, pins, a sewing machine, the jeans, and possibly a friend to help.

1. Turn your jeans inside out so that the inseam is flat.


2. With your marker, draw a line inside the seam corresponding to how many inches you need to bring in. This is where a seam gauge comes in handy. If you want to bring them in 2”, and the seam allowance you will be using is ¾”, draw the line 1 ¼” evenly inside the seam. If you’re looking to make the style of the cut more fitted to your shape (e.g. boot cut to skinny jean), you’ll need to lie down while wearing the jeans inside out, and have a friend trace you. Then, with your seam gauge or ruler, extend the line out according to the seam allowance.


3. The next step is simple. Sew along the line you traced. Note that you will need a heavier duty thread and possibly a thicker needle specifically for sewing denim. Check to make sure the legs fit before you cut away the excess fabric.


4. If the waistline needs to be brought in as well, pinch together two folds along the back, and trace them (they will be v-shaped). Pin them back into place, and sew along the waistband.


Congratulations, you’ve put your pile of hand-me-downs to use! Whether or not you’re the kind of woman that enjoys shopping, always keep in mind that just because nothing fits perfectly doesn’t mean your body is wrong in any way. Clothing retailers host a tremendous variety of body shapes and sizes, which usually results in pretty generic cuts. Remember that they’re not the only ones who get to set the standard of beauty, or the content of your closet. Reclaiming that power feels pretty good, doesn’t it?

Health + Wellbeing | Rape, Power and the Media

By Eleni Kyriakides 


   The Violence Against Women Act that is up for re-authorization, and it’s been interesting to watch in the current political climate. One incident struck me in particular. Earlier this month, Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin stated on the House floor that “Violence against women is as American as apple pie”. Indeed it is. If we count rapes alone, about one in six women have been victims. Representative Moore even shared her own brutal experience:
   “It brought up some terrible memories for me of having boys sit in a locker room and sort of bet that I, the egghead, couldn’t be ‘had.’ And then the appointed boy, when he saw that I wasn’t going to be so willing , completed a date rape and then took my underwear to display it to the rest of the boys. This is what American women are facing.” 
   With this violent backdrop, its time we really think about what rape means, as illustrated by this one woman’s story. First, it reveals that the incident was about her perceived place in the sexual hierarchy- a woman is always to be available for sexual service of men. But beyond this, this story exemplifies what boys are performing to each other through acts of sexual violence. American boys too often come to understand their own masculinity in degrees of sexual access to and the ability to control women. The display of the underwear to the other boys is just this: not just personal affirmation of dominance, but is about proving he can perform masculinity well to the other boys.


   In shifting gendered experiences of power, we need not only to offer assistance to victims, but also critically examine the cultural spectacle that give sexual violence its meaning. One key step in addressing this tenant is decoupling eroticism from violence. The videogames, movies, and pornography are saturated with images linking violence and sexuality. Increasingly, these mediums are what America’s youth grows up consuming on a daily basis. Here is where young people find information about their social context and their sexuality, something they often are not learning about in real ways at school (note: about 75% Texas schools use abstinence only sex-ed).
   Studies demonstrate again and again that mainstream pornography features women being abused, coerced, enjoying it, and asking for more. This message is then coupled with the male orgasm. In the notorious ‘Grand Theft Auto,’ raping prostitutes in the woods and beating them is a popular option for players. Even in games and movies without explicit violence against women, there are other violent acts juxtaposed with scantily clad, ovesexed female characters. This generates psychological associations of arousal and violence. In a nation where violence against women is a serious problem, we don’t need subsequent generations learning learning to see sexuality through a violent lens. We need to curb the poliferation of messages that connect masculinity to violent domination, because these images are leaping off the screen.

Culture + Lifestyle | LGBT Movies on Netflix

By Lindsey Honeycutt

A Sampler of LGBT Films Brought to You By Netflix! This short list of films with subject matter involving lesbian, gay, trans, and intersex individuals is a brief intro to LGBT issues and – what’s that? – you can stream them all on Netflix! Some funny films, some lovey-dovey films, some dramas, and some documentaries: all in this neat package.


Show Me Love is a strikingly realistic story of attraction between two high-school girls from different social circles. It’s awesome because it feels organic in the way that the two girls experience an all-too-familiar tension between themselves and everyone they know, as well as within their relationship, while bobbing and weaving through sexual discovery. Also, when this movie was released in Sweden in 1998, it surpassed Titanic at the box office – so you know it’s good.


Simultaneously satisfying and heartbreaking, Weekend explores the risks and pleasures associated with opening up emotionally to someone you’ve just met, and potentially changing each others’ lives forever. What’s expected to be a one-night stand becomes something much more in this magically unapologetic countdown to separation. I bet you’ll see a little bit of yourself in this film, as I think it accurately captures the romantic atmosphere of our generation.


In Prodigal sons, Kimberly Reed (formerly Paul McKerrow) returns to conservative Montana for a high school reunion and an even more important reconciliation with her estranged adopted brother Marc in this heart-warming documentary. Along the way, Marc seeks out his birth family which, spoiler alert!, has some celebrity roots! This documentary is charming and bizarre, and just perfect in my book.


XXY is a little harder to grasp, but contains very poignant and important subject matter. The main character Alex is a 15 year old intersex individual who has been living as a girl in near isolation to avoid stigma and ridicule from peers. It’s a story of sexual trepidation and coping with a difficult condition, as well as an ultimate decision that will affect her life forever. Bonus: there are sea turtles.

Beauty + Fashion | Spring Makeup

By Shelby Janner

Now that the dreary months of Winter are over, break out of the rut of your comfort zone with some new makeup tips and trends. What we love most about the three listed below is that they are totally mix and match-able. Go ahead! Try dewy skin with bright lipstick, or a totally natural looking flush with bright eyeshadow. Or dewy skin with stained lips. Or a bright blush with dewy skin. And etc. We think you get the picture.

Dewy skin

Embrace the gorgeous weather with the best skin you’ve ever had. Exfoliate regularly and moisture well. Use a dewy-finish foundations such as Nars Sheer Glow Foundation or Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup, or use an illuminating base, such as Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum, underneath or mixed with your favorite foundation. Use as little powder as necessary, only in the places where you really need oil control. Dab a pinky cream blush, such as NYC Blushable Cream Stick in ‘Plaza Pink,’ on the apples of your checks and finish with a highlighting powder, like Too Faced Absolutely Invisible Candlelight or tint, such as Benefit Cosmetics High Beam.

Naturally flushed lips

With all the frolicking in the flowers you’ll be doing this spring, you may find lipstick to be a little high maintenance. Opt instead for a natural looking lip stain. Exfoliate your lips but rubbing gently with your toothbrush after brushing your teeth in the morning, finishing with your favorite lip balm. Take your favorite darker lipstick that you used in the colder months and dab just a bit in the middle of the lips. Use your finger to blend outward for a natural looking flush. My favorite picks for this trend: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in ‘Black Cherry,’ or Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss lipstick in shade 04.

Brights

Though we’ve mentioned the bright makeup trend before on the blog, we can’t help but mention it again. Admit it: at one point in your life you yearned to wear bright makeup, so why not jump on this trend while it’s still in? Brights are popular for eyes, cheeks and lips, but pick your favorite and stick to just one. If you want to try bright lipstick but want to tone it down a little, go for a lipstick with a matte finish such as Revlon Matte Lipstick in ‘Strawberry Suede’ or Nars Pure Matte Lipstick in ‘Carthage.’ 

image credit 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Art + Entertainment | Girls - JUST WATCH IT, OKAY?

By Jordan Greenberg

   I love Lena Dunham. And not just because she’s proving that women can be just as horrifyingly hilarious as Seth Rogan, or because she’s proving that my dream of becoming a writer in New York is semi-reachable, but because, for the first time in so long, she made it possible for me to watch a TV show and not feel completely crappy about my body when the credits rolled. You should know about Lena Dunham. She might just become your next hero. After two feature films, Creative Nonfiction (premiered at SXSW in 2009), and Tiny Furniture (which charmed SXSW again in 2010), Dunham landed a writing/acting/directing gig for HBO: her fem-fabulous, ballsy and freaking hilarious show “Girls,” produced by bromance-comedy hero Judd Apatow, will air April 15 on HBO.
   This past SXSW, my best friend and I waited in line for hours, ooing and awing over Apatow’s sexy soccer-dad style on the red carpet, to catch the world-premiere of first three episodes of “Girls.” In “Girls,” Dunham plays semi-autobiographical Hannah, a character that should be familiar to young, female, liberal arts major everywhere. Painfully funny, awkward and honest, Hannah is trying to meander a world that offers unpaid internships and overly-philosophical boys who like bad sex. After her parents tell her they will no longer financially support her—a scary premonition for so many current post-graduates clutching our English B.A.s— the show follows Hannah and her friends’ search for adulthood in New York City.
   The best part of “Girls” is the fact that it’s a show about women that features shockingly realistic female bodies. I know a lot of feminists don’t like reducing women’s movements to critiques of the body, but I can’t come up with more scientific evidence of how toxic our media’s images of women are than the fact that I felt noticeably different after watching “Girls” verses pretty much every other movie/TV show/music video with female characters I’ve watched recently. Dunham isn’t shy about showing her “imperfect” (by our culture’s standards) body; she’ll go full on nude with her pear-shaped body and show the camera her double chin. Even the character known for her sexiness and attractiveness to guys, Jessa (Jemina Kirke), will wear high wasted pants that reveal a realistic and convex stomach. And Dunham’s writing doesn’t shy away from real body issues. Her character explains to her semi-boyfriend that she got her tattoos in an attempt to reclaim her body during a phase of weight gain in which she felt out of control. Have you ever heard this type of real talk on TV? I don’t think I have. 

    I was aware a mental shift that went on for me while I was watching “Girls;” a lot of movies and TV shows have somehow helped convinced me that unless I lose about 10 pounds and get a nose job, I really shouldn’t bet on romantic attention. Obviously, this can’t be true; the majority of women don’t look like glossy, thin models and still lead happy lives and fall in love. But, somewhere in the web of my low-self esteem, I have caught onto this idea. It took seeing funny, smart women on the big screen who have love interests and don’t look like Heidi Klum (and aren’t characterized as “The Fat Girl”) to get it through my head how much I need to stop obsessing over my body.
   Maybe this suggests how image-driven our culture is. And maybe that’s a problem. But regardless, I want to share how great this experience was—we need more Dunhams in the world. For now, I’ll gloat on the fact that driving home from the premiere, we wanted to stop for ice cream, and I caught myself about to say no and remind myself of what I think a pretty woman should look like. But instead, I said yes. And the ice cream, shared with continuous laughter with my best girlfriend, was delicious. Watch “Girls” this April. You’ll be happy you did.