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Austin, Pop Culture

The Top Ten Best Taco Tattoos

I have a secret to share: I didn’t try Mexican food until I was in my 20s.

It’s not because I didn’t want to. I’m an adventurous eater and will try anything. I was born in a small town in Upstate New York which, for a long time, was about as ethnically diverse as Yanni concert. I grew up eating the food of first and second generation Italians and Greeks. We didn’t have options like Thai, Indian, Mexican or Ethiopian. My small hometown JUST got their first Mexican restaurant a few years ago and the majority of people who have never left said town are afraid to go in there out of fear that their taste buds will explode from tasting spice for the first time in their lives.

Even when living in Los Angeles, I didn’t eat Mexican food often. Unlike Austin, Mexican food is not as commonly celebrated in LA. It wasn’t on my radar because I was sidetracked by the exorbitant amount of sushi restaurants that city has.

When I moved to Austin, everything changed. As compared to Los Angeles, I (more…)

May 8, 2012 by
20-Something, Hipstercrite Life

Sometimes I Miss Being a Sad, Drunken Twenty-Something

Sometimes I think my writing would be much more interesting if I were still a wandering soul.

I used to decry that as a confused early twenty-something my stresses prevented me from thinking creatively. Between the ages of 20 and 25 that I lived in Los Angeles, I did little to release my artistic passions. I was drowning in my self-made cocktail of existentialism and narcissism. Sick of hearing myself talk about my petty, but nonetheless troubling issues caused me to move to another city to “find myself”.

Which I did.

Now I’m boring.

I work from home, forget to change out of my pajamas and garden poorly.

I wouldn’t say that “I’ve figured it all out” though. Who ever does? In many ways, we’re ambling spirtis our entire lives; always searching, always learning and always changing.

However, I’m a far cry from the girl I was five years ago.

The girl at 23 didn’t know what she wanted in a career or in love. She thought she always knew herself, but for the first time (more…)

May 7, 2012 by
Austin, Pop Culture

Are You a Bobo?

In this week’s CultureMap article, “More than Trader Joe’s in store: Seaholm development targets ‘urban bohemians,'” managing partner of Seaholm LLC, John Rosato, used the titular term when describing the sort of clientele they want their future tenants to cater to. A lot of you thought the phrase “urban bohemian” sounded like the verbal equivalent of dragging your nails across a chalkboard, but I have news for you, it ain’t nothing new.

Try on this word for size: Bobo. Bourgeois bohemian. Does that make you want to throw up a little in your mouth, too?

“Bobo” was coined by David Brooks in his 2000 social commentary, Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There. The book describes the rise of upper middle class and their penchant for spending big bucks on organic food, brand new electric cars and all-American clothing.

They are a hybrid of the “liberal idealism of the 1960s and the self-interest of the 1980s” a.k.a. hipsters with money. Bobos are essentially (more…)

May 5, 2012 by
Hipstercrite Life

You Can Take The Girl Out of LA, But You Can’t Take LA Out of the Girl

Next week I’ll be reacquainted with a former flame.

A love that dragged me through the valley of extreme highs and absolute lows.

My relationship with LA is one I’ve romanticized in my writing, my dreams and very somber moments drinking alone. She turned me from a child into an girl; a girl with worn edges and heavy heart.

At some point last year, I realized that girl metamorphosed into an adult. All the hopes and dreams the girl cried for in her loneliness came true.

She loves someone now, and she knows her path career-wise.

I think about the girl often and in random moments I miss her.

I mourn her passing when watching an episode of Girls or hearing a song by M83. My new adult way of thinking tells me I’d never want to be her again, but there is a part of her that still calls to me.

The girl used to lie on Venice Beach at night, staring at the stars wondering when it will all happen for her.

She never thought that day would come, but it’s came, and I’m going to (more…)

May 4, 2012 by
Fashion/Design

Bohemian Chic and Armpit Fat

Here is one more photo from the Rachel Roy shoot I did this SXSW. This picture cracks me up because I look like I see God sitting somewhere on a grassy knoll off I-35 (we shot this near Franklin’s BBQ). I also think they airbrushed my armpit fat. Yay! I loved the dress I was wearing. It’s called the The Laurel Halter Dress $139 and is such a pretty shade of blue.

 

May 3, 2012 by
Writing

Long Distance Relationships Are Hard

I decided not to go to Europe.

It was a tough decision to make, but the only affordable option I had was to go next week for a few days capped by 25+ hour travel days. Thinking about that made my head spin. The only reason why I would go is because I want to see Geoff. I miss him terribly. A couple of days in Europe is no way to see Europe. I will get to Europe one day when I have the money and the time and the travel partner.

I was very disappointed in myself for not being more “spontaneous” and just going to Europe, but compounded by my fear of flying, the whole situation was making my anxiety debilitating. As I get older, I’m learning what makes me comfortable and what doesn’t. I’m also learning when I’m just being a big pussy. It’s a hard thing to admit when you’ve always thought of yourself as an adventurous person. Compared to my boyfriend, I’m not adventurous. He will go swim with sharks, climb suicide cliffs and get purposely lost in extreme natural settings. I feel the (more…)

May 2, 2012 by
Film, Pop Culture

Sexy Goldbluming (The New Planking)

Ok.

I’m going to submit a photo to this:

SEXY GOLDBLUMING!

A new “planking” in the form of reenacting your favorite Jeff Goldblum pose.

But I need your help in deciding what photo to replicate.

Leave your choice in the comments!

Also, if anyone wants to help take the photo, that would be great. I can’t guarantee what will happen when I bring out the Goldblum Sexiness though. It might kill you.

1.)

2.)

3.)

May 1, 2012 by
20-Something, Hipstercrite Life

Is Life About Taking Risks?

Lately my anxieties have prevented me from living the life I want to live.

It took a lot of self-analyzing and begrudged admittance to say this out loud. I have my theories as to why my anxieties have become as bloated as a Pufferfish in the BP oil spill, but I haven’t yet discovered the answer. One step at a time.

This realization/admittance came after I found myself having an exaggerated and unnecessarily negative reaction to minor obstacles affecting my getting to Portugal to see Geoff (he is currently teaching there for three months).

In other words, I went ape shit girl drama cray-cray: crying, throwing garbage cans, drinking Malibu Rum on the couch and taking 3 hour naps to prevent myself from yelling at people on the sidewalk.

You see, sinking ship American Airlines will not release a voucher to us that would help pay for my plane ticket. This has caused me to scramble to find the resources to get to Europe. A few options have become available (another smaller voucher (more…)

April 30, 2012 by
Austin, Writing

Bloggers Are The Best: Blogging From BlogathonATX!

I am writing this from BlogathonATX.

I just finished speaking about branding yourself online and I was super nervous (ssshhh).

Thoughts kept running through my head- What if I sound like a tool? What if I have no idea what I’m talking about? What if torrents of sweat run from my armpits? Everyone asked wonderful questions and they told me I sounded like I knew what I was talking about, so that is good. I won’t have to drink myself to sleep later tonight.

I’m excited to check out later sessions including Long Term Blog Maintenance with Crystal Edwards and Blogging for Business with Ellie Scarborough. I’m also looking forward to free sushi courtesy of Roll On Sushi. I might want to roll around on the sushi myself, so Cathy over at Slave to Fashion is going to have to stop me from doing that.

Check out the live stream of BlogathonATX here.

 

Ilene Haddad (the mastermind behind BlogathonATX) and I! photo by Jake Wengroff

Cathy from Slave to Fashion!

Ilene (more…)

April 28, 2012 by
Fashion/Design

What I Wore Today: Crocs

Shirt: Gap cami with bra built in, 1998 which means padding in bra has turned lumpy therefore my boobs look lumpy, $.05
Pants: Alternative Apparel Eco-Heather Long Pant, excellent at giving camel toe, $38
Shoes: Carlie Mary Jane Crocs, from fashion mecca Banff, Canada, $40

Notes: Awhile back, I tried making my hair ombre style. I didn’t know that there was a name for it, so I kept telling people that I wanted to make my hair look like that of Nicole Atkins’. I’m not sure I succeeded in this attempt. I’m afraid my hair looks green.

What I’m Doing Today: Trying to wash the green out of my hair.

Mood: Cranky

April 26, 2012 by