Olivia Palermo is a B*tch

Posted on July 8, 2013 by jordanshaner

and I love her for it.

If any of you have watched The City, then you know that Olivia Palermo is the registered villain, while Whitney Port plays the innocent good girl. This MTV spin off of The Hills is about Whitney Port’s big career move to NYC; It follows her first year working in PR at DVF with infamous Olivia. Every show needs a villain and MTV was more than willing to edit it to make sure that Olivia was the mean girl in the work place. When I watched this originally in 2008 I was totally Team Whitney, but now that I’m older (and have watched the series again) I have switched sides to Team Olivia.

Olivia, rumored real life inspiration for Blair Waldorf, showed naive Whitney the ropes by introducing Whit to her Upper East Side socialite friends. Whitney, influenced by her grungy downtown boyfriend, came in completely biased against Olivia’s uptown friends and ended up ruining her chances of making potential connections.

Girl, you’re working in fashion in NYC, you need those.

Watching Whitney’s interactions with Olivia in the workplace were equally painful to watch. Whitney brought her entire personal life (and drama) into the office daily. Although the majority of Olivia’s advice came off bitchy, it’s surprisingly good advice.

For example, when Whitney decided to make the jump from her friend’s couch to her own apartment, Olivia offered to help her search for an apartment in a good neighborhood. Whitney responded to Olivia claiming that her boyfriend, Jay, will probably help her search for an apartment. Thus came Olivia’s first hunk of golden advice, “Honestly, you have to be independent.” This line is probably one of my favorites; it can be so difficult for me to watch young women who let the men in their life do everything for them. Girl, this is gonna be your first apartment in NYC, do you really want to let your (new) boyfriend pick it out for you? Whitney ended up going against Olivia’s advice and took the first apartment that her boyfriend picked out for her.

Olivia, however, wasn’t always quite so sweet when giving advice; after listening to Whitney discuss the insane amount of drama in her life (i.e. getting in the middle of a cheating fight between her model friend, Ali, and Ali’s model boyfriend/Jay’s best friend, Adam, Olivia gave Whitney some tough love, “You’re twenty-three years old, you’re not in high school.” What I found funny about this was one is that I took this piece of advice to heart. Sometimes, without even thinking it through first, I subconsciously put myself in the middle of drama; hearing this finally made me realize that I, also, am not in high school anymore and don’t need to mediate anyone else’s fight.

Another one of Olivia’s strengths is never bringing her own beef with a coworker into the workplace. When Whitney had a bone to pick with Olivia, she brought it up while they were working. Olivia responded with, “This is nor the time, nor place to be discussing this.” Handled with class.

Whether you like her or not, Olivia Palermo is a force to be reckoned with.

Do you love her or hate her? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

This is purely based on The City: Season 1, Season 2 is a completely different story.

Check out this Pinterest board for some Olivia Palermo fashion perfection.

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Weekend Playlist

Posted on June 21, 2013 by jordanshaner

“I make the soundtrack to my life.” One of my closest friends plays music wherever she goes. I’m not kidding, we would be walking on the streets in Heidelberg and that girl would whip her iPhone out and play Taylor Swift at full volume. She didn’t give a rat’s ass if some was judging her. She wanted to make sure that wherever she went she would be listening to music.

I’m very similar to her in that way. I love music and play it almost everywhere I go. While I might not have the guts to use my iPhone as a boombox when I’m walking around, I definitely love to create or listen to playlists that give me my own soundtrack.

But man, it can be difficult for me to make my own playlists sometimes. I usually just tend to scrounge up good playlists on 8tracks because it’s so much easier. However, when it comes to summer, well that’s one soundtrack I can’t give up to someone else’s musical tastes.

So, I created this playlist on Spotify for everything from lounging at the beach, sipping lemonade on front porches, or even driving with the windows down on a hot summer day.

Check it out and let me know in the comments what your favorite summer songs are!

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Confessional Friday Link Up

Posted on June 21, 2013 by jordanshaner

I can’t say this enough, but THANK GOD it’s Friday. And in honor of this glorious Friday, it’s time for some confessions. This week’s topic (from Leslie over at A Blonde Ambition) is random facts about me.

1. I have a terrible fear of heights, but I was able to tackle my this fear when I went ziplining in the fall!

[So terrifying, but so worth it in the end!]

2. I have two older brothers which has made me stubborn as hell, but way more balanced as a person.

[They also taught me a thing or two about developing fast reflexes]

3. I’m secretly a history nerd. My dad’s favorite channel is the History Channel and my oldest brother is a history teacher; so when I lived in Germany for three months, I was loving all the World War II facts and passed everything I learned along to my brother and dad.

4. Oddly enough, my favorite animal is the shark, but sharks are also one of my biggest fears.

5. I’m a spazz when it comes to my iPhone. I’ve cracked the screen on it twice. The second time I cracked it was literally three weeks after I got my screen fixed. Now I have a bulky otterbox to keep my phone nice and safe.

Confessional Friday: Link Up

Posted on June 14, 2013 by jordanshaner

After seeing Leslie’s post about the Confessional Friday Link up, I knew I wanted to participate. I mean, what’s better to write about than your deepest, darkest confessions? With that said, I will definitely only be telling you guys my guilty pleasure confessions.

I confess…

…sometimes I’ll spend an hour browsing through gifs on What Should We Call Me and send my favorites to my friends.

…I have the worst tan lines on my feet from my Sperrys.

…even though I tell myself I don’t care about celebrities’ lives, I have spent way too much time reading through Amanda Bynes’ tweets.

…I still haven’t gotten my dad anything for Father’s Day yet. Procrastination at it’s finest.

…I haven’t worn makeup in a week. This is one of the reasons I love summer so much!

…I’m currently working my way through watching the entirety of Friday Night Lights. So good!

…I am so glad it’s the weekend!

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The Ultimate Summer Guide to Sunscreen

Posted on June 12, 2013 by jordanshaner

Wear sunscreen.

Reason No. 1:

[via]

Do you really need another reason?

Unless you want to look like a leather chair in thirty years, it’s time to start slathering on that gooey white stuff that doubles as an exfoliant when you’re at the beach. Lucky for you, I’ve gathered this year’s top picks in all things sunscreen related.

Consumer Report’s Top Picks

These sunscreens not only had the highest ratings according to Consumer Reports but they also didn’t break the bank.

1.Up & Up SPF 50 found at Target

2. Equate Ultra Protection SPF 50 found at WalMart

3. Coppertone Water Babies (this one earns extra brownie points for being approved by the Environmental Working Group).

4. Walgreen’s Continuous Spray Sport SPF 50

5. Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch SPF 30

6. Coppertone Sport High Performance

Keep an Eye Out!

These sunscreens were not recommended by Consumer Reports.

California Baby SPF 30+//No-Ad with Avobenzone, Aloe, and Vitamin E APF 45//Neutrogena Wet Skin SPF 45+//Kiss My Face with Hydresia SPF 40//Badger Unscented SPF 34//All Terrain AquaSport

Save Face

One of the best ways to prevent lines and discoloration is to add sunscreen into your daily make up routine. And, no, unfortunately, your make up that already has SPF 15 doesn’t count. Unless you are dumping that make up on hourly, the “helpful SPF” won’t last the day. Here are some sunscreen options that not only protect that valuable skin, but are also perfect for keeping your complexion clear.

1. Neutrogena Pure & Free Liquid Daily Sunblock SPF 50: This thin sunscreen is so light you will barely notice it under your makeup. It is also fragrance free for those who have sensitive skin (or a sensitive nose). (Allure).

2. Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Lotion SPF 70: This sunscreen is perfect for swimmers. As a swimmer myself, my skin gets crazy dry during the summer. This light and moisturizing sunscreen will definitely help keep my dry skin under control during those long swim meets. (Watson).

3. Coppertone Oil-Free Faces SPF 50: For those who are worried about getting breakouts from using sunscreen, this oil-free and fragrance-free version will help keep skin clear. (Allure).

4.Sunbum Babybum Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30: Is it just me or is this sunscreen name totally cute? I already want to buy ten bottles. This aptly named sunscreen is perfect for infants, but also adults who may have freckly or super sensitive skin. (Allure).

Get Active!

Sunscreens like the ones below are ideal for athletes who worry about their sunscreen lasting through a match, swim practice, or a game. These sunscreens also work to stay out of athlete’s eyes so that they can keep their on the ball.

1. SkinCeuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 50: This marathon-runner tested sunscreen is water-resistant, wear-resistant, and wipe-resistant. This sunscreen “backed by science” also is enhanced with a plankton extract intended to increase UV resistance and protect collagen. A favorite of both Allure and The Fashion Spot.

2. Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock SPF 55 (Watson).

3.Rite Aid SPF 30 Sport Continuous Spray: This sunscreen has been given the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation. (Watson).

4. Coppertone Sport Sunscreen Stick SPF 30: As someone who is lazy, but also cares about skin protection, this sunscreen stick is a favorite of mine to swipe on my face before practices. Quick & easy. Also given the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation. (Watson).

5.Ocean Potion Oil Free Sport Extreme Sunblock SPF 30: This sunscreen has also received the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation. (Watson).

Overachieving Multitaskers

These sunscreens work doubletime to not only protect that precious skin of yours but also prevent your skin from aging by containing antioxidants and anti-aging ingredients. One of these sunscreens can even cool down a sunburn.

1. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Tinted Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid SPF 50: This miracle worker not only can pass as makeup for the day (I prefer to wear just a tinted moisturizer in the summer) but it also can even out some imperfections in your complexion giving your face semi-matte coverage. (Allure).

2. Prevage Triple Defense Shield SPF 50+: This sneaky sunscreen can even out lines and skin discolorations from current sun damage. (The Fashion Spot).

3. AHAVA Time Age Control Even Tone Moisturizer Time to Smooth Broad Spectrum SPF 20: Whew! That’s a mouthful. Although this sunscreen’s name may be long, the description is not. This sunscreen protects skin while evening out uneven skin tone. (The Fashion Spot).

4.Sonia Kashuk Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15: This double agent is also perfect for summer; it keeps your complexion dewy while giving you some sun coverage (I would add another sunscreen underneath for extra protection). (The Fashion Spot).

5.Kiehl’s Activated Sun Protector Sunscreen SPF 50: This sunscreen is chock full of antioxidants such as goji berry, vitamin E, and einkorn wheat; these added benefits to the sunscreen give it an anti-aging boost. (Allure).

6. Banana Boat Sport Performance Coolzone Broad Spectrum SPF 30: This sunscreen is one of my go-tos when it is over 100 degrees! It has a cooling effect to also help with sunburns! (Allure).

Can I Get That Without Grease?

If you’re like me, then you hate, and I mean HATE, the feeling of sunscreen. Something about feeling slimy and greasy all day just grosses me out. These two sunscreens tackle that greasy feeling and keep your skin feeling clean.

1. L’Oreal Sublime Sun Sheer Protect Sunscreen Oil SPF 50+: This non-greasy sunscreen also has the added benefits of ingredients antioxidants such as argan. (Allure).

2. Vichy Capital Soleil Foaming Lotion SPF 50: A foaming lotion like this one (Wait, what? Foaming sunscreen??) keeps you from feeling sticky after application. (The Fashion Spot).

Eyes. Lips. Face.

Don’t forget about your peepers when it comes to sunlight! Throw on some of these cute shades to keep those eyes wrinkle-fee!

1. Urban Outfitters//2.Ray-Ban//3.Urban Outfitters//4.Yves Saint Laurent

When it comes to lips, I stick to EOS lip balm which has an SPF of 15. It keeps my lips hydrated, protected, and it’s not as easy to lose!

Face: Throw some shade!

No, seriously shade your face.

These types of hats are my go-tos right now.

1. This Panama Hat from J. Crew is perfect for a vacation. Throw a tunic over your bikini, add a panama hat, and you’re good to go.

2. Baseball hats are a classic for me. Whenever I’m headed to the pool or running some lazy errands, I pull on a baseball cap. Might as well rep my favorite team, and World Series Champions, with a worn-in baseball cap from PacSun!

3. Floppy hats scream beach. They also scream margaritas, watermelon, and maxi dresses. This floppy hat from J. Crew is the most essential summer item in my opinion.

Don’t Forget Your Clothes

This fact is easy to forget but UV radiation can work its ways through clothes. However, clothes with built in SPF will stop UVA and UVB radiation in its tracks. A good website to for this type of clothing is the SPF Store, and it is recommended by both the Melanoma International Foundation as well as The Skin Cancer Foundation.

Be Green

Check out Environmental Working Group for sunscreens that are environmentally friendly.

Stop Skin Cancer in its Tracks

The most important part of using a sunscreen is to reapply. I try to put on my sunscreen fifteen minutes before I leave the house and reapply hourly; however, the FDA just recommends reapplying every two hours. One of the reasons why skin cancer is on the rise is because people have a false sense of security. This fake security is contrived from the idea that if one uses a sunscreen with an SPF of 100+ it won’t be necessary to reapply as often. However, this could not be more wrong. Even though the SPF is higher, we still need to make sure that we are reapplying often.

If possible, stay out of the sun during its prime hours (from 10 am-4pm). This time span is when UV radiation is at its highest. Try to stay out of the sunlight during this time no matter what the season is.

Melanoma Cancer is on the rise. Women under 39 are more likely to develop melanoma than any other cancer (Skincancer.org).

Last but not least, over ninety percent of visible skin aging can be attributed to sun damage. If you want your skin to stay youthful, protect it. Stay out of tanning beds. Use sunscreen. Cover up. Check the UV index of your location before you head out for the day.

Save a family member. Save a friend. Save a stranger.

Spread the word.

Selfie Sunday

Posted on June 9, 2013 by jordanshaner

In honor of Selfie Sunday, here are some kitteh selfies.

[via Tastefully Offensive]

siggysig

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I’d like to thank the academy…

Posted on June 1, 2013 by jordanshaner

As I sat scrolling through my bloglovin’ feed, I noticed that one of my favorite bloggers (and tweeters) Rachael from Lobster Lovefest nominated me for a Liebster Award!

Here’s how the Liebster Award works: Acknowledge the blog that nominated you

Tell 11 facts about yourself

Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger created

List 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers that deserve some recognition

Post 11 questions for them to answer

Notify them that they’ve been nominated

You can’t nominate the blog that nominated you

11 Things About Me

I’m obsessed with Boo the Dog; I have the stuffed animal, the book, and the phone case. He’s just so dang cute!!
I’m currently in the middle of a two week long Friday Night Lights marathon.
I go through Tumblr and Pinterest phases. I’m currently in a Pinterest phase.
I have an unhealthy obsession with Refinery 29. Seriously, I follow every one of their social media outlets.
It’s nearly impossible for me to pick a favorite music artist.
Whenever I get homesick I listen to Creedence Clearwater Revival (one of my dad’s favorite bands).
I chipped my two front teeth in fourth grade. The dentist couldn’t fix my teeth for two months so I walked around with fang-shaped teeth. This unfortunate incident only added to my awkward phase.
I’ve never had a nickname until college. Then I got around twenty nicknames.
I could eat cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
It actually took me forever to learn how to walk in heels. During sorority recruitment I fell once walking on flat ground, and again while standing completely still.
It took me over an hour to write 11 things about me!

11 Questions from Rachael to Answer!

Who is your favorite band or musician? Ah! I don’t know about my favorite band or musician, but I do know that I’m currently obsessed with this 8tracks playlist. It’s based on what you might hear if you were chilling in the Slytherin Common Room! So good.
If I came to visit you where would we go? Oh, this a toughie because I kinda live in the styx, but honestly I would say linedancing at The Grad in Davis. I’m obsessed with linedancing. For me, it’s such a stress reliever and is so fun! (Don’t knock it til ya try it). 😉
What is your favorite book/magazine? My favorite book is any book from the Harry Potter series. (Yes, I’m still obsessed).
If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be? Definitely London. Or Italy. Ah don’t make me choose! Can I just travel everywhere in the world??
What is your biggest pet peeve? My biggest pet peeve is when people eat in the library. It drives me up a wall! Well, it doesn’t help that the only time I’m in the library is during finals…when I’m a tiny ball of stress.
Who inspires you and why? Celebrity, political figure, blogger, friend, family member? One person that has always kind have been a business inspiration of mine is Lauren Conrad. Although that girl could have gotten herself into a lot of trouble being on Laguna Beach, she ended up using that publicity to work her way to the top. That girl seems to work hard and is so dedicated. And funny.
Do you have any strange habits or quirks? One of my strange habits (I have many) is that everytime before I go workout, I HAVE to find the PERFECT workout playlist. And this may take up to an hour to find. Just so I can go workout…
What is your all time favorite nail polish color? Right now its Essie’s Bikini So Teeny.
Who is hotter…Ryan Gosling or Ryan Reynolds? You’re KILLING me girl!! After hours and hours of thought and an endless list of pros and cons (mostly pros) for each Ryan, I have to go with Ryan Gosling. I’ve had a crush on him since he was the dorky football player in Remember the Titans.
Do you have a signature drink, if so what is it? Well, my go to drink abroad was either a mojito, a drink called the Terminator (at one of my favorite stops Metropol) or a shot of tequila!
Who is your favorite blogger? Oh man, I don’t even know. Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere was one of the first reasons I first started following blogs but now I appreciate more of the Lifestyle Bloggers who aren’t quite as big!

I’m going to nominate these 11 bloggers!!

Ellie @ EllaBella
Lauren @ Sophisticated In Style
Sarah @ Lady Go Lightly
Robin @ The Sunshine Diary
Kaleigh @ A Rambling Fancy
Katie @ Koala Katie
Kitty @ Kitty Hearts
Alexandra @ Vast Aspirations
Jill @ Joodles Doodles
Jane @ Pursuit of Poppiness
Carly @ Carly Tati

My 11 Questions:

If you went to Hogwarts, what house would you be in?
What is your favorite musical?
Coachella or Stagecoach?
Do you prefer sweet or salty?
Are you a early bird or a night owl?
CA or NY?
What is your favorite website and why?
Have you ever broken any bones?
Did you prefer No Strings Attached or Friends with Benefits?
Do you have a catch phrase, if so what is it?
What are you most excited about for the month of June?

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Confessions of a Shopaholic

Posted on May 29, 2013 by jordanshaner

Hello, my name is Jordan, and I may or may not have a shopping addiction. Okay it’s not that bad, but these past few weeks my hard earned paychecks have flown from my bank account into my closet.

[via]

After basically a three month long shopping break (from clothes) when I was in Germany, it was basically necessary for me to step up my wardrobe and restock everything I had thrown out. J. Crew’s sale only added to the enticement. On top of that, I felt the need to shop out of stress because as Confessions of a Shopaholic taught us…

[via]

These lucky contenders were the newest additions to my closet.

[I’ve seen this button up on all my favorite fashion bloggers and was dying to have it.]

[These J. Crew Liberty print jeans have been on my wishlist forever.]

[This dotty button-up is perfect for layering.]

[These map-print jeans remind me of my recent European travels (and somewhat coax me out of my post-European depression).]

{1. J. Crew; 2. J. Crew 3. J. Crew 4. Madewell}

——

So, now can someone convince me not to add these to my cart??

Okay, now I’m going to go watch Eat, Pray, Love, drink wine, and cry because I miss Europe.

siggysig

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Happy Memorial Day!

Posted on May 27, 2013 by jordanshaner

A big thank you to all of our troops who have served and who are serving currently.

Now here is a picture of a puppy and an American Flag.

[via Myspace, apparently]

You’re welcome.

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Hobbies. No, not hobbits, HOBBIES. One little seven letter word that people can use to describe you in a nutshell. And one word that has caused me quite some stress this past year. For fifteen years of my life I was constantly involved in a sport. Swimming was my main sport, but in 8th grade I made the switch to water polo, which I played competitively year round for six years. After my senior year I was completely burned out on water polo. I couldn’t be convinced to play a water polo game if you paid me. However, I still wanted to be involved in some sort of sport, so I decided to flip back to swim and join the team at Pepperdine University.

While I used to be a dedicated water polo player, swimming isn’t exactly the most exciting sport (no matter how thrilling Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte make it look). So, I tended to be the swimmer that’s diving down to the bottom of the pool or hiding under lane lines to avoid swim sets (exactly the type of swimmer that is my least favorite to coach, jk I love all my swim kids, obviously).

So when all of my friends went to study abroad their sophomore year, I quickly started to doubt my freshman year decision to skip the study abroad program and stay on the swim team. After a month of discussing this dilemma with my swim coach, my parents, and basically anyone who would listen, I made the decision to quit swim and study abroad in Germany for my second semester of sophomore year.

But now that I quit swim, what describes me? What is my hobby now? I mean, saying, “Hi, my name is Jordan and I like the internet,” isn’t exactly what I would call friend-winning material. So after a year of figuring out what the hell I actually like in life, I realized that I love cooking and baking. Trying out recipes is one of my favorite things to do. It’s always interesting to find out how the food I make turns out, especially because 98% of the time I make accidental substitutions.

So, when I got extremely bored on Saturday, I hit up Pinterest in hopes of finding a yummy new recipe to try. Luckily, I found TWO recipes I was willing to try.

First up were these quinoa burgers from Eating Well, Living Thin!

[These babies smelled so good cooking]

[The recipe made so many!]

[The finished product topped with an avocado and served with a side salad]

[I made this yummy fruit pizza from Undressed Skeleton for dessert]

[These juicy strawberries were my favorite part of the dessert]

[Instead of our normal Sunday morning walk and brunch, my mom and I paid a visit to our local Farmer’s Market where we picked up these sweet cherries]