Outfit Outtakes by Jen Bou

Colorblock Addiction

I will be the first to admit that I am obsessed with color. Now that it's okay to wear different colors in one complete look, I am not holding back and I can't wait to try other colors together!

J.Crew Sweater | Land's End T-shirt | H&M Skirt | Kohls Boots

I love this color combination of emerald green and cobalt blue but I'll have you guys decide....would you wear this color combination in an outfit?! Also check out this post where I first took a stab at colorblocking! Enjoy!

The Gossip Corner with Stine

Babies Fever Has Hit Tinseltown!


These past 2 weeks have felt like a scene out of the Oprah Show, "You get a baby! And you get a baby, and you get a baby! Everybody gets a baby!!" Okay maybe not quite like that but it seems like everyone and their sister, friend, and cousin are pregnant in H-Wood. 

 (Google Images)

I would first of all like to give a HUGE shout out and congratulations to Giuliana and Bill Rancic who are expecting their first child later this summer via gestational carrier!!!!!! Woohoo!!! I literally felt over the moon for them when the news was announced because they have been through so much in the past year, especially, and really deserve this happiness! Here's a clip from their show on Style that recorded the moment they found out they would be parents:

                                              (Youtube)

If you cried after watching that clip don't worry you are definitely NOT ALONE! I had to keep tissues with me during the entire episode. It's just nice to see that good things do happen to good people. Congrats G and B!!

Some other celebs that recently announced they are expecting are...

-Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer (first child together, he has child from previous)

-Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green (first child together, he has child from previous)

-Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. (second child, daughter Charlotte 2 years old)

-Tamera Mowry-Housley and Adam Housley (first child together)

-Simon Helberg and Jocelyn Towne (first child together) a Big Bang Baby (lol)

-Melissa Joan Hart and Mark Wilkerson (third child, sons Braydon 4 and Mason 6 years old)

Congrats to all the new parents-to-be!!! Have a great weekend readers!

(All photos from Google Images)

Trending Thursdays With Vicki Live

Yummy Recipes To Try


Lately, I've been really getting into checking out new recipes on Pinterest. Since I'll be moving into my own place next week, I've been researching some apps, meals, and yummy snacks I can incorporate into my my new recipes to try out. Since I'm not much of a cook, I'm still trying to look for some things that are simple but yummy. Here's a few recipes I'd like to try at some point! And a few for the future (when I'm a pro chef of course). 


For Breakfast: Bacon, Eggs, and Toast Cups


Click Here For Recipe

pinterest.com

For Appetizers: Lady Bug Appetizers

Click Here For Recipe

pinterest.com

For Dinner: Twice Baked Potato Casserole 

Click Here For Recipe

foodnetwork.com

For Dessert: Cinco de Mayo Pinata Cookies!

Click Here For Recipe

Sheknows.com

And can't forget the drinks....

Banana Mango Tango

Click Here For This Summer Drink Recipe

RumTherapy.com

Do you have any delicious appetizers you'd like to share?! Happy Thursday! TGIF tomorrow :)

Wacky Wednesdays with Jenbiff

Mini Vaca

Last week, my boyfriend Ben and I went on a mini-vaca to Montpelier Vermont. It was completely a spur of the moment trip, but it was a lot of fun. We drove up Sunday evening and made it just in time to stop at a food store so Ben could get a beer that he can't get back home.

He was ready to go home after getting his Heady-Topper

After that quick stop and the huge accomplishment of getting this beer, we decided to go out for drinks at a local beer bar called Three Penny Taproom , to relax after the long drive. Then we obviously checked into our hotel: Ye Olde England Inne.

Our hotel

We started the next day bright and early at the Grey Fox Inn for breakfast. It was amazing! I had a pancake with strawberries and chocolate sauce. It was really thin and reminded me more of a crepe than a pancake, but because it was so thin, I was actually able to eat most of it!

My breakfast

He's clearly excited

For those of you who aren't aware Ben and Jerry's  are from Vermont. I have always wanted to go to the factory, but thought the drive was really far for one day trip. So clearly being up there meant Ben and I HAD to stop! And I'm so glad we did! The tour explained how different flavors are made and some of Ben and Jerry's history. And the best part: free samples! Unfortunately we went on the tour right after our delicious breakfast so we weren't really hungry enough to eat as much free ice cream as we are allowed. Instead we walked around the factory, which is really family-friendly. The outside is painted in the Ben and Jerry's blue and green with white clouds, there is a play ground for the kids and the Flavor Graveyard, where flavors that are no longer with us now "live".

The factory

The Entrance to the Flavor Graveyard

The Wich (2004-2006)

The Econmic Crunch (1987)

After paying our respects we would have gone on a beer tour at the Alchemist Cannery, but unfortunately they were closed. But we stopped by so we know where the Cannery is for our next trip. Then we spent the rest of the day hanging out in the capitol, checking out local shops.

Overall the trip was a nice little get away. I've never been to the Montpelier area and it was nice to spend uninterrupted time with Ben. The city had a total Northampton-laid back feel. I def suggest you take this trip if you can...in the summer of course. It is Vermont after all (unless you're a skier or snow boarder..then go in the winter).

The Capitol building

Have you been on any trips recently??
*all photos are my own

Quote of the Week: "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. So if you're feeling uncomfortable right now, know that the change taking place in your life is a beginning, not an ending."
Last Weeks Answer: Bette Davis

KM Explains It All

When Books Come To Life!


Just so we have a little bit more consistency with my posts, I've decided to make the last Tuesday of every month the day where I talk about books turning into movies.  I also forgot to mention after Jen Biff talked about Gulliver's Travels she said that she hadn't seen the new Jack Black version so she wasn't sure how that compared...let me tell you it's horrible so just don't even waste your time with it.  Anyways here's this months picks!


The Outsiders

Barnes and Noble overview can be found here (photo taken from google.com)

I'm a pretty big sucker for anything with Rob Lowe in it so I had to see the movie after I read the book.  It's one of my favorite books and has some really great characters with pretty awesome names (Ponyboy, Sodapop, Two-Bit, etc).  S.E. Hinton did an amazing job describing how the differences in social class can be in certain areas and how it affects the children and teens in those areas.  Granted it may have been an extreme outlook on how these classes might have behaved but it is a book that I think everyone should read.  The book isn't very long so I couldn't imagine anything being left out when it was turned into a movie so I was pleased with the adaptation.


Dracula

Barnes and Noble overview can be found here (photo taken from google.com) 

As I've mentioned before I LOVE horror movies and have been reading classic horror books in between some of my other books.  Dracula was number one on my list not only because of the vampire craze that's taken over the world but also because I was always interested in this story.  I've seen a few movies based off of this book and let me tell you they are all pretty horrible.  The one with Gary Oldman was particularly memorable because of how terrible some of the scenes were.  There's one scene where, Jonathan Harker sees Dracula climbing down the wall of the castle and describes him as a lizard.  In the movie they attempt this but go a little too far with the lizard description.  Gary sticks his tongue out like a lizard and just looks ridiculous.  The book is written as diary entries from the different characters so the one thing I liked about this was that they used this for the narration.  Since this is a classic, and let's face it I would say this no matter what, you should definitely read the book instead of the movie...especially that version.


The Vampire Diaries

Barnes and Noble overview can be found here (photo taken from google.com) 

This series is the basis for the CW show The Vampire Diaries but I must say they are very different.  The thing that bugs me about the CW is that they will show a few episodes of a show then not show them for a few weeks leaving me wondering what's going to happen.  Since I'm so impatient I picked up one of these books to see if I could get ahead of the game.  I didn't really want to read them since I read enough books like this but I was pretty determined to know what was going to happen before the show came back from it's mini break.  Come to find out the only real similarities between the show and the books are the characters names.  Every now and then while I was reading I would find something that reminded me of the show but it was nothing like the Game of Thrones adaptations where I could read the first book to go with the first season and the second one to go with this season.  While I was slightly disappointed that I wasn't going to find out how the season ended before it actually did I was also pleased because it was another good story.  The books include more magic and supernatural elements that would just be too difficult to put on a show.  Since both are so different I recommend checking them both out!


What books are you excited to see come to life?  Let me know!!!

Wanderlust

I was browsing through one of my favorite fashion websites, Refinery 29 and came across a design duo, Sam Nieves Velez and Sharon Lavi who have come up with a line consisting of the perfect summery tops, dresses, and jumpsuits that make you want to book a vacation getaway. These bold patterned pieces beg to be worn on a beautiful summer day, either lunching, shopping, or lounging with a drink in your hand and no worries at all. Here are some of my fave looks from their line, Nieves Lavi. 

*All pictures are from Refinery 29 and the designer's website

Are these some pieces you would want to be seen in this summer?

Check out more looks from the collection here and here.

Have a Happy Monday and stay dry! :-)

The Gossip Corner with Stine

Ever heard the saying, "that is so last year" ? Well, I just read an article on Yahoo! that deals with this exact topic called, Eight Products the Facebook Generation Will Not Buy. As the years pass so do the priorities and popular trends of the current generation. So what may have been important to our grandparents in the 1930s may not be important to us in 2012. Some of the items the article talks about are: cars, technology, preferred type of alcohol, and other forms of social media. 

  

(Google Images)

What do you think? Was getting your drivers license really important to you, or getting a car? This article says that many of the Generation Y-ers would rather have access to the Internet to talk to their friends than hop in a car and see them in person, weird right? It is to me! When I turned 16 I couldn't wait to get my license so I could go see my friends when I wanted or go shopping at the mall, it was just that little bit of freedom that we all crave and even need at that age (for our parents' sakes). 

 

(Google Images)

Lucky or sometimes un-lucky for me, I get to experience this need to freedom all over again with my cousins, Jen and Lauren who are 18 and 16, respectively. They are both very involved in school activities and sports and while Jen has her license, Lauren does not, and since my schedule is more flexible than their parents I get to be their chauffeur-yay. They are both at that age where they just want a slice of independence and want to be treated like grown-ups. Ever since Jen turned 18 in December she never lets us forget that she's an 'adult' because "I'm 18 now remember!" Sometimes I just want them to slow down and enjoy being their age, not because I didn't, but because you only get one shot at being a kid/teen where you don't have any real responsibilities, that's what adults have. 

My cousins, Lauren (left) and Jen (right)

Technology is also something that is really important to just about everyone I would say, but it's the type of technology that differs from generation to generation. Most 19-27 year olds aren't getting their news from a newspaper like their parents, but from Twitter, Facebook, and other online news outlets. It's kinda crazy how we're all so connected to each other and the world on a 24/7 basis. Most kids these days aren't satisfied with having a cell phone with text, facebook, or cool ringtones. Only the latest iPhone, Droid, or other Smartphone will do. A desktop computer is another thing that is becoming archaic, since mobility is very important to Generation Y. 

 

Old school

vs.

 

New school

(Google Images)

In fact just last week my aunt and cousin (Lauren) were arguing about what kind of cell phone Lauren could get. Lauren tried really hard to make a case for an iPhone but my aunt was not going for that! I asked Lauren why she needed that kind of phone, and well her case didn't win me over either lol. It was more of a 'want' versus a 'need' and I don't think she really needed it at this point in her adolescent life. 

 

(Google Images)

What's your take on all of this? Do you agree that some of these things are going 'out of style'? Click here to read the full article article.