Sore Throat Aid

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor; these tips have just worked for me.

   The onset of fall means the onset of colds, allergies, and sore throats.  If you, like me, are prone to sore throats, here are a few ways to fight your symptoms.
   There are three types of sore throats: plain sore, hoarse, and raw (from drainage).  You can treat each of these with at-home, natural remedies.  For a plain sore throat, eat or drink chocolate (surprising, but it works!).  For a hoarse throat, eat or drink a spoonful of honey, or stir it into your tea (although I think it is most effective plain).  For a raw throat, drink orange juice.
   For all sore throats, drink hot tea, hydrate (to help your body fight the cold), and try cough drops.  I have three favorite kinds of cough drops, ranging from gentle to intense relief:

Gentle: Luden's Cherry Cough Drops:

These taste like candy!  But they only soothe your throat for as long as they last, and that soothing isn't much stronger than any other hard candy.

Medium: Ricola Natural Herb Drops

These also taste delicious, but their relief is a little more lasting and a little stronger.

 Strongest: Cepacol Instant Relief Throat Lozenges

 Woah!  These actually numb my throat.  When I have a raw and hurting throat that won't be soothed by the other brands, I use Cepacol.  You can't feel the pain if you can't feel anything - when  they say "numbing", they mean it.

Delicious, Quick Breakfast

   Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, they say, but it is also the one I'm tempted to put the least effort into.  Oatmeal, though, is a great solution!  You just combine the ingredients, microwave, and let it sit for a few minutes, and voila!  A quick, filling, healthy breakfast.  To break up the monotony of plain oatmeal, I've started adding in some of my favorite foods.  Today was peanut butter!

1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 cup skim milk, 1 tablespoon peanut butter.

Combine oats and milk, microwave for 3 minutes.  Let sit for 5+ minutes.  Stir in peanut butter while still warm.  Enjoy!

What I Wore Wednesday

   It's just another warm, humid day in Williamsburg, so here's what I wore:

Thanks, English department, for putting a long mirror in your bathroom!

Dress: Anthropologie (two years ago)

Watch: Lacoste

Tote: Vineyard Vines custom collection

Bangle: Master Craftsman jewelers

What to do with dill?

   A few days ago, I bought a package of fresh dill to make grilled steak pitas.  The great thing about fresh herbs is also the downside to them - they have to be used quickly!  I've been trying to find ways to use up my dill, and rather than deep-fry it as a garnish (interesting suggestion, Giant Foods company), I poked around on epicurious.com to see what kind of recommendations they had.
  From what I found, dill goes well with fish (particularly salmon), and in sauces.  Since I have no fish at the moment, I used chicken.  I roasted asparagus and a chicken breast, and made a sauce out of about 1/2 cup of heavy cream, 3 teaspoons of butter, lemon juice (just a splash!), and about one tablespoon of dill.  I roasted the asparagus and chicken at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes, and flipped them after 15 minutes.  I made the sauce by combining all ingredients in a saucepan, and simmering for about 10 minutes.  Don't worry if your sauce separates - just whisk it up before serving.  The sauce was rich and the dill flavor was not too intense.  It's a very easy way to be gourmet!

Cell Phone Etiquette

   I guess I'm on a manners kick, now!  Cell phone etiquette can be confusing - as technology evolves, so do the guidelines for using it.  People have been eating and drinking with silverware for centuries, so a question such as "how should I set the table?" has set, traditional answers, but new topics like cell phone use do not.  Hence my guidelines, below.  As a member of the first generation to grow up with cell phones (well, since our teen years) and a graduate of cotillion (which aims at making pre-teens into young ladies and gentlemen), I hope I am qualified to give a few rules for cell phones.  Note: these rules apply to young people primarily, but can be altered for any stage of life.

1. Never use your phone in class (or work, meetings, etc.), unless it is an emergency (for instance, a family member is in the hospital).  Do your texting and talking between classes, no matter how boring it is!  Teachers/professors can tell when you're texting, so try writing a to-do list instead!
2. Never, ever, ever answer a call or text in an interview, and don't check your phone at work unless you are instructed to or on a break.  This is just responsibility!
3. Don't text or talk during a meeting, unless you are texting/talking about something pertaining to that meeting and it is a casual meeting (such as a planning meeting for a campus organization).  
4. Only text or talk during a conversation with a friend if he or she does so first.  Your friend is devoting time to you which they could devote to someone or something else, so respect that! 
5. Whenever possible, keep your phone on vibrate or silent mode.  This is especially true if you're having an extended texting "conversation".  I could hear my dorm neighbors' phones through the walls - trust men, those around you will appreciate it!  

Hat Etiquette

   I have a few bones to pick with my college about hats.  First: girls (and guys two, come to think of it) need to wear more baseball hats.  Second: we all need to know how to wear hats, in general.

   General rules: men can wear hats outside, and women can wear hats whenever.

Wrong.

   Specific rules, what you should and should not do:

These boys could definitely wear hats!

1. Only wear a baseball hat in a casual setting.  To me, this means athletic clothes or jeans and a casual top for both genders, and for us college kids, this also means boys can wear them to tailgating and athletic events.  I'm a big fan of dressing up for games, but baseball hats are OK because games are outside.  Girls probably won't want to cover up their hair when it's cute!
2. Baseball hat on a girl = potentially dirty hair.  It happens to all of us.
3. Fedoras on men that aren't Frank Sinatra are not fabulous.
4. Big floppy hats are fabulous on girls...
5. But would you want to sit behind this?  Be considerate!

   At the end of the day, that's the cardinal rule of hats, and of all etiquette - be considerate!  Remember, manners exist to make other people comfortable.  So be on the look out for other people  who might feel awkward, and use your manners accordingly.

Things to Try at Trader Joe's

   We don't have the grocery chain Trader Joe's in Texas (although I heard a rumor they were coming to Austin), but I have fallen in love with some of their products since I came to college up here.  Trader Joe's is a natural grocery store chain, and they sell mostly their own brands.  I started buying their coffee, and have expanded to a few other things as well!  If you are visiting a Trader Joe's for the first time, think about getting these products:

Organic, free trade coffee - start your day ethically!

This is the only store-bought hummus with the right consistency: creamy, not gritty.

Just add meat, rice, and vegetables for a delicious stir-fry!

It's bubbly - so happy!

Weekend Gratitude

   Whoops, it's been a while.  I've been slacking on my Weekly Gratitude (and slacked on my blog, a bit!), but here are 10 things I've been thankful for lately:

1. Rain in Texas = the end of a long, long drought!
2. Rain in Virginia = time to test out fall clothes!
3. Friends who encourage me to try new things, and help me along the way
4. Amazon's 1-day shipping!
5. My parents coming in town for family weekend this afternoon!!!
6. All 3 boys I set up with new sorority sisters for a date party - especially the ones who skipped their own activities!
7. The sorority house, for providing free, clean washing machines
8. Friends who don't let you get away with saying "I'm fine", when you're actually crazy stressed
9. The Tribe, for beating New Haven last weekend (although let's kick up the intensity, boys)
10. Family, friends, and God for all loving and sustaining me!

Productive Procrastination

   It's midterm season, here at the College.  Midterms mean studying, and studying means procrastination.  However, when you procrastinate, you feel bad about the fact that you didn't get your work done, and that's no good (in fact, that's probably what motivates you to get back to studying!).  But when your brain just can't take anymore and needs a break (or when you just really, really, really don't want to study yet), here are a few ways to procrastinate productively, so that you won't feel so terrible later!

1. Laundry
2. Cook a meal
3. Clean the bathroom
4. Do work for another class
5. Go to the grocery store (so you can cook another meal!)
6. Exercise!
7. Nap (you need to be energized to study, right?!)
8. Shower
9. Blog (at least, that's what I'm doing now!)
10. Call your parents

How do you procrastinate productively?

What I Wore Wednesday

   Sorry this is a little late!  It's drizzly here in southeastern Virginia, so I had to come up with an outfit that is a little warm, and resists the elements (rain).  I wasn't at a photo shoot today, but here's what I wore:

Shirt: J. Crew (discontinued, but similar to this)

Jeans: Joe's Jeans

Boots: Frye (discontinued, but similar to this)

Huge THANK YOU!

   In my experience, people usually get online to whine about bad customer service, not congratulate a company on a positive experience.  I have a problem with this for two reasons: 1) it's not very nice or fair, and 2) when a company or employee goes out of their way to help a customer out, they deserve to be recognized!  Hopefully that will encourage more people to go out of their way to help others out, and the world will be a slightly nicer place.
   So, to get to my contribution to this: I would like to say a huge "thank you" to the Sunglass Hut store in Williamsburg!  I went in to find out where I could get my glasses fixed, and walked out with them as good as new.  I had tossed my sunglasses in my purse without the case (BIG MISTAKE), and a lens had popped half-way out and one of the earpieces had gotten warped from being smushed in the wrong position.  They worked on my glasses for 30 minutes, and even took out a "heat machine" to bend them back into shape.  If they hadn't been able to fix them, they told me about one of their great policies: if you buy a pair of glasses at the Sunglass Hut and it breaks within one year (and they aren't able to fix it), you can buy the same pair at half price.
   Next time I need sunglasses, you can guess where I'm going!

Land's End Canvas

   This summer, I spotted a dress by Land's End's "Canvas" line of clothing in Real Simple magazine.  Since it was cute, I did some investigating - and oh my gosh!  Land's End has some cute clothes!  A few years ago, Land's End was only good for camping clothes or heavy, masculine jackets.  They were frumpy.  But the new Canvas line is adorable.  Their clothes have a very fall/winter look to them (perhaps because the colors tend to be muted), and they're definitely casual.  But they all look so comfy, they are oh-so reasonably priced, and knowing Land's End, they'll last for years.  Here are a few of my favorites:

$59.50

I can't get enough of sailor stripes!  $39.50

I wish I'd seen this for summer.  $44.50

Adorable elbow pads look so studious!  $29.50

The Real Simple dress!  $89.50

$59.50

$34.99 Compare to Tory Burch, below...

On sale for $162.50

Trend Spotting: Pop of Color!

   As we head into fall (at least, temporarily), colors get a little bit more drab.  Fall staples include navy, grey, khaki, black, chocolate brown, jewel tones, etc.  How does a young prep liven these pieces up?  With a pop of color!
   I've been doing this for years - wear a plain top and jeans with a stand-out necklace, bright coat, cheery scarf, and the like.  Now I'm not the only one!  I found a line of lime green trim in a pair of J. Crew shorts, which inspired me to go hunting for other pops of color.  I've found them all over the place, but especially at Kate Spade!  Their "color of the month" is pink/red, and they are pairing it with lots of black and white pieces.  There are so many ways to be colorful, despite the season's drab basics!

Kate Spade

Perfect earrings to jazz up a Little Black Dress - Kate Spade

Kate Spade

Dabney Lee

Great everyday look - Kate Spade

Lilly Pulitzer

Lilly Pulitzer

Vineyard Vines

What do you think?

Cold Front + Football = Early Fall

   One of the things I love most about going to school in Virginia is the fact that up here, we have four whole seasons!  Texas just has hot, hotter, and hottest.  This weekend, we're getting an early taste of fall - highs are in the mid-60's this weekend, and I am beyond ready to break out my fall clothes.  Here is what I wore for this first "fall-ish" weekend:

Friday morning run:

(Mostly, I'm just proud I got my lazy self out of bed in the morning to run!)

Class on Friday - beyond cozy!:

 

Football tailgate + game:

If you're feeling this cold front, too, enjoy your chance to preview your fall wardrobe!

"Rull" Southern

  

 Today, I felt real (or "rull") Southern, so I made FRIED PICKLES.  I based it off of this recipe, shown below, but used some cajun seasoning as well and used breadcrumbs instead of corn meal (I don't recommend that).  Here is the original recipe:

Ingredients

• 24 dill pickle spears, chilled
• Egg wash, recipe follows
• Breading, recipe follows
• Canola oil, for frying
• Ranch dressing

Directions:

Using only very cold dill pickle spears, dip pickle into egg wash and then coat with breading. Repeat until no pickles remain, and arrange dipped pickles on a sheet pan lined with waxed paper. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

In a deep fryer, heat oil to 375 degrees F. Alternatively, heat oil in a large, heavy pot suitable for deep-frying. 

Carefully add chilled pickle spears, in batches, to the hot oil and fry for about 3 1/2 minutes or until golden. 

Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. 

Serve with Ranch Dressing.

Egg Wash:

2 cups milk

2 eggs

Pinch lemon pepper

Pinch dill weed

Pickle juice

Breading:

2 1/2 cups cornmeal

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup lemon pepper

1/2 cup dill weed

4 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons garlic salt

Pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste

For egg wash: In a baking dish, whisk all ingredients together, except pickle juice. Add pickle juice, to taste, and whisk to combine.

For breading: Combine all ingredients in a baking dish

No... Just, no.

   One of the downsides of going to a brainy school is that sometimes my fellow students are a little fashion-challenged.  A classmate of mine had an interesting day last week... here's what he wore:

   In case you were wondering, yes, that is a large gold safety pin pinned to his tie.  Instead of this monstrosity (note: never wear two patterns at once, especially two plaids right next to each other!), try this:

   What's great about this outfit: the colored shirt that doesn't scream at you, which has a slight pattern without being so distracting that your classmates can't pay attention; the shoes that are comfortable and low-maintenance, as well as quiet (no hardware to clink against the chairs); the classic chinos, the khaki pant's more comfortable and casual cousin; and the accessory that actually serves a purpose - the simple, leather, analogue watch.

   Any college guys out there - take note!

What I Wore Wednesday

   Sometimes, in every college student's life, there comes a day when you just have to put looking pretty low on your priority list, and hunker down and study.  This is one of those days.

You know it's serious when the reading glasses come out.

Preppy Trend: Lattice Designs

   Lately, I've noticed a lot of lattice designs in the preppy world.  I'm not sure where they started, but they are fantastic and work well with the preppy "look".  It's a pattern, so it's more interesting than something that's solid colored (unless it's a solid Lilly color), but it's geometric and ordered, so it's clean-looking and not chaotic.  The great thing about lattice patterns is that they are incredibly versatile!  I've seen them in home decor, on clothes, accessories... you name it.  If you're looking to make your world a little more ordered, try a lattice print!  Here are a few samples of what I'm talking about:

Jonathan Adler

Pottery Barn

Jonathan Adler

Even print-happy Lilly Pulitzer is on board with lattice designs!

Milly NYC

 

So cute for a little boy!  The Belle and the Beau

Handmade preppy: Etsy (also for a little boy)