On the 4th of July, most people feel American while drinking a Budweiser. Others prefer an obnoxious red, white, and blue bottle of Svedka…which isn’t even an American company, so get it together! If you want to feel really American, there’s only one beverage that makes sense: good ol’ Kentucky bourbon whiskey. And this July 4th, I was able to try a truly transcendent taste of bourbon – Orphan Barrel’s limited release Rhetoric whiskey.   This 20 year-old bottle of bliss is a bourbon lover’s dream. BUT you better getRead More

“Tyrant” is an explosive political drama that takes place not in the comfy confines of our own country, but the war-ravaged Middle East. The whole thing centers on an All-American family lead by Bassam “Barry” Al-Fayeed, a Pediatrician, returning to the nation of his birth after a self-imposed 20-year exile. He must face his father, a ruthless Dictator of this Middle Eastern nation, and the rest of his ruthless family members as he fights the demons of his past. This epic tale is one of those rare chances to witness aRead More

Since I was a child, one of the most important life matters to me has been traveling the world. I am lucky enough to have lived and taught abroad, and although the list of countries I want to visit is longer than the list of countries I have been, I have learned much from street food consumption, peeing in holes in the ground, and sleeping in hostels with kittens, mosquitos, and Austrian men.  The following lessons may be clouded by my personal experiences, but they are an assemblage of advice thatRead More

I consider myself to be relatively intelligent, but there are some products and trends that I completely do not understand.   1. Liquid Eye-Liner Make up is complicated enough as it is. Now I have to go around and paint perfect lines with symmetric curves on my eyelids? You have got to be kidding me. I tell myself it can’t be done, but then I look around, and it’s definitely being done successfully. I’m now under the assumption that everyone has a live-in make up artist.   2. Juicing ThereRead More

Alcoholism rocked my early 20s.  Typically of the white wine variety, it was an hourly obsession that could have destroyed my life if I had let it.  Spoiler alert: I’m almost two years sober.  It’s not always easy though, especially during holidays like Fourth of July when I have to pretend that O’Doul’s is really doing it for me.  If I’m ever feeling envious enough of my normal-drinking peers to fantasize about picking up, I just have to remind myself that, well, I can’t.  “Elin, honey, you poured a bottle of chardonnay onRead More

It’s here, it’s finally arrived! One of the most coveted free agencies is finally official as of Tuesday. Essentially, the big prizes of this free agency come from the great 2003 Draft which includes LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Some players have already agreed to deals although they can’t be made official until July 10th. Marcin Gortat agreed to a 5 year $60 million deal with Washington and Kyle Lowry agreed to a 4 year $48 million deal with Toronto. Assuming these deals stay in place, that’sRead More

My fiancée would argue that I am extremely resistant to trying new things, and for the most part, she’s completely correct. I usually live and die by the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” motto, especially when it comes to my diet. What makes it even worse is that my pickiness is at an extreme. With food, for example, I routinely feast on the following: cheese pizza, bean and rice burritos, macaroni and cheese, plain bagels, and other assortments of bread. I should be the size of a house,Read More

Dogs and cats are both awesome in their own ways, don’t get me wrong. But I can’t be the only one who fantasizes about owning some weird, unique pets. Here are 10 animals that would make fantastic pets.Get your exotic animal licenses ready!   #10 – Pygmy Marmoset Weighing just over 3 ounces and measuring about 5 inches tall, the pygmy marmoset is the world’s smallest monkey. Having a regular monkey would be pretty dope, but having one that fits in the palm of your hand? UNREAL COOL. Plus, youRead More

There was once a time I dabbled in online dating (is it called dabbling if it goes on for 10 months?). During this period in my life I went on dates with total strangers from Tinder, O.K.Cupid, Plenty of Fish- pretty much anything that could lead to a free dinner. Anyway, during the summer of 2013, I was casually dating a man named Sam. Sam was older than me, had lived in cool places, prided himself on being a great chef, and was a former military man. Sam invited meRead More

Adam Carolla The Ace Man is the most practical person I’ve ever heard speak. Adam is a broadcaster, comedian, father, husband, and life veteran. He is a champion for extreme common sense. If you haven’t seen his movie, The Hammer, check it out. I got into him when he did Love Line back in the day with Dr. Drew and if you didn’t know, they do a new podcast together called The Adam and Dr. Drew Show… basically Love Line Part 2 but better because it’s more of their opinionsRead More

I am one of those people that never picks up on movie references because a) I can’t memorize every line of a movie after I see it once and b) I have never been much of a movie person. The combination of living down the street from an awesome movie theatre with plush, reclining seats and needing a hobby that doesn’t involve drinking has left me with a desire to see more movies. Alas, here is the short and sweet list of movies I’m actually excited for that will beRead More

Finding a significant other can feel like hitting the jackpot. It’s awesome to have that person to share your life with, to text when something funny happens, to cuddle with at night.  Entering into a relationship brings a lot of changes. One of those changes is that people will perceive you differently if you’re taken. There are many misconceptions and assumptions that come with being in a relationship, especially when you’re a woman. There are some things that ladies in relationships just don’t want to hear.   You’re going toRead More