Labor Day weekend kicks off tomorrow. Yay for a long weekend filled with delicious BBQ! Boo for high gas prices and the end of sweet, glorious summer. While most of you can’t wait to get back to campus and read those books and write those papers see your friends and hit the bar scene, I am going to miss the summer.

Yeah, yeah, yeah – fall is great too: football season, hoodie and jeans weather, Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks. I know all those things are great, but there are so many things about summer that I can’t get in any other season (like white pants) and I am really (really) gonna miss em:

Drinking Outside – Maybe it’s the warm breeze or the sun on my back (or the fact that while I am outside I don’t quite feel as bad drinking alone), but there is really nothing more heavenly than enjoying a nice sangria outside on a hot summer day.

The Sundress – Getting dressed in the summer is always easy: just throw on a dress and a pair of flip-flops. No need to mess with itchy and uncomfortable tights, or layering with long-sleeved shirts. The summer dress is simple and cute.

Daily Ice Cream – I love ice cream. LOVE. So the summer is my season. I can make daily trips to the ice cream shop without looking like a fatty/8 year old. I can chase the ice cream man down the street and no one thinks I’m crazy (but they do sometimes think I have a thing for small children….) And I just get to enjoy my favorite treat (some sort of Flurry/Blizzard that involves Reeses in some capacity) on a daily basis.

The Sun – And the way it turns my skin a color that is not pasty white. How I don’t have to put on tons of makeup, because my face looks sunkissed and perfect without it. How I can wear sunglasses all day, every day. How it feels on my shoulders as I’m drinking on the porch, or chasing the ice cream man. Read More »

Sure, the Fourth of July has passed, but we still have a couple months of lovely summer left, and what goes better with summer than throwing some food on the barbie and chowin’ down? Oh, and some beers. Afraid of the BBQ? Don’t even know where to begin? Used to letting the guys take care of it?

Ladies, grilling isn’t just for the boys! You too can become a master griller and show up those braggarts who claim the grill is man territory.

I learned how to grill at a young age because my dad is a phenomenal griller (his BBQ ribs are some of the best you’ll ever have…not that you will be having them anytime soon) and taught me the tricks of the trade right from the womb. The truth is, grilling is easy…as long as you know the rules. So, here they are.

There are two kinds of barbecuing: direct and indirect heat.
Direct heat is when you place the food directly over the source of heat/open flame. This type of grilling is best for thinner cuts of meat and items such as hot dogs, bratwurst, burgers, fish and pork chops.
Indirect heat is when you grill items outside of the main source of heat so they cook at a slower pace, more thoroughly, and without burning the outside of the meat. This is used for thicker pieces of meat such as whole chickens, beef and pork roasts. (Note: most of the “basic grilling” people do uses the direct heat method.) Read More »

So we are finally in the dog days of summer (which I realized when I went for a run at noon). Some of us are working, going to school, or schlepping around interning. Others are laying by the pool sipping sangria (*jealous*). But, I think we can all agree that a break of any kind is welcome. Especially when that break is a trip to somewhere cool, offbeat and–the best part– cheap. So pack your favorite flip flops, airy sundress and camera and head somewhere, anywhere but here. Might I suggest any of these destinations:

Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico.
This 21 by 5 mile island is referred to asIsla Nena by residents, loosely translating into “virgin island”. Located only 6 miles off Puerto Rico’s coast, it is a hotbed of natural beauty and tropical activities. You fly onto the island after flying into San Juan, Puerto Rico, so be prepared with a your iPod, a magazine, eye mask or Valium–whatever it takes to get you to board an 8 seater plane to Vieques Airport.

Once you’re on the island, you can stay anywhere ranging from $90 a night B&B’s to luxury hotels, so whether you’re on a typical college budget, or you happen to have a trust fund, there are accomodations for you.

Activities on the island include: hiking, snorkeling and diving, biking, fishing, sightseeing and dining in Bravos de Boston, Vieques’ most fashionable town. However, the highlight of this destination is definitely its Bioluminescent Bay. The bay is filled with phosphorescent microorganisms, that glow in the dark when disturbed. Nighttime charter boats take you on a guided swimming and kayaking trip to the brightest bio bay in the world. If you’re looking for a tropical getaway that won’t break the bank and is off the beaten path, Vieques is it. Read More »

I opened the fridge and there stood a Bud Light Lime—a new beer from Budweiser!? Fancy. My roommate is the best. And no, I wasn’t reluctant; I twisted off the top with a swoop of my palm like I knew what I was doing. Lucky for me, it was indeed a twist off. Otherwise, that could have been painful.

Down it went. Nice.

I love nothing more than a Summer beer; they are perfectly light and not too filling. Not that I have anything against Winter brews - I really am an equal opportunity beer drinker - but no one wants to walk around feeling bloated. Especially in a pair of skinny jeans.

Now that summer is here, it is time to enjoy the best beers this season has to offer. Get those shorts out, maybe some bikinis, strike up that BBQ and run in a sprinkler. All with a frosty brew. Don’t know which ones to try? Here are some of my all time favorites:

Pyramid Apricot Weizen Ale
This beer goes well with a chicken sandwich, or if you have a bit of sweet tooth. It’s not too sweet however…no promotion for gut rot here my friends.

Bud Light Lime
I feel like it tastes like Corona–you just don’t have to buy the limes.

Miller Chill
Sorry, but I was born in raised in Wisco; it’s my duty to represent. Read More »

Most people love summer. And why not? You get to prance around in sun dresses, drink and eat outside, and enjoy all sorts of recreational activities that the cold weather just…ruins.

Nonetheless, I feel like a lot of people take the warm weather for granted! Having spent the last four summers touring the country in a van, I’m ready for my first summer off.

I’m lame, yes, but I’ve already put together a lengthy list of fun sh*t to do this summer while home. And I’m going to remember these experiences forever. I encourage you to look into these ways to soak up summer fun: Read More »

I hereby announce to all ye partying people that BBQ season is upon us!

I grew up in a family that used just about any occasion to throw stuff on a grill and stand over it with tongs, and therefore, I’m completely licensed in the art of barbecology.

Some people can write math equations a mile along, some people can paint amazing pictures of a stormy sea, but yours truly…she can BBQ like nobody’s business.

I’ve been asked to share my knowledge of open-flamed gluttony with you.

JALAPENO, STUFFED WITH SHRIMP AND CHEESE, WRAPPED IN BACON.

The name might be long, but it’s tastefully accurate. These little treats impress the masses and leave you pondering whether pigs and shrimp were soulmates in past lives. Split jalapenos in half, smooth in cream or cheddar cheese. Plop a little shrimpy in there and wrap that sh*t in bacon. Booyah. Read More »

Mariah and Diddy are going head to head. Or should I say, smell to smell.

After Puffy’s (can we call him that anymore?) new fragrance Unforgivable hit the market (along with his unforgivably raunchy and illicit ad campaign) he issued a challenge to all his lady counterparts in the fragrance biz:

“I send out a challenge…I challenge all of my female counterparts that have fragrances…that my fragrance is better than theirs. I’m a man and I know how women should smell!”

Well, Hallelujah! A man that finally knows how I should smell.

Because, god forbid, I smell anything like I do at the present moment, which would be unshowered, with a slight scent of BBQ sauce from the hours I spent working last night. Oh! AND I’m pretty gassy because I drank too much when I got off work!

How’s that for lady smells, PUFF DADDY?? Read More »

If I was still in college right now, I’d be peeing my pants with excitement over this awesome new development in alcoholism.

The Portopong!

Yes, yes, the summer is almost over (10 days and counting) but if you have access to a pool and a group of fun-loving friends, the Portopong is where it’s at. What college student doesn’t love a good game of pong? And in a pool no less? Yea, how about no less than amazing.

Just to make sure, we’re talking about this kind of pong, not this kind.

The Portopong is inflatable, which means you can squish it in your backpack and head over to the pool party after class. It comes with pool strings, patches for leaks and, if you buy one by tomorrow, it’s 40 bucks - 10 bucks off the normal price.

The only negative thing I can say about the Portopong is, if you’re gonna market to college students, find attractive people to sell your product. I think I see some man boobs. Read More »