Daily Read: Monika Hibbs

via

via

via

via

via

via

via

via

via

For those of you who have read blogs since the late 2000s, you know the veterans out there.  Monika Hibbs of Vancouver is one of those trailblazers many bloggers have followed since discovery.  She has a curated sense of style you just drool over, and it's easy to enjoy watching her picturesque adventures, most recently a trip to Vegas with her husband.  Her tasteful home decor DIYs and recommendations are my personal favorite piece of her strong brand.  I could definitely stare at her home tour all the livelong day!

It is not surprising she has been all over the press from Boston-local Style Me Pretty to HGTV to Glitter Guide, just to name a few.  Don't forget about Monika's shop, too, which we hope is replenishing soon before we start rolling out our gift guides in the coming weeks, it's definitely one of my go-to resources.  If Monika is what Vancouver is about, we better get there sooner than later!

- Meredith

JUGs Approved: This Is Life with Lisa Ling

So I've only seen three of the five aired episodes to date, but I'm already prepared to say that I am a huge fan of CNN's new show, This Is Life.  Renowned reporter Lisa Ling (who, fun fact, delivered my college commencement address!) produces and hosts the investigatory program that focuses on various life choices, often questionable and unusual, within sub-cultures of the US.  Her journalism is raw, with an early episode diving into the serious stuff right away, painkiller addiction within affluent Mormon communities in Utah.  Needless to say, the topics are incredibly real and moving.  I'll leave everything to your own interpretations, but there is no doubt that this show will open up your mind and awareness to the candor shown.  I find This Is Life a great outlet to expand horizons and to learn!  New episodes air on CNN Sunday nights at 10pm, with past episodes available on demand.

- Meredith

Review of Blue Apron

Readers!  We have a treat for you today!  Since the JUGs are a bit rusty in the cooking arena, we wanted to bring you fresh content on that lifestyle subject from someone who knows far more about it, and a service that makes the process easy enough for us to follow.  So... we have a guest blogger for you today!  Take it away, Alie!

What’s better than a home cooked meal on a chilly fall night?  Not much, but if you’re like me, prepping and planning for your night of domesticity might have you throwing in the towel and reaching for the take out menu.  Sure, browsing for recipes is a great way to kill those slow afternoons at work, but the trip to the grocery store and the schlep home can take the fun out of actually cooking.  Plus, what’s worse than finding a recipe that sounds great but requires a ton of ingredients you don’t already have?

via

Enter Blue Apron.  Once a week they will deliver pre-measured ingredients for three meals right to your door.  Opt for 2, 4 or 6 servings (depending on whether you’re just feeding yourself or a whole family…or having a dinner party!) and it will arrive on the day of your choosing.  The food is packaged in a way that keeps it fresh and cold even if you’re not home to accept the delivery.  Every ingredient is labeled and all the extras – like spices, sauces, condiments, etc. – are measured out in little containers and put in one of three “knick-knack bags” (one for each meal).  The only thing you have to provide is olive oil (and a kitchen.) From there, you follow the recipe which is very straight forward and comes on a piece of thick, glossy paper, complete with step-by-step pictures and tips. Most meals I have cooked are complete within 30 – 45 minutes.

via

I love the service, and use it about once a month.  You can opt in or out each week and there is no subscription fee.  It is $9.99 per person, per meal, so one week for two people (shipping included) is $59.94.  Obviously, whether or not this works out to be cheaper than a trip to the grocery store for ingredients for three meals will depend on your current cooking habits. For me, living by myself with a relatively sparse pantry, this is cheaper, and I end up with enough food for 3 dinners and 3 lunches for the week. 

via

I do wish that the menu options were more flexible.  There are vegetarian and omnivore options, and you can opt out of any types of meat or fish you don’t like.  However, each week they make two menus available, one vegetarian and one for omnivores.  Despite being a meat eater, I’m still a big veggie lover, and oftentimes I’d like to have two vegetarian meals and one meat one, or vice versa.  Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose between the two menus.  Another small grievance is that I hate chopping vegetables! I would love if they came pre-chopped, but I do understand the freshness factor involved there.

Despite those two little gripes, I highly recommend the service.  The ingredients are fresh, high quality and in many cases, local.  They clearly list their suppliers right on their website.   (As an upstate New Yorker, I already buy a lot of my produce directly from Samascott Orchards at my farmers market, so it’s great to know I can get the same high quality produce in my Blue Apron box!) Even if you’re not up for the full Blue Apron experience, check out their recipes! All of them are available for free, and I have yet to make one that wasn’t absolutely delicious.  Bon Appetit!

-Alie

The content of this post is the opinion of the author and such that JUGs editors support.  If you are interested in guest-posting, be sure to reach out to us for requirements and guidelines!

- Meredith

The Week of September 15th

via

Fall is in the air!  Here are some updates you need to know about this week:


C E L E B R I T Y
LC got married this past weekend!

Martha has some fighting words.


L I F E  A D V I C E
Emily outlines some great money-related tips good to know sooner than later.

How to find the best foundation for your skin.


L O C A L
The new RMV branch opens at Haymarket today.  Definitely more convenient than the Chinatown location, but how do we think this will change the area?


M I S C E L L A N Y
Our lovely blogging neighbor to the north, Stephanie Sterjovski, relaunched her printshop today and she really did not miss a detail; everything looks so cheery and cohesive!

One of the secrets behind Disney movies.

A new hit song made better by this lovable video.

An amazing Drake cover ballad.

The things about life that dogs teach us that no one should take for granted!

Altuzarra for Target just launched and has some great pieces for work.

Something that no one can stop talking about, Apple's keynote last week.  That Apple Watch is just unreal.  What was your favorite part of the big announcements?


Have a great week, everyone!

- Meredith

Gal Gab: Celebrity "Lifestyle" Sites

Maybe it's just the longevity of the site, but I think Gwenyth is killing it with goop.  The site encompasses everything a lifestyle site/blog should, beauty, fashion, exercise/health, food and more (just like us!).

With the recent launch of Blake Lively's site, The Preserve, a different approach was taken.  As a new site, there is not a ton of content on there, but what is on there has some fruitful writing, but not sure how many people it appeals to.  The shop items are a bit obscure, but the site is up front about being a for-profit business as 5% of proceeds are donated to charity, like goop.

This week I discovered another lifestyle site, Amore & Vita, by actor Shay Mitchell.  I am not ashamed to be a fan of Shay and admire her grace in the celebrity world.  Shay writes with a friend, Michaela Blaney, which us JUGs can relate to being part of the blogging fun.  The two post according to a weekly theme, and I think this site is really going places

What do you think of these lifestyle sites?  Which celebrities are getting it right?

- Meredith

Daily Read: Date Eats

Us JUGs have respect for sarcasm and it always feels like a win when you find others that feel the same way.  When I came across the blog DateEats last week, I was instantly hooked and immediately read each post.  As someone in the singles "scene," dating opinions tend to be heavy since it is a pretty serious topic.  The (anonymous?) author of DateEats, however, refreshingly sheds some humor on dating in Boston.

The author, "Chief" also rates restaurants in recommending them as date venues for his readers, which is always helpful advice, especially for a first date, in addition to remembering this. Other favorite tips of mine are here, here and here, great examples of why manners are so important and valued.  I had to laugh reading this, because this happened to me on a first date and was one of the main reasons why I didn't want to see the guy again (don't get my wrong, I respect getting a bargain, but the mention of the discount 4x was overkill).

Now, I have to wonder, with the blog continuing, "Chief" must still be single, right?!  Even if he's been scooped up, let's hope the snarky reviews and recommendations keep coming!  With all of the North End mentions, it's tough to find something I do not like about this blog.  Whether you need ideas on where to dine, or a guy's perspective on the beast that is dating, or simply want a laugh, bookmark it today!

- Meredith

all photos from DateEats

Daily Read: The Conversation, Amanda de Cadenet

Amanda de Cadenet, photographer and former TV personality is back, in a big way!  This Brit returned to television with a show called The Conversation for Lifetime.  I just discovered the episodes online via Amanda's website, and her descriptions of the show being a way for women to "help navigate their lives," and a "universal language for women," are completely accurate.  The celebrity lineup is great, too, and the honest dialogue is reassurance that even celebrities have issues with self, relationships and health.

The web series is addicting, be sure to start an episode today!  It seems like Amanda is onto something fantastic.  We can't wait to see what else she has to come!

- Meredith

photos from Amanda's Instagram and website

Daily Read: Tuula Vintage

No, Jessica Stein is not a model.  She is a mid-twenties beauty from Australia with a serious case of wanderlust and someone with the best. job. ever.  She left the real estate world in 2010 and started an online visual diary, easy to see why she has built a solid following over the past four years!

Jess travels the world for fashion shoots and documents everything for her blog, Tuula Vintage.  The title was chosen based on the word "wind" in Finnish, which describes her lifestyle as a traveling fashionista.  Her statement is made in designer pieces, and she keeps accessories to a minimum.  I love seeing the various cities and landscapes that she visits. 

 Tuula Vintage feeds my daily case of wanderlust!

- Meredith

all photos from Tuula Vintage

Daily Read: The Londoner

Rose Thomas is the girl-next-door type lifestyle blogger whose life you (I) covet.  Finding The Londoner was such a treat for me, it's a nice daily reminder of my time studying abroad in London during college, x amount of years ago.  [[Full disclosure, I would move to London tomorrow if I could.]]

Rosie's log of daily adventures are chock full of drool-worthy images, whether she be at Harrod's, in Kensington Gardens, at the local pub or elsewhere, which could be all over the world.  She seems to be stateside in NYC often, and chronicles the city in a new light I don't see replicated elsewhere in the blog world that captures the essence of the city.

In my opinion, Rosie has impeccable taste in clothing, accessories and, food!  You need to start following her Instagram account immediately, if not sooner.  Rosie may have a modelesque figure and amazing Kate Middleton brunette locks, but girlfriend keeps it real with her online life journal.  Aside from a passport anyone would envy, her friendly humor is evident in her writing, too.  You can't help to want to go grab a pint with her!

- Meredith

all photos from The Londoner

Making Plans

Ok, so it's not technically summer for a few more weeks but in my opinion summer starts after Memorial Day. At work my mind is already racing with activities that I want to do this summer so I've started to set some goals to help me plan. On the blog we love setting goals (or resolutions) since they help us stay organized and it feels so awesome when you cross something off your list. As I've already got quite a few on my agenda for the 2014 year on this list, I'm adding just 4 more goals for Summer...as of now that is.

What are your plans this summer? Got something you think I should add? Share them with us via instagram and twitter!

- Suzanne

images: Girl  |  Surfboard  |  #Girlboss  |  Travel Bag

Happy Earth Day

1

Hope everyone is safely and happily recovering from running or watching yesterday's marathon! Today we have something different to celebrate - 44th Annual Earth Day! There are so many ways to celebrate our environment, especially in such a green city like Boston. This week, Boston Green Blog is giving away two free passes to The Future of Nature Lecture Series hosted by the Nature Conservancy. The three events in the series promise to be both interesting and inspiring - covering the issues of population, finance, and climate change. 

This Thursday is the first ever Fashion Revolution Day, which is another worthy way to celebrate Earth Week. FRD asks people to wear their clothing inside out for one day in order to encourage transparency, equality, and sustainability in the apparel industry.

If these events are too much for you, how about simply reducing your carbon footprint by biking more with Boston's Hubway program? Or, keep informed by occasionally checking out the city's Greenovate Boston initiative. 

- Cameron

Daily Read: The Awear Project

Today's Daily Read isn't a blog per se, rather, its the web-home of an entire social movement. AWEAR 2014, founded by Kestrel Jenkins, aims to shift the consciousness of apparel consumers. For years, fast fashion and trendy designers have dominated the market, but we are quickly finding that this is not socially or environmentally responsible. AWEAR invites fashionistas from around the globe to submit their "AWEAR-ready" looks for a chance to be featured on their site, blog, and social media accounts.

AWEAR ready outfits can be looks by eco designers, something you found at a thrift shop, or even something you've designed yourself. If this sounds intimidating, simply start by scrolling threw their list of Style Icons for some great outfit inspiration!

We also love the AWEAR motto: Inspiring stylish change, one real person at a time.
Can't wait to assemble some of my fair trade accessories, vintage apparel, and cruelty free shoes to create an AWEAR outfit of my own.

While we're on the topic of conscious consumerism, mark your calendars - Fashion Revolution Day is 4/24/2014. FRD encourages people to wear their clothing inside out for one day so that the tags showing where your garments are made are readily visible. As a society, we often buy clothing without thinking about the journey that garment took before getting to us, so Fashion Revolution Day is a great reminder of the hard work that is put into everything we buy. On 24th April last year, 1133 people were killed and over 2500 were injured when the Rana Plaza clothing factory complex collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh. By joining the FRD movement, you can show that slave labor and unsafe working environments are unacceptable.

- Cameron

Boston-Area Whiskey Tastings

Bully Boy // Boston Wine School // Saloon // BCAE

Beer, wine, vodka, we all pick our poison.  Mine is often whiskey.  When Cameron, Suzanne and I saw an invite to a whiskey tasting hosted by a few of our favorite gals (thanks again, Alison and Kate!), we locked down tickets real fast.  The 101 guide by Davis Square's own speakeasy, Saloon, was a great refresher and education.  As lucky as we were to attend this, there are plenty of opportunities to attend something similar in Boston!  

Now, go have a neat time and report back which whiskey is your favorite!

- Meredith

Spring Skin Savers

Ever since meeting the lovely founder of Follain, the South End's eco-beauty boutique, the JUGs have been working hard to detoxify our skincare. As someone that's prone to the occasional zit, I've spent years applying all sorts of chemicals to my skin in order to keep "clear." Of course, I've recently discovered that non-toxic  remedies are not only healthier and better for the environment, they actually work better! Here is my secret recipe for truly clear skin:

1. First, rinse your face with warm water to open your pores. Then, use a cotton ball to apply Clairvoyant Beauty Refreshing Cucumber Toner. Though this product has not yet been rated (NR) by our favorite healthy beauty resources, The SkinDeep Database and GoodGuide, we know it is safe because we've checked the ingredients with the SkinDeep list, and everything looks good! (Note: be wary of any food or skin product that has ingredients that you don't recognize or can't pronounce).

2. Treat problem areas with OSEA Essential Corrective Complex. I am obsessed with this product. Not only is it a 0 on the SkinDeep database (no hazard), it smells amazing, and is highly effective.

3. If you are going somewhere soon and need to make huge zit look as small as possible before heading out, the miracle cure is the most natural of all: ice. Ice that bad boy for 15 - 20 minutes to help the swelling go down before applying makeup.

4. Especially if you are using products like toners and astringents (step 1), you'll need to moisturize. If you don't, your skin will go into overdrive and create excess oil to make up for the natural oils you removed with the toner. To battle this dilemma is Shamanuti Face Oil. Tara Foley, the founder and owner of Follain, recommends this product for people with "oily" skintypes. It is particularly good for acne-prone skin because it has sential fatty acids that help protect skin against infection and inflammation caused by bacteria. BONUS: Shamanuti is a Boston-based company!!!

5. The final step, of course, is to cover up the zit! RMS Uncover Up is the perfect chemical-free way to achieve a flawless face. The main ingredient is coconut oil, and the SkinDeep Database rated this product a 3 (no hazard). Impressively, RMS has received GoodGuide's highest rating of 10 because they don't use any ingredients in their products that could be considered health concerns.

Voila, now you have better skin than Natalie Portman. P.S. Don't forget the sunscreen!

- Cameron