Cheap Wine That Doesn’t Taste Like Sour Grapes

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I recently saw an article on Buzzfeed that discussed some different wine options for under $15. As an indulgent lover of all things vino, I was pretty ecstatic. To my surprise, however, the list left me feeling a little disappointed.

Don’t get me wrong…there were definitely some good options that I’ve been known to partake in from time to time (Who doesn’t love a good bottle of two buck chuck?) Overall, though, I felt like they left some major players out of the game.

So grab a class, and pop the cork – here are some of my favorite budget-friendly bottles of grape.

  1. Beringer

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Throughout my experience as a wino, I haven’t met a bottle of Beringer that I didn’t enjoy. Whether you’re interested in the classic labels or the Founders Estate varietals, the most you’re going to pay is around $10 a bottle. If you’re a fan of sweeter wines, I highly suggest trying their white merlot. Continue reading “Cheap Wine That Doesn’t Taste Like Sour Grapes”

Five of My Favorite Summer Reads

Five of My Favorite Books for Summer

Ahh, summertime…a time for beach days, lemonade, and family vacations. Want to know what I think the perfect accompaniment to any of these things is? A good book.

Like so many of my fellow book nerds, picking the next thing to read can become a major problem…#TheStruggleisReal! Lucky for you, however, I’ve gone through the roster and chosen some pretty, perfect options.

Check out five of my personal faves for those lazy dog days of summer.

1. Spring Fever, Mary Kay Andrews

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If one thing screams summer for me, it’s Mary Kay Andrews! Her books are always light, fun, and oh so irresistible. Spring Fever tells the story of Annajane Hudgens and her unconventional love life in Passcoe, North Carolina –  Home of the Quixie Cherry Soda Company. This story has love, laughter, and some small town secrets that will have you flipping pages at lightning speed!

2. One Plus One, Jojo Moyes

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Written by Jojo Moyes, author of Me Before You, this Little Miss Sunshine-esque story is the perfect pick for a day by the pool. One Plus One will tickle your funny bone and break your heart all at the same time (Ms. Moyes seems to be good at that!) A mother and her two kids find themselves in the debt of a stranger who offers them a ride to a math competition in Scotland. After a series of unexpected events, they all wonder if their lives will ever be the same again.

3. Where’d You Go, Bernadette? – Maria Semple

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Currently making it’s slow transition from book to film, Where’d You Go, Bernadette? is a hilarious delight of pessimistic and neurotic proportions. The title character, Bernadette Fox, is an opinionated woman, revolutionary architect and loving mother to her fifteen year-old daughter, Bee. She is also overwrought with agoraphobia. Things quickly become complicated when Bernadette disappears while planning the anxiety-inducing trip to Antarctica that she’s promised Bee. Intrigued yet?

4. Sharp Objects – Gillian Flynn

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From the author of Gone GirlSharp Objects spins a wicked web of dysfunction, mental illness, and family psychosis. What happens when a damaged reporter, Camille Preaker, is sent to her own hometown to help figure out why young girls are being found murdered and mutilated? This one’s not for the light of heart, but will keep you turning pages long into the night.

5. Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society -Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

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A personal favorite of mine, the adorable Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will give you all the feels. When a struggling writer, Juliet Ashton, is searching for the subject of her next book, she finds inspiration in a letter from a man she’s never even met. This individual, and his quirky companions on the island of Guernsey, begin an intriguing correspondence with Juliet that will change her life forever. This was one of those books that made me wish I could crawl inside and stay for awhile!

Now that I’ve given you five of my top picks for the summer, I’d love to hear your suggestions! What are you all reading right now?

Prayers for Orlando

Prayers for Orlando

What can I say that hasn’t already been said? Last night’s shooting at a nightclub in Orlando is a complete tragedy for our state, and our nation. The only word that I think truly depicts the way I feel is – why? Just why.

I can’t comprehend how an individual, any individual, can find themselves with the choice to do right or wrong, and find themselves choosing so terribly wrong. How does a person have such little consideration for the severity of their actions? How does that same person determine that they have the right to exercise an act of such extreme terror against a group of undeserving, innocent individuals?

Because of one man, dozens and dozens of families will wake up today to the realization that their loved ones are gone. All we can do is hope that they find some sense of peace and comfort in the days to come. There is no justice to be found in a situation like this.

Something needs to change, but at the end of the day, no constitutional amendment will make a difference if we as people don’t change ourselves first. So I leave you with this plea.

As Ellen DeGeneres would say – Be kind to one another.

Focus on love and respect rather than hate and disgust. Race, ethnicity and sexual orientation should carry no weight in our perception of other people.

At this point, don’t you think it’s time we started to figure that out?

My thoughts are with each person that has been affected by this horrifying situation. Orlando is in my heart today.

 

The “Me Before You” Controversy

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So I’m sure by now, you’ve all been hearing about the amazingness that is Me Before You. What started as an incredible book, has become a highly anticipated movie that finally hit the box office this past weekend. Despite my love and adoration for the book, though, a disgusting barrage of germs and sickness has kept me homebound and unable to experience the film for myself quite yet. Take that as a PSA and keep in mind that this post may be slightly uninformed. But anyways…here we go.

I have a huge distaste for spoilers, so no worries; this post will not give anything away. Suffice it to say, however, the male lead in this book/film pairing is a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic who has a very negative point of view on his injury. This has been striking a lot nerves amongst wheelchair users and other disabled individuals. They’re concern over the book’s message is that it seems to say that this group of people can’t possibly live happy, fulfilling lives. That an injury, such as the one suffered by the man in the story, leaves you with nothing to look forward to.

Being that I can look at the situation with a touch of personal experience, I thought I’d offer up my own perspective.

Continue reading “The “Me Before You” Controversy”