CONFESSIONS OF A FAT GIRL

Sol Republic Shadow Wireless Earphones - Review & Giveaway!

Maybe you couldn't put your finger on it but when Christmas morning came, something was.... missing. 

Or perhaps with a new year staring you in the face, you're feeling the pressure of making diet resolutions or executing a new exercise regimen. 

But then, you may just be someone who likes shiny objects and new toys. We all know I fall into this third category and so I was very excited to try out some new earphones over the holidays, the Shadow Wireless Earphones from Sol Republic.

(I think in 2016 I am going to have to work on my Selfie game.) 

These are pretty sensational, in fact. They are super light-weight and even though they have a snug fit in the ears, they don't feel uncomfortable around my neck (a style I typically avoid in earphones for that issue). I did a little dance and they didn't fall out of my ears and when I wasn't listening to anything, they just stayed put comfortably like so:

That will be so great for travel so I can put them there and not have to fuss with getting something out of my bag and putting them away.

As with all things Sol Republic, the audio is clear and bright. The noise cancellation is on point - especially for earbuds. I popped them in and even without music playing, the world faded away and that was quite lovely! 

The packaging? Sleek and on fleek:

A couple brief notes of caution, though. I will only say that the blasted sticker on the side of the box was a pain in the tush to peel off. I WANTED IN ON THOSE EARPHONES! And the sticker was making my life challenging. And otherwise, I'd only advise that they do take about an hour to fully charge so if you plan to use them right away when you open them, well, you can't. So just plan accordingly. The good news is, they are very simple to charge with a hidden port on the earbud and a cable that comes with them and charges on any USB port like your phone would.

It's a great time of year to come into some wireless earphones I love! In 2016 plan on seeing me sporting these on walks and during vacations. You can order your own from the company's site but I recommend Amazon, where they are priced the same ($99.99) and you have a few color options. 

But first, stick around! I'm going to give someone a pair to kick off 2016! Enter the giveaway below and keep coming back daily to increase your odds:  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Like two hours after I finished this post I remembered I had to tell you guys that Sol Republic gifted me one pair of these to review honestly for this blog. But I'm paying for the giveaway pair. Because I'm just like Santa Claus. 

Quotes of the Year 2015

This list will absolutely not include anything uttered by Donald Trump.

Today is a big step in our march toward equality. Gay and lesbian couples now have the right to marry, just like anyone else. #LoveWins

— President Obama (@POTUS) June 26, 2015

"In the end, we should not define each other by our sexuality. We should define each other by our capacity to love. Because love trumps everything, don’t you think?" -Beau Bridges

"It’s about ideas, bro. New ideas. People with ideas. People who believe in truth. And yes, as you probably could have guessed by this moment, I have decided in 2020 to run for president.” -Kanye West

"Well folks, we’ve finally come to the end of The Colbert Report. Nine great years. That was fun. That’s the show. From eternity, I’m Stephen Colbert." -Stephen Colbert

"Rather than saying 'good-bye' or 'goodnight,' I'm just gonna say 'I'm gonna go get a drink." -Jon Stewart

"A lot of people lamented the death of the water cooler moment, which I think died long before 'House of Cards' anyway, but now we have something that's much cooler than the water cooler. We have the Internet. So you can have conversations, not just with your coworkers or your family, but with people around the globe about an episode or a series or a season." -Beau Willimon

A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP

— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) February 23, 2015

 

“I've never felt lonely since I got a dog.” -Deerhunter's Bradford Cox

"What, like with a cloth or something?...I don't know how it works digitally at all." -Hillary Clinton responding to a question about whether she "wiped" her personal email server before turning it over to authorities

“The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails.” -Bernie Sanders to Hillary Clinton

"I, for one, don't think Planned Parenthood ought to get a penny... because they're not actually doing women's health issues." -Jeb Bush

"Given this perfect storm of human error, mistakes and communications by all involved that day, the evidence did not indicate criminal conduct by police," -Cleveland Prosecutor Tim McGinty on Timothy Loehmann, an officer-in-training who shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice

.@diegtristan8 "she is built like a man". Yeah, my husband looks just like this in a dress. You're an idiot. pic.twitter.com/BCvT10MYkI

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 11, 2015

"From this day on, the world will be divided into two people. Blue & black, or white & gold." -Ellen Degeneres

"If that's not White and Gold the universe is falling apart. Seriously what is happening?" -Anna Kendrick

"What was the last thing you stuck your finger in?" -Steve Harvey on "Family Feud" / "My wife, Steve." -The Contestant

"George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin this year. Amal is a human rights lawyer, who worked on the Enron case, was an advisor to Kofi Annan regarding Syria, and was selected for a three person UN commission investigating rules of war violations in the Gaza Strip. So tonight her husband is getting a lifetime achievement award." -Tina Fey

Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great.

— President Obama (@POTUS) September 16, 2015

"Music has always been a religion for me and for Jesse too, so this is our way to heal and move on or at least move forward.” -Josh Homme, Eagles of Death Metal

"What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course." -Robert Durst

"Goodbye, Port Charles. Good luck to you." -Luke (Anthony Geary), "General Hospital"

A Scene at CVS

It is true I have a profound and long-running love/hate relationship with CVS. As such, I knew I had to call to ensure my prescription was ready and waiting for me. It is not wise to make assumptions with their brain trust.

Me: Hello, you texted me that my prescription was ready and I just want to make sure that's correct. 

Pharmacist: Ok, may I please have your full name and date of birth?

I give her this information. She puts me on hold but only briefly.

Pharmacist: Yes, it's here. 

Me: Great! Thanks. I'll be in today to pick it up. What did you say your name was?

She told me her name. Let's just call her Phoebe the Pharmacist. I'm not going to be her fan club President anytime soon but I wouldn't ever use someone's real name in a post like this. :) 

A couple hours later in the store, I get to the front of the line. 

Me: Hi, picking up for Feuerman?

Pharmacist: Ok, hold on.... 

Me: Oh! Are you Phoebe?

Pharmacist: Yes.

Me: Oh great! We spoke on the phone.

Phoebe has zero reaction to this. She pushes several keys on the computer and then looks through some prescriptions on a shelf. She returns...

Phoebe: I'm sorry, we don't have anything for you.

Me: But we spoke on the phone about two hours ago and you said it was ready.

Phoebe: I did?

Me: Yes.

Phoebe: Oh. Well, we don't have anything for you. 

Me: Ok. Can you fill the prescription right now? 

Phoebe: We reshelved it because you hadn't picked it up yet.

Me: I understand that and that's also why I called you this morning to say I was coming in soon to get it.

Phoebe: Would you like me to just fill it right now?

At this point I look around. First, to make sure there aren't any hidden cameras and second, to see if anyone is witnessing this.

Me: Yes, that would be great. How long will it take?

Phoebe: Ten minutes. 

I go sit down. Less than ten minutes goes by and I SWEAR TO YOU, I get a text message FROM CVS that my prescription is ready. I very nearly called them to verify it, just to be a dick. 

The Phoebe called out "Prescription for Feuerman?"

Me: Right here! Thank you. 

Phoebe: That is $15. Thank you for waiting. 

Me: Ok.  How long do you guys usually hold prescriptions for once you've texted the customer? Just so I know for next time?

Phoebe: Usually 14 days but it's also helpful if you call us ahead of time and tell us you're coming. So we can make sure it's here. 

Me: Thanks for that great advice. 

I left feeling as if I'd just lost a boxing match. 

See also: I'm Ranty About CVS Receipts

Happy Holidays! The Annual E-Card Unveiled

Cooking With Love is For Real at Bella Julia

If you're any kind of foodie, you've probably heard how food cooked with love tastes better - yes?

On a side-street in Hollywood,  Chef Chaza Smith is cooking up a STORM of love and it radiates out of the food as much as it does out of her very being when she greets you or tells you a little about herself. She is positively charming and has a joyous spirit -- I was (obviously) really taken with her. In the kitchen at BELLA JULIA, she combines Italian and French influences to conjure up delicious, fresh and unique plates with seasonal ingredients that are sustainably grown and non-GMO.  

But enough about my new girl-crush. I guess I ought to tell you about the food, yes? 

My friend and I shared two dishes. My favorite was the Biscuit du Jour - a flakey biscuit, fried egg, cheddar, crispy bacon, arugula and roasted onion aioli. I only ordered it because the waiter said it was "wonderful savory heaven on a plate" and it turns out the man speaks the truth. It was so, so good - I immediately announced to no one in particular that I could eat it for every meal.

 

 

My other favorite (see what I did there?) was the Lemon Basil Pancake. We chose that because it just sounded so unusual! Served with scrambled eggs, Roma tomatoes, creamy rosemary butter and a perfect syrup (sweet, but not too sweet), it was definitely unusual but also shockingly good. While I may live with the regret of not trying the Brioche French Toast, I'm quite happy I took a chance on this menu item.

 

 

We also had a side of bacon. Because no brunch is complete without it. Rest assured it did not disappoint either.

 

 

While brunch is always my favorite meal, I do feel a little remorse because I so very much wanted to try more items off of Bella Julia's menu. But oh well! I guess I'll have to return soon! Luckily, Chef Chaza found a sweet way to treat me -- when she saw me eyeing a neighboring table's order of chicken wings,  she brought us a sample! Not your typical wings, by the way -- I don't know how she fries them but OMG. And crusted with parmesan, I tell you. DELICIOUS. Not your typical dessert but it was a perfect ending to the meal. 

As I began this post gushing with love for the Chef, let me just close by showing you this. The tattoo on her arm of a lemon, because it's symbol to her of freshness and flavor and, in essence, life. She smiled as she told me about it. And so I left the restaurant full... and smiling as well. 

More:

• The cafe is located at 6363 Yucca St. in Hollywood
• There is a ton of street parking available
• Bella Julia's website
• Follow them on social media - Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Do You Hear What I Hear?

You may not realize it, but we're at war, folks. A war with these horrible, uncomfortable, unnatural creation of man:

Tell me you LOVE wearing these and I'll tell you you're either a liar or that your ears are made of foam. The earbuds that come with your Apple products are horrible, right? Who likes these? Who designed these and thought "There. Fixed it for you." Terrible. 

We all deserve better in both comfort and audio quality so may I recommend to you the Monster Clarity HD Earbuds. They deliver the comfort, higher sound quality, quality noise isolation, improved phone calls... They are extraordinarily durable and they won't fall out of your ears right in the middle of that awesome Christmas jam you're dancing to. 

Check out the brilliant ergonomic design:

Just to make sure they fit, Monster includes size options. My big ol' ears needed the biggest size to ensure they stay put but whatever works, I say! 

Noise isolation is more important to some than others. For me it's crucial because I simply cannot concentrate when I have a ton of background noise. I like to put on one thing in the background and focus on that to concentrate. It's the most critical part of my work routine. So I was skeptical but ultimately astounded to find that these earbuds offer noise isolation -- something you don't often come across outside of over-the-ear or on-the-ear listening devices. 

Added fun - they come in a few colors! If you're feeling sassy, go for the neon yellow or a bold pink! I'm sticking with black. I like them to be camouflaged in my hair. :)

Seriously, y'all. Toss those crappy Apple earbuds in the trash. No one's putting any effort into their composition and nor should you put any effort into using them. Treat yourself to something better in the new year. 

DISCOUNT CODE: When you shop directly with Monster use the code 'MonsterNation' through Christmas to get 20% off! They're also easy to snatch up from Amazon so what are you waiting for? THIS IS WAR! 

Disclosure: Monster provided me with a pair to try in exchange for my honest review. And I really was dancing to holiday jams. It's all I listen to in December.