Celebration In A Bottle!

Thanks to Deborah Lippmann, we have seen an outburst of glitter in nail polishes. In Fall 2009, she debuted Superstar, a chic copper flecked fudge sparkle shade in an effort to sophisticate the use of glitter for everyone, not just pre-teens. The fashion and beauty world were hooked and ever since, Lippmann’s dazzling colors have become a necessity backstage at Fashion Week.

Lippmann’s all time best seller, Happy Birthday, is an instant flashy accessory to any outfit. The unique graffiti of multi-colored glitter gives full coverage in just one coat. You can wear this sparkly glam of confetti alone or apply it over your favorite shade of polish to really make your nails pop with color. While the fun of a birthday might only come once a year, your nails can look celebratory any day.

Deborah Lippmann "Happy Birthday" glitter nail polish, $18. Nordstrom stores.

Album Review: Bionic

We have always loved Xtina's ability to use her music as a form of empowerment for women. As a result, listening to any one of her albums makes girls (excuse me, women) feel pretty good (see "My Girls" of Bionic or "Can't Hold Us Down" of Stripped). However, while this album has its fun moments and truly spectacular vocals - never a surprise from this songstress - there are too many points where it lacks fulfilling lyrics or just gets a lil' weird (see "Sex for Breakfast").
Most notable tracks: "Glam," "I Hate Boys"

Concert Review: Dave Matthews Band

Sweet, sweet summertime concerts. This past Tuesday, I attended the Dave Matthews Band (DMB) concert in my home state and one of my favorite towns: Columbus, OH. It was outdoors at Huntington Park, which was a baseball stadium turned into a concert arena for the night. The weather was great, and so were my seats... well actually, there were no seats since we were right up front, though, this was perfect.

DMB took the stage around 8:30PM and played for a good two hours straight. The sound, band, and fans definitely made this an experience I will never forget. For those of you that are not well acquainted with DMB, they have been around for over 15 years and have produced seven successful albums.

Every night of the tour has a different set list, which makes fans anticipate the new songs Dave might throw at them during the course of the concert. On this specific night, they played several songs from my favorite album, "Busted Stuff" and their newest album "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King." Dave got the crowd pumped up by talking between every couple songs, and having the band play extra long versions of the songs, enhancing to the jazzy, acoustic rock.

If you're looking for a great summer concert to attend, DMB is definitely a great choice. Although, make sure you stay hydrated before the concert, because that summer sun can get the best of you while you stand in a crowd of hundreds of screaming fans. Check out their new album on iTunes, and especially my favorite album from 2002, "Busted Stuff."

--LK

Movie Review: Toy Story 3

Eleven years in the making, Toy Story 3 hit theaters this past weekend to soaring numbers. After making box office history and cementing themselves as the second highest grossing animated film of all time, with $109 million, it was easy to see why. The animated short "Day & Night," which preceded the film, was awesome. As was the film itself. Though it did end with the possibility of more, a prospect we would rather not see happen - too much of a good thing, in our opinion. Also, we would have enjoyed more scenes with the 3-peas-in-a-pod.
Best on-screen moment: Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles) as Mr. Tortilla Shell. Classic.

Album Review: Can't Be Tamed

On her new album 17-year-old Miley Cyrus is trying to break away from Disney... HARD. Honestly, we are loving every bit of it. It's hard to put a finger on why this girl would want to cover a Poison song (see "Every Rose Has Its Thorn") - it must be a family favorite - but somehow that does not take away from how pretty awesome this album is. She can't be tamed, y'all.
Most notable tracks: "Liberty Walk," "My Heart Beats for Love"

It's officially summer!

Kickoff the summer!


Plan a getaway! Find a perfect summer vacation destination that fits your lifestyle! You deserve a break from work and/or summer classes!

Are you a...
Fashionista? Plan a trip to New York City, the Fashion Capital of the United States!

Camper? Plan a camping trip in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Try a beautiful spot like Pictured Rocks (shown above):
http://www.nps.gov/piro/planyourvisit/index.htm


Fudgie? Drive across the Mackinac Bridge and take a ferry ride to Mackinac Island! It's known for its great fudge and has breathtaking views!

Beach Bum? Visit Traverse City, Mich., home to beautiful sandy beaches along Lake Michigan's shoreline, rated number 8 on AOL Travel's America's Best Beach Towns. Dine downtown or drive out on the peninsula for some wine tasting and cherry picking! The "Cherry Capital of the world" holds its annual Cherry Festival July 3-10.

Start planning and happy summer! 8-)


Lauren

Album Review: Shout It Out

Hanson's 7th release has them testing the waters on a new style of rock: rhythm and blues. And you know what? It works quite seamlessly. Most people write these boys off as a result of their 1997 smash "MMMBop" but, in reality, Hanson is so much more than that. The band self-produces, self-writes, self-distributes (since their breakaway from Island/Mercury records) and self-plays every one of their tracks and have a much-hyped U.S. tour this summer with opener California-based Rooney. Check them out locally in Grand Rapids (Aug. 16) or Royal Oak (Aug. 17).
Most notable tracks: "Thinkin' Bout Somethin'," "Give a Little"

Since this is our first time reviewing anything, the ratings system is as follows: best = four kisses; worst = half a kiss.