Delicious Lemon Sorbet Biscoff Cookie "Tart"

I've been in the mood for more summery dishes as it has been a long, grueling winter here in Michigan. I decided to make a sort of tart with some berries and lemon sorbet; if that doesn't scream summer, then what does? I whipped this up together on a whim, so the recipe isn't perfect, and the photo is just from my iPhone, but it was delicious and so simple so I thought I would share the "recipe". I say "recipe" because I did not measure any ingredients, so you will have to eyeball things depending on how many you want to make.

Ingredients:

• Biscoff Cookies
• Butter, melted
• Sugar
• Lemon Sorbet
• Any kind of berries (I used raspberries and blueberries)
• Whipped cream (I used cool whip because I did not have fresh whipping cream in the fridge)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Crush cookies using a blender, food processor, or even by putting them in a bag and using a rolling pin.
3. Combine butter and a small amount of sugar, then add crushed cookies until evenly combined.
4. Form cups from cookie mixture in a greased cupcake pan, and place in oven for about 5 minutes.
5. To make berry compote, put frozen berries and sugar in a saucepan and heat until warm and a syrup has formed. A dash of water may be needed to create the syrup.
6. Once tart shells have been removed from the oven and cooled, place one scoop of lemon sorbet, or even vanilla ice cream inside.
7. Spoon berry mixture and syrup over the sorbet or ice cream.
8. Top with fresh whipped cream or cool whip, and enjoy!

Feel free to make this and let me know how it turns out!

*Disclaimer: I did use cream cheese frosting to combine the cookie crumbs at first as I had some left over, but it made the shell too sweet and very difficult to cut through.

Job Hunting.

WARNING- This post is not of proper grammar, and is just me rambling on about my experiences with job hunting.

I graduated from University in May 2014 and thought that I would find a job within the next few months. I didn't. I still haven't. I graduated with a major in Political Science and a minor in Spanish. Granted, Political Science is not the easiest major to have when looking for a job, but I thought that my having a Spanish minor would make me more employable. It hasn't. I am fortunate enough to have family that will support me as I am in this "transition" phase, but it doesn't make it any easier to be at home while the majority of my peers are working or attending graduate school. My plan was to work for a year or two and save up enough money to go to graduate school because while my parents helped me pay for undergrad, I am on my own for grad school. I am starting to realize that the only thing that will make me more employable is if I go to grad school, but how will I afford it without going into huge amounts of debt? Also, should I change my major completely to something more employable? I have been interested in politics and government since I was about 13 years old, and have known that is what I wanted to do with my life since I was 17 years old. I don't want to change my career direction, but it is very hard to get your foot in the door without having connections it seems. I had an internship in the Neighborhood Services Department at the city where my university was, and enjoyed it greatly. The internship assured me even more that what I wanted to do was work in government. I have probably sent out over 100 resumes, and gotten between five and ten responses. All of the responses were rejections, but it was still nice to be acknowledged. I have applied for jobs that I am overqualified for and jobs that I am under-qualified for, yet without much experience in the field, I am mostly overlooked. I do not want people to think that I believe I deserve anything, but right now I would take anything. I just want to be able to get my foot in the door.

If anyone has any experience job hunting, specifically in the Political Science field, please give me some tips.

xoxox

Get to Know Me.

I'm hoping to start blogging more consistently, so I thought that doing 21 Get to Know Me questions would be a great "rebirth" so to speak. So here goes nothing!

1. Are you named after anyone? 

Not that I know of.

2. When was the last time you cried? 

Probably yesterday, I cry pretty frequently about silly things.

3. Do you have kids? 

Nope, I'm not ready yet. :)

4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself? 

I'd like to think so? 

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? 

Constantly.

6. Will you ever bungee-jump? 

I'm not sure. When I was younger I hated water slides but loved rollercoasters. Now in my old age (I'm only 22 haha) I am starting to be more afraid of heights, but if I was given the opportunity, maybe?

7. What’s your favorite cereal? 

I can't remember what it is called, but it is a granola with cinnamon and raisins in it.

8. What’s the first thing you notice about people? 

Probably their smile, I've never really consciously paid attention though.

9. What is your eye color?

Blue/Green, they change with what I'm wearing.

10. Scary movie or happy endings?

Happy endings for the most part, but I do love a scary movie once in a while.

11. Favorite smells? 

Basil, coffee, fresh cut grass.

12. Summer or winter? 

I really love the beauty of winter, but I prefer driving and going outside in the summer. It really is a toss up.

13. Computer or television? 

Computer.

14. What’s the furthest you’ve ever been from home?

I went to Switzerland, Italy, and France the summer after I graduated from high school.

15. Do you have any special talents?

I'm not amazing, but I can play the violin and trombone.

16. Where were you born?

Michigan, the mitten state in the US. :)

17. What are your hobbies? 

Shopping, keeping up with politics, job hunting ;).

18. Do you have any pets? 

One demon cat named Millie.

19. Favorite movie? 

10 Things I Hate About You.

20. Do you have any siblings? 

Yes, I have brother who is 15 months older than me.

21. What do you want to be when you grow up? 

I want to work in international relations, but more likely to be a professor in the political science department at a university.


If there are any questions you have for me, or any suggestions/requests for future blogposts please leave a comment below! 

Summer Bag Essentials.

Hey everyone! I don't know about you, but this summer has been a whirlwind for me already! I graduated from college/university in May, took a trip to Florida (I live in Michigan) in May for my best friends bridal shower and bachelorette party, took a trip to Florida in June for my best friends wedding, and on top of all of that I have been job hunting! Since I have been doing a bit of traveling this summer, there have been things that have become staples in my bag everyday. Here they are!

1. Fiji water, or just any bottle of water to keep me hydrated on hot days. I prefer this bottle because it is a bit more sturdy than other bottles and it is less likely to get punctured by my keys or other sharp objects in my bag.

2. YSL Rouge Volupté Shine in #16 Orange Impertinent. I love this lipstick because it is the perfect orange shade for summer, and I wear it both in the day and night. Buy it here.

3. Tangle Teezer Compact Styler. Mine is actually an off-brand Tangle Teezer as I got it from TJ Maxx, but it works just the same. I love regular sized one but it wasn't convenient to keep in my bag, so I bought this mini one. Buy it here.

4. Rosebud Perfume Co. Minted Rose Lip Balm. I like the original Rosebud Salve, and I actually went to buy that, but I saw this one and decided to give it a try. I like the mint one because it gives you that little tingle of mint when you put it on. Buy it here.

5. Frends Taylor Headphones. I purchased these because I needed new headphones, and honestly I just liked the way they looked. You can get them here on sale at Nordstrom during their Anniversary Sale.

6. Michael Kors Silver Color Stainless Steel Blair Glitz Watch. I got this watch for Christmas last year, and I love it so much. I wanted a nicer watch since all I've ever had were cheap ones from Target, and it is handy so I don't always have to dig around my bag for my phone. Buy it here.

7. Black iPhone 4s. Just your typical cellphone, nothing special about it. I'm trying to hold out until September because I heard that the iPhone 6 is coming out!

8. New York & Company Sunglasses. I bought these sunglasses on sale for about $7 and I'm glad I did, because I left my Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses somewhere in Florida. Unfortunately they're not for sale anymore.

See ya next time!
Alex :)

Fall/Autumn Favorites.

Source

After what has seemed like a very long summer, fall is finally here! Fall is my favorite season because of the cute yet comfy fashion, the perfect temperature weather, and the beautiful scenery. One of my favorite things about fall is taking a walk, stepping on the crunchy leaves and just admiring the changing colors on the trees. There are so many fabulous things in fall that I decided to have my first post in a very long time be about my favorites of my favorite season.

Yummy Fall Drinks.

Fall seems to have the most delicious specialty drinks of any season, at least in my opinion. There is the infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks which seems to be the butt of every "girl" joke, but I truly believe it is a fabulous drink! There is also Apple Cider. You can get this hot, cold, or hard (with alcohol) for the 21+ crowd, and all three ways it is nothing but delicious. I also find myself drinking more plain old tea and coffee in the fall as it is a little chilly so I need something to warm me up.

Pumpkin EVERYTHING.

Fall also seems to be the time when pumpkin flavoring is put into almost everything and anything. I love it! Granted, there are a few things that have pumpkin flavoring that I think are a little odd (See Ellen's video here), but for the most part pumpkin things are delicious! A few of my favorites are: the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Bread, Iced Pumpkin Cookies (which I may do a blog post on later), and Pumpkin Pie.

Sweaters.

One of my favorite things to wear in the fall are sweaters, and recently I've found a love for loose, chunky knit, open cardigans. I pretty much stick to simple shades of black, cream, and brown. I like to wear these over leggings because they're usually long enough to cover my behind, some skinnies, or a black skater skirt with black tights.

Boots.

I absolutely love leather boots, and fall is the perfect time to wear them. I have two pairs that I particularly like, one black and one brown. The brown ones are a pair of oxford style boots I got from Topshop last year. I wear them with leggings and longer socks with fun prints, or with some skinnies. They're unfortunately not for sale anymore, but I'm sure you could find a similar pair at another store if you'd like. The second pair are a pair of black riding boots I bought from Nordstrom last year. They are the Enzo Angiolini "Saylem" Riding Boot, and that specific boot is not for sale anymore but some similar styles are available from Nordstrom.

Jackets.

In fall if I'm not wearing a sweater I'm wearing a jacket. I have several different types of jackets I like to wear depending on how chilly it is, and of course what I'm wearing. I have a couple different fleece jackets from The North Face, which aren't necessarily the most fashionable, but they are practical and of good quality so I keep them. I also have some longer trench coat style jackets which are great for when I'm wearing a longer sweater and it's a little too chilly to wear just a sweater, but not cold enough to wear a proper coat. My most recent and long overdue jacket purchase is a military style jacket; I got mine from H&M, it is the Cotton Canvas Jacket and I absolutely love it! When I purchased it it was $49.95 USD, and now it is on sale for $14.95, I wish I would have waited!

What are your favorite things about fall? Is fall your favorite time of year? If not, what is and what are your favorite things about that time? 

Keep on Keeping on, 

Alex :)

Beauty/Makeup Favorites.

Hello again!

As I mentioned before I love fashion, beauty, and makeup, so I thought I would do a post about my favorite items at the moment. By no means am I a professional, these are my favorites purely based on opinion. Read on if you'd like to know the opinions of a regular old girl like myself. :) Also, I'm adding photos to go along with the post but I do not have a nice professional camera or good lighting, so please don't judge.

First is my favorite perfume. It's called Chance Eau Tendre by Chanel. According to the website it is a decidedly young scent in a constellation of tender and vibrant notes, at once delicate and airy, with an intoxicatingly light, fruity trail. The size I got was $90, but you can get a smaller size for $68, and a larger one for $115. This is my second bottle of this perfume, and you can see there is already a significant amount gone, so if you trust my opinion at all, you know it's a classic. It doesn't hurt that the bottle is nice to look at. 

Next is a much cheaper item, and it is for your hair. I have very straight hair and have always admired girls with pretty wavy hair. I remember in middle school/early high school I used to "scrunch" my hair with gel, and it just looked bad (it did look good on some girls though). After watching many videos on YouTube, I decided to purchase some salt spray. I wanted to purchase a more expensive option, but as this was my first time using it I decided to purchase a cheaper one to determine if I even liked the product at all. Well, I love it! I got the Schwarzkopf got2b Beach Trippin' Salt-Infusion Waving Spray. It is $3.94 from any store like Wal-Mart, Meijer, or Target. I'm not sure if it's the best of it's kind, but it does the job for me. 

 Next is a foundation that I've been using recently and really loving. I mostly buy drug store foundation because I figured that they all did the same thing. However, I went to Ulta and needed a new foundation so I thought I would splurge on a more expensive item. The one I bought appealed to me because it is a 3-in-1 product with serum, primer, and foundation and it saves steps for me when I am running late to class but still want to look good with some makeup on. I purchased the ck One Color 3-in-1 face makeup with SPF 8 sunscreen. It was $30 and you can get it at Ulta, and probably some department stores.

Next is a blush that I purchased off of the internet after I read how great it was and how similar it was to the NARS blushes. I got it from e.l.f. or eyeslipsface. The first thing I'd like to say about e.l.f. is how cheap it is! I got a whole bag of makeup for about $30, and I like almost all of it. The blush I got was Candid Coral #83133 for $3! Compared to NARS at $29 a pop, that is an excellent deal! In the photo it looks more brown than coral, but it isn't. If you'd like to see it for yourself click here and click the 3rd one over.

Last but definitely not least is a lipstick. I've always been a girl who doesn't wear much lip color, just some lip balm or a light lipgloss and I'm done. Whenever I have tried lipsticks I've always either looked too fancy, or like a clown, so I decided to go for a more classic color. When I was at Nordstrom a while ago I stopped by the Bobbi Brown counter to look at their lipsticks because I have liked Bobbi Brown products for a very long time. While I was there I picked up a lipstick that I thought I could wear a lot, and I wasn't wrong. The one I purchased was the Creamy Lip Color in Hibiscus #56, for $24 and their website describes it as a bright candy pink, I would say it has kind of a coral-y tint to it as well. I really love this color, and look at the photo! Not too bad for not having a nice camera, eh?

Alright, well if you even made it this far, I applaud you. I hope you liked this post, let me know if there's any types of posts you'd like to see me do, let me know in the comments. 

Keep on keeping on,

Alex :)

Shopping Addiction.

Like I said before, I'm addicted to shopping. As a poor college student with no steady income, this can be a bad thing. My problem is that I see something I like and I have to have it, there's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Now, I don't always just press buy, or go up to the register to buy something, I have some restraint. If I don't or can't purchase something, I will lust after it until I get it, or until something else catches my eye. 

After all of this, it won't come as a surprise that I did a little shopping this weekend. I was on instagram, saw a bag I loved and just had to have it. I went to the website, and they had it in 3 colors; mint, beige, and brown. Now, the bag that caught my eye on instagram was the mint one, but I was hesitant to get it because it wouldn't necessarily go with a lot of things, so I figured I would get the brown one. However, the bag was only $20! So I was bad and got the mint and the brown ones... oops. ;)


Here's the mint one: 

Here's the brown one:

Cute, right?! 

Keep on keeping on,

Alex :)

The bags are from lookbookstore.com which is an ebay store, and they have a lot of other cute things on their site, so go take a look!