Entrepreneur Spotlight - The Honour Society does stylish sporting apparel

Recently, I have found so much inspiration in the stories of other entrepreneurs. It's so exciting to learn the stories behind the businesses you see and support. As a budding entrepreneur, I am all about supporting and promoting others doing great things.

Not too long ago on Twitter, I met Marni Hotchkiss, one of the five owners behind The Honour Society. The Honour Society is this really great small company that specializes in college sports apparel. Not just any sports apparel, but apparel with style! As many of you know, I am a huge Michigan football fan and I am always looking for a way to support and look cute.

The story behind The Honour Society, is one of those traditional hard working, building a company you're passionate about from the ground up stories that I love. Marni is the only female owner in the group, which also includes her husband and three of his friends. Marni said, "my husband and his best friend travel to ACC bball games and are avid Terps fans and that's where this idea started."  There is something so cool about five young sports junkies turned entrepreneurs who work together to create something unique and out of the box that the industry has needed for years. 

Their original product was the FANdora and they started with licenses for only three schools. They are now licensed to sell over 30 colleges including some of the biggest sports favorites such as Michigan, Penn State, Alabama, Auburn, Michigan State and even Ohio State. After the FANdora took off, they started to include new items such as their bags, headwear and scarves.  Their goal is to blend classic tartan, plaid and houndstooth patterns with contemporary consumer products. 

The Honour Society owners believes in organic growth and putting hard work behind growing their brand. They are very active on social media, which of course made me love them right away. Their products can be found in campus bookstores and shops, Fanatics.com, and of course TheHonourSociety.com. Marni told me that they all get so excited when they see their products in the crowd and on major sports networks. 

As you see in the photo above, I am rocking a Michigan infinity scarf from The Honour Society. I fell in love with my new scarf. I own more than enough scarves, as do most women, but this one takes the cake. It's extremely warm and soft. Also, this infinity scarf has a lot of length which is necessary for a good double wrap, whereas most infinity scarves I find leave you feeling like you have a noose on. If you are a big college sports fan such as myself, I recommend that you check them out. Great style and very affordable. When I first visited I wanted to buy the entire Michigan page! Here are a few of my favorites below.

Find Honor Society online at - www.TheHonourSociety.com

Don't forget to find them on social media too! Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram

Who says being healthy can't also taste good?

This year I got serious when it came to New Years resolution. My biggest one was implementing new healthy habits into my life. It's been going really well, so far I joined the Shut Up and Train 21 day challenge and I have been juicing as meal replacements. I have also kicked pop from my regular diet. I use to drink pop 2-3 times a week and I've only had it 1 time so far in January! I think the key to my success is just going to be moderation and skimming back not completely knocking things out of my diet. When you totally kick something from your diet, I feel like you crave it so much more.

I have been on a serious hunt for new products that taste good and are also good for you or low calorie. I found two cool new products that are low calorie, and just so happen to be the color of the 2014. Perfect, right? Check out Celsius "Burn More Calories" Drinks and USANA Fudge Delite.

Celsius, Your Negative Calorie Drink, is a great tasting drink for your active, healthy lifestyle. Celsius is the world’s first and only negative calorie drink, backed by multiple clinical studies. Studies show that drinking a great tasting Celsius before exercise helps you burn up to 100 calories and more per serving. It has also shown that it boosts metabolism, reduces body fat, increases endurance and provides lasting energy. Celsius proudly displays on its can that it has no sugar, no aspartame, very low sodium, no artificial preservatives, no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial colors or flavors. With all of those benefits, why not give it a try?

USANA Health Sciences brings you a healthy treat for the New Year:  instead of stocking up with unhealthy snacks you find crammed in vending machines or in a local mini mart, satisfy your sweet tooth without eating empty calories. USANA introduces their Protein Snacks: each product in this deliciously tempting line includes at least 11 grams of protein but no more than 180 calories. The new protein snacks are non-GMO, contain no trans fats, and comes in three delicious flavors including Choco Chip, Peanutty Bliss, and Fudge Delite. I tried Fudge Delite and it was very chocolaty. If you crave chocolate then this is absolutely for you. I'd be interested in trying the Peanutty Bliss.

What are some of your favorite low calorie treats?

Drink NERGIA for a natural energy boost

As a freelancer who works on multiple projects at a time, not only do I find myself wishing for more hours in a day but I also wish I had a constant flow of energy. Oddly enough, I often find myself jealous of the energy level of my five month old puppy, Maizy. Let’s be honest, I’m no spring chicken. I couldn't pull an all nighter to write a 20 page paper like I did my senior year in college if my life depended on it. Ok well MAYBE if my life depended on it, but you see where I’m going with this. Sometimes, I need a boost of energy to help me stay up late, like I use to in college, when I have a major project or presentation due the next day. I've tried several different energy drinks and coffee, and I always end up with a headache or crashing out. 

Finally, I found a great new product that can give me my much needed energy boost but not leave me feeling like a zombie when it starts to wear off. NERGIA (pronounced: EN-ER-GIA) is new to the scene and provides that boost of energy that we all need from time to time.The best part about it is not just that you can stay up longer, but what you’re putting into your body is all natural. You don’t have to feel like you’re drinking a chemical that can turn your insides bright green. NERGIA is organic and made from Guarana seeds, Açaí berries and Catuaba bark, which have all been sustainably harvested and bottled for a pure boost of clean energy. NERGIA ingredients are sourced from the Brazilian Rainforest where some of the world’s most important botanical resources have been discovered. Which, quite frankly, is pretty darn cool!

A main concern of mine, when trying products like this is the amount of sugar or fake sugar in the product. I do not believe all of the artificial sweeteners that are being forced on us is good for us, and I don't even like how it tastes anyhow. Thankfully, NERGIA uses pure and natural low and no calorie sweeteners. As if the natural ingredients were not enough, the packaging is glass and recyclable. Beyond that the glass packaging prevents the chemical properties of plastic from leaking into the product and our bodies. This product lets you leave the stress of trying to figure out what you really just drank behind.

Right now, you can find NERGIA at GNC.com, but expect to see it locally soon! Learn more about NERGIA on their website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Friday Five Featuring the #JollyVoxBox!

As you may already know, over the past few months I have tried to figure out how to grow my blog and post more. Partnering with great brands is a sure fire way to grow your blog and increase visibility. Through research I found Influenster, which is a great company that deals in blogger activation and connects bloggers to major brands. For my first campaign I received the #JollyVoxBox which included the following five items.

1. Puffs Ultra Soft & Strong To Go Tissue Pack
Who doesn't love puffs? We all grew up with them as a kid. We took a box of them to school to satisfy our elementary school teachers. Well forget the box, when you're on the go you need the To Go Pack! Love them. Way better than using your sleeve.

2. NYC New York Color HD Color Trio Eye Shadow
Such a cute little trio of colors. I tried it on and it gives you a very subtle but nice look. I'll use it again for sure.

3. Rimmel London NEW Show Off Lip Lacquer
The color I received was a very sheer and sparkly color. I like it. I've been using it on top of some of my darker and brighter colors. Great addition to color and alone.

4. Skinny Cow Candy
The new love of my life. Chocolate candy with creamy peanut butter in the middle. One, I don't LOVE chocolate but I could eat this all day every day for the rest of my life. Just saying. Three little squares for only 130 calories. So if I eat 10 packages of these a day that is my calorie count of the day...oh wait. Damn it. Seriously, love them though!

5. Ducklings Mini Rolls
Love! We have all seen all of the fun Duck Tape out there but this isn't the old school huge tape. This is cute smaller tape with beautiful designs. I used it to hang my Christmas lights on the wall. Way better then the ugly tape I was using before ha :)

As a blogger if you are interested in becoming an influencer in the blogosphere, I highly recommend Influenster. You can also find them on Twitter and Facebook.

These products were complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster.

I Think I Am in Friend-Love With You

I Think I Am in Friend-Love With You

Sweet, might just be the best word to describe this book. When I agreed to review this book I didn't know what to expect. It's a very quick read filled with pictures and very few words. Clearly right up my alley! I wanted to read this book because I really loved the idea of friend-love and learning what it was all about. As short as this book is it's cute and really sends a great message of friendship.

We all have friends, and each of them means something different and unique to us. Some friends serve specific purposes in your life, whereas others are more well rounded and there for every twist and turn. This book celebrates friend-love, a totally platonic, yet super close friendship. I like that it promotes being happy for your friends when they have someone and supporting them.

This would be a great gift for a friend. I highly recommend checking I Think I am in Friend-Love With You out! The author, Yumi Sakugawa, is a comic book artist and illustrator. This is actually her first book. Kudos to Yumi, this was a really cute book.

Great artwork for your home that you can afford!

BirdAve is your solution for affordable art for your home or office. I recently received this photo of the Chicago skyline and it's beautiful. It will fit perfectly in my kitchen. The pop of color really makes the print stand out. 

BirdAve offers prints of your favorite sports team, city, or special place you have traveled, with their very unique prints. They have over 750 prints for you to choose from with series including music, sports, children, lifestyle and different cities around the world. Not only can you choose your print but you can choose it's background color to match your house or office.

What I really liked was the fact that if you couldn't find something that you loved there is an option to customize a print for the very same price! They have 8.5 x 11, 11 x 14, and 16 x 20. I'm all about customized pieces so that your decor stands out! 

To take a look at what they have go to  http://www.birdave.com

How To Change The World -- One Box at a Time!

Paper or plastic, is no longer a question you only have to consider at the grocery store. 

Over the summer, at Lollapalooza, I saw many concert goers drinking water out of paper cartons. I was intrigued but like all too many things I got busy and learning more about paper water cartons got put on the back burner. Just recently, I learned about Icebox, a very popular brand of water in a box. The great thing about Icebox Water is that as a company they aren't just out to mae sales but they are on a mission to change the world—and they are already making a huge difference!

Icebox boasts that it is BPA free, which until now I didn't understand. After seeing it everywhere I decided to look into BPA further. BPA is a controversial chemical used to line cans, they have found that it can even raise child's risk for developing heart problems or kidney disease. Whether or not this is a proven fact, or just something currently being studied, this should be alarming enough to make us think about what we are really letting our bodies come in contact with.

For as long as I can remember, recycling has been a hot topic. I remember going to a recycling plant in grade school seeing all of the recyclables compound together in a huge plant. Icebox understands the importance of recycling, their pressed paper carton is made from renewable resources and is recyclable. Another nice plus that you get when supporting this brand. 

As for taste, it definitely has a different taste to it. I could describe it as a clean taste. It's better than tap water than I tend to typically drink. I'd definitely start to drink Icebox and look for paper cartons. 

Learn more about Icebox Water on their website, Facebook, and Twitter. Join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram with #RefreshNaturally.

Look Flawless with TEMPTU's Airbrush Makeup Kit

 

I have always really enjoyed makeup, and trying new looks. When I was given the opportunity to try TEMPTU’s Airbrush Makeup Kit, I was beyond excited. It was coming at the perfect time with my birthday being a week from when the kit was to arrive. I had planned to have my makeup professionally done for a dinner, but with TEMPTU on its way I figured I could give it a try myself this year! I had already heard so much about TEMPTU’s spray makeup but I was always afraid to try it. It looked like a system that needed to be used by a professional makeup artist. After using it, I realized boy was I wrong! TEMPTU makeup is for everyone.

When I got my TEMPTU airbrush kit in the mail the first thing I did was read the instructions and hop online to get some tips to learn how to apply it correctly. TEMPTU has a great  How To video from their makeup artist that teaches you easy to follow tips and tricks. They also have some additional resources which can be found here. After watching the video, I felt ready to give it a try. In my kit I got TEMPTU foundation, blush and highlighter. It may have been first timers luck, but my first application was even and it looked great (see picture below). The nice thing was that the entire application process took minutes and there was no need to layer and cake on different products. TEMPTU foundation looked great and made my skin look clear and blemish free with one overall spray. I also used the blush and highlighter, which is a little hard to see in the photo because I kept it pretty light. You can layer the spray on to make it darker, but I was getting ready to go run errands so wanted that all natural look. Maybe the best part about the makeup was that it stayed ALL DAY. No joke. I looked at it later at night and it was still there, in the same place where we started in the morning. Normally my blush is gone by like 11am and the rest has started to wear off by end of day. Not with TEMPTU. Great lasting look.

The cool thing  TEMPTU’s Airbrush Makeup Kit and AIRpod makeup is that they were the first to create this easy-to-use home airbrush makeup system. They actually created this system for professional makeup artists and as the brand grew it morphed into something the everyday woman could use at home.With the Airbrush Makeup Kit you really are getting a professional grade system that you can use everyday with ease.

TEMPTU does a great job at sharing how-to tips and videos as well as great offers on all of their social media channels. I encourage you to check out their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to learn more about the TEMPTU system. While exploring TEMPTU’s social media I saw so many famous faces that used the makeup system. Some of the biggest celebs out there are using the exact same system that I have been trying out over the past week. I really enjoyed seeing different TEMPTU looks on Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry, Scarlett Johansson, Beyonce and Madonna. It just shows the diversity in the brand. It works for women of all ages and skin colors. TEMPTU is also the chosen makeup system  for artists who do the makeup for major runway shows such as Prada, Dior, BCBG and Herve Leger. There is something to be said for a stamp of approval from all of these great makeup artists who work with the top talent around the world in fashion, music, film and television.

AWESOME GIVEAWAY ALERT
I have been given the opportunity to host an AWESOME giveaway for my followers. One of you can win your very own TEMPTU Signature Airbrush Makeup Kit which includes the system, foundation, blush and highlighter! This kit starts at $149 so this really is a great giveaway. TEMPTU did not stop there with their generosity, they gave me a 20% discount offer (Code C0KA8PHK) not just for myself but to share with my readers. This would be a terrific gift for a girlfriend or anyone in your family that loves makeup. Be the all star gift giver this year and save 20% while doing it! I’m thinking about getting this spray on makeup system for my mom! She’d love it.

HERE IS YOUR CHANCE TO WIN YOUR VERY OWN 
TEMPTU AIRBRUSH MAKEUP SYSTEM! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONGRATS TO THE SAVVY BRUNETTE'S WINNER LINDA MCCONNELL. ENJOY!

Using Vimbly to make your plans

One of my favorite things about Chicago is that there are endless possibilities of things to do on any given day. The problem is always, how to choose though. That is where Vimbly comes into play. It's a new way to  book thousands of activities, classes & date ideas. These include dance, cooking, glassblowing, pizza making, wine tasting, learning to DJ, improvisation, scotch pairing, samurai sword fighting, persuasion class, and more. 

Vimbly gave me an opportunity to try out one of the activities for free to test out the ease of their site. My friend Sharrell and I chose the KOVAL Distillery tour as our first activity to try out through Vimbly. We had a blast. Easy to sign in at the event. I'll definitely continue to use Vimbly when choosing what do to in the city!

Another great thing is their customer service is exceptional. The confirmation email for the event that we attended did not make it into my inbox and my event when the event was coming up I sent a quick email over at 8pm on a Saturday night. Almost immediately, I got a response and my confirmation email forwarded to me. It's definitely worth a try! 

Don't forget to check out Vimbly here: http://www.vimbly.com/chicago

Interview with Celebrity Make-Up Artist Gita Bass

When it comes to makeup, I love to have fun but keep it relatively simple. When it comes to skincare, I look for ways to keep my skin youthful. With that being said, you can only imagine how excited I was when I got the opportunity to interview Celebrity Make-Up Artist Gita Bass. Gita has created looks for celebs like Ashley Greene and Selena Gomez. Take a moment to view my interview with Gita to learn great, easy to follow tips to keep your skin healthy and your makeup flawless.

The interview was great, so many takeaways to use on a daily basis. Below you'll find my cliff notes!

1. What type of moisturizing regimen do you recommend to help keep skin youthful and healthy?

Gita stressed that you want to find a skin care line, like Simple Skincare that is gentle, with no dyes or harsh chemicals. Regardless of skin type, there is a moisturizer out there for everyone. 

2. When it comes to creating an everyday natural look with makeup what do you recommend?

In the fall, use a moisturizer that is a little richer with an SPF. Then add a little color to your cheeks and lips, then finish it off with mascara.

3. Great go to colors for fall makeup? Is there really a red lipstick for every woman?

There is a red lipstick for everyone…whew! Ladies with warm skin tones go for warm reds. Then for us pale ladies like myself we should look for a blue based or pinkish red. Also, deep purple and plum is totally ok for fall. Fall is also time for smokey eyes but with rich jewel tones.

4. How does the everyday woman get a flawless red carpet look that will stay put?

Waterproof and long wear products. Bronzer and gorgeous skin are key!

5. What is an appropriate meet the family look?

Whatever makes you feel the most beautiful and the most confident. Be yourself!

6. Great cleansing routine?

Gita recommend Simple cleansing wipes and eye makeup remover.  Always cleanse, tone, and moisturize nightly (note to self)!

If you know me, you know I am relatively impatient when it comes to my excitement for trying new things. To stay true to my craziness, I decided to go out and buy some of the Simple products the night of my interview with Gita. I went to the where to buy part of Simple's website and quickly was able to find a CVS right in my neighborhood. There, I found Simple's Face Care Starter Kit. What a great way to draw people in and have them try out multiple products.Well the Simple verdict is in, I love it. My face felt very clean and refreshed after using all three products.

Thank you to Simple Skincare and Gita Bass for this opportunity. I learned a lot about skin care and how to create some key makeup looks the Simple way ;) 

Blogger Lounge Famous

Look I'm famous! @MsNycole & The Savvy Brunette

I have to say, I have not had so much fun at an event in awhile. The event offered up food, music, art and so much more! I met new friends, saw old friends and saw lots of handsome fellas. Also, fell in love with this adorable little dog that I wanted to kidnap. 

The Street Food Artistry staff did a wonderful job putting everything together. There was so much to do, see and experience. Weather was nice and warm almost the entire time. The sky opened up the last hour. I had been there all day so I took off at that point. 

I got to try a lot of new things at the fest. One of my favorite new things was Jerk Chicken from the Jerk food truck. For $7 you got some chicken and a piece of bread. The chicken was spicy, but I was actually able to manage my way through it. I am normally horrible with anything and everything spicy but I did it like a champ. If you'd like to give them a try you can follow them on Twitter to find out where they're parked by going here.

Friends always make everything that much more fun!

My next favorite discovery was a tie between the mustache cookies from Getta Polpetta you see to the right and a Courvoisier Gold drink. I recommend giving it a try. Very tasty. Sweet but not too sweet. They describe it as:

A first of its kind, Courvoisier Gold is a light and exquisite cognac experience that is crafted with a delicate blend of Moscato wine from the South of France and Courvoisier’s signature cognac. 

Food truck heaven.

I wish I wasn't counting calories so closely because there were so many food trucks and stands at the event and I could have gone crazy!

Here is a list so you can follow them on Twitter and try them if you can find them:

- Curried

- Jerk

- Dia Delos Tamales

- Herby Pop (Had a sample...AMAZING)

- Gelato D'Oro

- Baby Cakes

- The Fat Shallot

- Pork Chop

- Cheesies Chicago

- Getta Polpetta (mustache cookies!)

- Puffs of Doom

What is an event without a selfie? 

My true highlight of the evening was arriving at the Bloggers Lounge and seeing the signage which you see in a photo above. My name is on there. Yep, project make myself a brand is working. I met a lot of great bloggers and even met some Twitter pals in real life. That was a great time.

Before I go...I have to give a quick shout out to a new pal I made, George. I bombarded him with questions because I saw his fraternity letters on a hat and found out he went to Toledo which is right by BGSU and went to the same HS as my mom back in Ohio. Small world. Anyhow he is a Style Consultant for J.Hilburn this really nice custom made shirt place! I totally want to have one made. Here is his website if you're looking for some really sharp dress shirts.

#SFA2013 you rocked... #SFA2014 bring it ;) Can't wait. 

#GoBlue with Teespring!

Growing up, I was a total tomboy but that never stopped me from wanting to be a fashion designer. No joke. I use to draw pictures of dresses. Thought I would even design my wedding dress someday. Haven't actually cancelled out that idea yet, to be honest. I have a treat for the inner fashion designer in us all, Teespring! It's this amazing crowdfunding platform for groups, causes and communities where you can design and sell custom apparel. Maybe the coolest thing about it is that there is no cost to you to design the shirt. 

It is rather simple to get started. The biggest challenge of all is getting your shirt sold so that the order can go through. First visit Teespring.com and watch this quick design tutorial. Then once your training wheels are off, get your designer cap on and make an awesome shirt.

Come up with an awesome idea. You can choose color, font, and even upload an image. I have really pumped about college football season the past few weeks so I decided to make a Michigan Wolverines shirt. I have been a Wolverines fan since roughly age 13. I know what you're thinking, but you're from Ohio. Yep, get over it. Wolverines are my love! I'm sure you're also wondering what is up with the hashtag situation. Well, I'm a nerd. That is all. No really, I am a lover of all things social media and during football season #GoBlue can be seen in thousands of my tweets. So I wanted to make this shirt fun and nerdy!!

Cool shirt has been designed, now what? Now you set your price. I wanted this shirt to be affordable so we need to sell 499 of them in order for this shirt to go to print. It's ONLY $12. How often can you get a really sweet t-shirt for just $12 these days. This is a @MsNycole designer original.

We have just 2 weeks and 6 days starting NOW to get 499 shirts sold. Lets get it done!!

ORDER YOUR #GoBlue SHIRT HERE: 
http://teespring.com/thesavvybrunette

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Bling It On! With Hpnotiq: Submit Your Glammest Look To Win The Handbag Of Your Choice

I'm excited to announce my special collaboration with Hpnotiq to bring you a very GLAM contest! Do you love glam things? From now until July 28^th 2013, Hpnotiq wants you to show them how you GLAM LOUDER to win fab prizes! Submit photos of the glammest head to toe look you can find. Entries can be pictures you snap yourself or images you find online. 

When you think "glam", what comes to mind? For me, being glam embodies so many different things. It is an entire look, feel and aura. Glam is sexy, charming, classing, alluring and even romantic. When I hear the word glam, I immediately think Charlize Theron. She is glamorous at all times! I have chosen a few of her best looks. My favorite is the long white dress! 

Ready to Bling It On!? 

Hpnotiq wants to see how you pull it all together for a chance to win the ultimate accessory: the handbag of your choice valued at up to $1000. For this round they’re choosing 4 lucky winners to spend up to $1,000 on the fabbest bag they can find to compliment their glammest look! If you’re one of the 4 winners, you’ll also be able to compete in the final round for a chance to win the grand prize trip for you and three friends to go shopping with a celebrity Los Angeles! Even better - the grand prize winner will star in a professional photo shoot for the chance to be in a real Hpnotiq Ad!

Want to Enter:

Hpnotiq’s Glammest Look Challenge is going on RIGHT NOW - but hurry – the entry period for the glammest head to toe look ends at 11:59:59 a.m. EST on July 28^th! 

Here's How to Enter:

• Visit http://9nl.it/irby/

• Visit Hpnotiq’s Facebook page

• Follow @Hpnotiq on twitter and tweet them your picture using the hashtag #GLAMLOUDER.

Before you enter make sure to read the full contest rules here. 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. I was so happy to be a part of this contest, because I can say I have been a fan of the Hpnotiq brand since college. I can remember my junior year in 2003, friends traveled an hour to get this new drink! It was love at first taste. 

New Favorite Treat - Red Mango Super Biotic Smoothies

The Fourth of July holiday weekend was quite warm and toasty here in Chicago. Perfect weather to get me out and about with friends during my four day stay-cation. By the time Sunday rolled around, I had had enough fun for an entire army and it was time to run errands and roll up my sleeves to get some work done. With the sun shining in my window Sunday afternoon I couldn't help but crave a quick break outside in the warm weather. Trying the new Super Biotic Smoothies at Red Mango turned out to be the perfect excuse to get me out of the house.

As soon as I walked into Red Mango West Loop, I was greeted by the owner, Irfan Moten. This was my first Red Mango experience, so it was nice to be greeted and brought up to speed with the process. I let Irfan know I there to try their new super biotic smoothies. Quite frankly everything on the menu looked awesome, so I was stumped! No worries. Right away, Irfan started asking me what types of flavors I liked to help me make the difficult decision. After getting a run down of my favorite flavors he recommended the Pomegranate Protector. The name alone sold me but then I looked at the ingredients and I was pumped. The Pomegranate Protector is made with yogurt, pomegranate, acai, blueberry, banana, and green tea extract. 

My first taste of the Pomegranate Protector was heaven. You could just tell how fresh the ingredients were. I also loved the punch of green tea taste that you get in every sip. I sat down to enjoy my smoothie and continued to talk to the Irfan about his new Red Mango location. This is only his second month being opened in the West Loop. He and his father opened the shop together, which is amazing! Nothing better than working with family. As we spoke, I asked about some of the other smoothie and their flavors. Little did he know I was already planning my second and third trips so that I could try more smoothies. Irfan was awesome and gave me a taste of the Just Kidd'n Lil' PB Cup! The Just Kidd'n menu is has kid specific smoothies with no boosts. It was extremely good and very light for kids. I love that Red Mango has a kids menu, so that parents don't have to guess what is and isn't ok for their kids to have. I was pretty pumped to hear that the Red Mango West Loop location is going to be adding things like kale and spinach in the future as well. Red Mango really is entering the smoothie world with a bang! Their smoothies are superior to that of Jamba Juice, which I have always found to taste very sugary.

While enjoying my smoothie, I took an opportunity to look around the shop and read all of their signage. The reoccurring theme that I saw everywhere was Super Biotics, which also so happens to be in the name of the new smoothies. My curiosity led me to Google, where I found a simple explanation by Red Mango founder, Dan Kim. 

"At Red Mango, we fortify all of our frozen yogurt and yogurt-based smoothies with a special type of probiotics called Super Biotics," said Dan Kim, founder and chief concept officer of Red Mango. "They're super because unlike the extremely fragile probiotics in most ordinary yogurt, Super Biotics have been clinically proven to survive the strong acids in our stomachs so that they can actually do their job keeping our digestive and immune systems healthy when we eat right and exercise too." 

Before I got to Red Mango I did a bit of investigation online via social media. As a Social Media Strategist I always spend some time checking out a company's social media presence and strategy to see if they are rocking the social space. Red Mango does a great job keeping their fans engaged and sharing lots of tasty looking photos! I suggest checking them out on Facebook and on Twitter. 

Is your mouth watering yet? If so, you're in luck. This week Red Mango is having a BOGO special! July 8-12, 2013: BOGO (Buy One Get One) Super Biotic Smoothies! Buy a Super Biotic smoothie of any size and get another Super Biotic smoothie of equal or lesser value FREE. ONLY Poppin’ Boba smoothies are eligible for this offer. No coupon necessary to redeem.

Red Mango is not only delicious but as I mentioned it has many health benefits. This brand new line of smoothie have been formulated to meet the nutritional and dietary needs of today’s health-conscious consumers who find it increasingly important to embrace a wholesome, well-balanced diet.  In addition to the protein, energy, immunity and multivitamin boosts currently available, Red Mango has added four new boosts which have been formulated with natural, wholesome and innovative ingredients: 

• Metabolic Fit 360™: A proprietary blend of protein, calcium and African Mango which supports metabolic balance and promotes healthy weight management.

• Dark Chocolate Mate: Finely ground, Brazilian roasted maté and dark chocolate; a delicious, rich, low-calorie flavor which also supplies a nice dose of antioxidants.

• Tropical Hibiscus: Finely ground, premium Nigerian hibiscus blossoms infused with natural pineapple and lychee; a bright and tropical low-calorie flavor and antioxidant boost.

• Green Tea Acai: Finely ground, premium green tea with açai berries, the Amazonian superfruit; a low-calorie antioxidant boost made with the best ingredients.

Did you know Red Mango is one of the fastest-growing retailers of all-natural frozen yogurt and fresh fruit smoothies? They just launched 22 brand new super biotic summer smoothies in four lifestyle-centered categories: 

•  Body Balance: Flavorful and functional yogurt smoothies formulated with beneficial boosts  
• All Fruit Harmony: Refreshing dairy-free and soy-free smoothies made only with fruit, juice and ice.   
• Twisted Fruits: Smooth and creamy signature yogurt smoothies offered in new and innovative fruit-forward flavors.  
• Just Kidd'n: Naturally delicious, snack-sized fruit and yogurt smoothies, blended just for kids.  

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and I am officially a fan!

Swipe...Scam or Brilliant

Yesterday I got the weirdest text message asking me to check out a picture. The catch was that first I had to download some app. First and foremost, I'm nosey so it all sounded like a grand idea. Of course I had to figure out what this picture was. I download this app called, Swipe. Come to find out there is no picture but this is just a tricky way for some company that somehow got my number to get me to download their app.

Shady, but somehow smart because now I keep playing with this app. It is just like Tinder which I have heard a lot about but not used. You just swipe through photos and you give them the X or a heart. Oddly entertaining. If people are a match they message you. I'll get bored and delete it soon but for now this company that somehow stole my phone number has gained my interest.

If you are completely bored and want to get your swipe on then go download it.

One week ago we met...and it's been love ever since ;)

Don't get too excited...I'm talking about my new iPhone 4s. Don't judge me ;) I definitely am loving my new phone. I thought I would have the shakes after parting ways with my Blackberry but I can't think of one reason why I'd want to go back to Blackberry. Not just that but I went back to Verizon after 7 years and I'm happy to say all is well on that end. T-Mobile was an absolute nightmare. I won't say Verizon is perfect...it's been a week but so far so good!!

FAVORITE APPS SO FAR: 
Facebook
Twitter
Foursquare
Google Maps
Blogger
Instagram- such an awesome ap for pictures.
The Weather Channel
Flashlight
My Verizon
iMailG (for my work email)
RedEye
HuffPost
Chicago Trib
LinkedIn
GrubHub
Yelp
Groupon
SportsCenter

APPS I DOWNLOADED TODAY TO CHECK OUT:
WhosHere
My Disk
PhotoFunia
Flixlab
Backgrounds
ColorSplash
Big Button
Pic Frame
postagram
Photogram

Are you an iPhone user? What am I missing?!

Big Brother: New Season

Alright so here is the new cast. Hottie of the season I'm going to say is Brendon, but why are there never sexy black men...epic fail!! Two IL folks so I'll try to like and cheer for them. I think being on Big Brother would be fun, I should try out for that someday. I'd probably be the bitch of the house :)

Seasons cast:

• Rachel Reilly, 26 – VIP Cocktail Waitress – Las Vegas, NV
• Kristen Bitting, 24 – Boutique Manager – Philadelphia, PA
• Britney Haynes, 22 – Hotel Sales Manager – Huntington, AR
• Monet Stunson, 24 – Model – Glen Carbon, IL
• Brendon Villegas, 30 – High School Swim Coach – Riverside, CA
• Andrew Gordon, 39 – Podiatrist – Miami, FL
• Enzo Palumbo, 32 – Insurance Adjuster – Bayonne, NJ
• Kathy Hillis, 40 – Deputy Sheriff – Texarkana, AR
• Annie Whittington, 27 – Bartender – Tampa, FL
• Matt Hoffman, 32 – Web Designer – Elgin, IL
• Lane Elenburg, 24 – Oil Rig Salesman – Decatur, TX
• Ragan Fox, 34 – College Professor – Los Angeles, CA
• Hayden Moss, 24 – College Student, Athlete – Tempe, AZ

So far my faves are: Annie, Brendon, and Matt

My least faves: So far I like everyone, although the redhead seems pretty clueless.

Some information snagged from: Big Brother Network

16 and Pregnant...eek.

Wow is the first thing that comes to mind, after watching 16 and Pregnant for the first time. First of all, I can't even imagine being 27 and pregnant but wow, 16 is just too young. I feel sorry for these girls, and more so for the choices they have made to rob their own youth to have children so young. I think everyone should have a chance to have babies if they want, but its all about timing. I don't think 16 can ever be a right time. Now in my saying this, I'm not saying that a 16 year old can't be a good mom or dad I just think its too young. If you don't give yourself a chance to grow up, how are you going to be able to help your child navigate through their life. Being a teen is an important time of your life, it's a real learning experience and a time to mature. 

I can't believe how lightly some of these girls and boys were taking being a parent. It was very evident that they didn't even understand what it meant to be a parent. There was one young girl who told her child's father that he had to "love the person holding the baby", basically meaning he had to still want to be with her to be in the kids life. She pushed him out of the child's life, because he no longer wanted to be in hers. I don't think that's right. I also don't think it's ok for these kids to bail on one another. 

This girl from today really just made me sad, she had no grasp of responsibility. She laughed it off that her mother was doing everything. At one point in the show I even thought she was going to tell her mom she couldn't do it anymore and she had to get rid of the baby. She told her mom she needed help and she wanted to get things accomplished in her life. The real underlying message of that conversation was that she didn't want to have to be strapped down with the baby anymore, and that she wanted to continue to live her life. Seeing her walk out of the house and leave her child behind, was a really saddening moment. The fact that their are children out their having babies and taking no responsibility. 

Teen pregnancy is always going to be a problem.There is nothing about pregnant teenagers that stands out to me as acceptable. We have to motivate our youth to do better. Parents in today's society are "friends", and not always authority figures. I struggled a long time with this with my family. I saw my mom being more of a friend than a mother to my sister, and I deeply worried about my sister. She ended up being just fine, but I really think some kids need more of an upper hand and someone to tell them no and stick to it. Not all teenagers are born with the ability to make the right choices. Parents are suppose to teach their kids how to make the right choices, and take responsibility for what you do in life.

When a parent is void, or just standing by while their child grows up the person who suffers is the child. The parent becomes a bystander in the life of their child. This is also the reason so many kids turn to gangs. Children turn to gangs, and premature relationships because they are searching for an acceptance and love that they don't get at home. Regardless of how much kids push back, they'll always turn to someone who gives them guidance and accepts them. I wish that America had better ways to educate parents and prepare them. Young mothers should have to go through a certain amount of therapy or training before they can leave the hospital with a baby. Sounds pretty radical but it's something.

Great reads....

My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King 

by Reymundo Sanchez

Once a King Always a King: The Unmaking of a Latin King 

by Reymundo Sanchez

I haven't been a big reader for the longest time but a good friend of mine is lent me the first book and I was hooked. Oddly enough gang life has always interested me because I just don't understand how so many people can just be so void of emotions and just not care about life and be so prepared for death. Anyhow this is a true story of a man who was a Latin King here in Chicago. It's very details and really makes you see what some of these people have been through. I honestly would recommend these books, it'll make you look at things a little more seriously when in bad neighborhoods I think.