Today's Top 5

1. A shout-out to Rob Kardashian for confirming everything we already thought we knew about him in the episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians I'm currently watching ("Sometimes You Need to Adjust, Part Two"). When asked by his mom, Kris Jenner, about his plans for the day, he responded, "Shower, brush my teeth." AMAZING. I'm adding that puppy to my favorite quotes Hall of Fame.

This has also prompted me to create a Reality Kardashian League, which currently consists of just me. The first question is, "When will Rob finally launch his luxury sock line?" With a work ethic like that, I'm putting my money on Resort Wear 2014. Anyone else?

2. Ronnie Fieg

This 29-year-old footwear enthusiast has been in the business since I was in preschool. I'm late to the party, but he designs some of the coolest shoes I have ever seen. 

Limited Edition Ronnie Fieg x Polo Ralph Lauren Cookie Boots, 2009
If anyone is trying to resell a pair of these, please let me know

RF x Sebago Docksides for Men, purchase here

RF x Sebago Abenaki Boots, purchase here
Buying these if I can still justify it post-Lolla.

Check out his blog to see more of his work.

3. I'm going through my Pandora history and mostly laughing at songs I added as favorites. Let us never forget that period of time where I only listened to terrible things. Also, while I'm getting dark musical secrets off my chest, I once told a panel of interviewers all over the age of 60 to listen to the Dirty Projectors. Sue me. However, while scouring through my filthy past, I rediscovered these gems:

• Bless The Telephone by Labi Siffre
• Out of Pawn by Anais Mitchell
• Lilywhite by Cat Stevens

If you're into/interested in freak folk, enjoy! 

4. THIS MISSED CONNECTION


jenny devoe concert.mellow run winery. - m4w - 33

You walked up to me and my girlfriend.and said we where a cute couple.I m black ,my girl is white.hopefully u read this ,then you went back up the deck and waved .

SO MANY THINGS ARE WRONG WITH THIS I LOVE IT. But poor girlfriend :(

5. Tavi Gevinson's TED Talk

This 15-year-old fashion blogger/phenom is the founder of Rookie Mag, an online zine for teenage girls. (Its Ask a Grown Man with Jon Hamm and Judd Apatow videos gained viral popularity earlier this year.)

While the whole talk is awesome, I especially like this golden nugget:

In actuality, women are complicated. Women are multi-faceted; not because women are crazy, but because people are crazy, and women happen to be people.

I wish she went to high school with me. I was so excited to see her on the cover of the NY Times Style Section today, which you can read here. Heck, while I'm at it, #FF @tavitulle. Even though it's Sunday.

What You Missed on CraigsList Missed Connections Today

This is serious stuff and not at all a joke!!!! Proceed with caution!

You didn't read every city's Missed Connections section on CraigsList today? Shame on you! Make time for things like that! In case you missed it, here are some highlights of actual quotes from CraigsList Missed Connections in Dallas, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and Seattle today.

Dallas


Im in the mood for Starbucks however - m4w* - 34

Im in the mood for Starbucks however Im stuck in the middle of nowhere and I have no way to get to Starbucks. Maybe your in the mood but dont feel like going alone. If you dont mind picking me up, id love to go. Never know you may just find a new coffee buddy. 

I did not think that was the direction the "however" was about to take me.


regular at waffle house? - m4w

Courtney, the new regular knitter. You're gorgeous. Welcome to the awful waffle cast. Im the younger guy of course. Good to meet you. 

Waffle House has regular knitters? Also since they work at the same Waffle House, I feel like this is a blatant Missed Connections foul. When I finally own CraigsList, "younger guy of course" is banned.


SW from SA - w4m** - 40

We sat next to each other on the flight back from business trips. You were starting a new job and we talked pretty much the entire flight. You mentioned that we would do lunch soon.

Just want you to know that I can't wait. What did I look like? 

Really good try with the Missed Connections follow-up, but oh honey : (

Indianapolis


Just looking.... Get at me.... - m4w - 23

I'm looking for ages 18-36 no more than 200lbs not over 5'7 job is a plus drives is a plus own house is a plus but none are neccesories.

Neccesories 2012


Philadelphia


My crop dusting beauty - m4w - 24

You were on the R5 this morning wearing a red dress and you have black hair. On the way off the train I heard you fart and could instantly smell it. You hurried your pace similar to a criminal fleeing the scene of a crime. I was not at all offended by this act and would appreciate it if you get in touch with me. If you work with a woman similar to the description, please forward this to her as I am desperate to get in touch. Type "Lil' Stinker" in subject line if you can help. Thanks. 

This "you farted" tactic is actually quite common. One of my all-time favorite CraigsList Missed Connections posts was entitled "You farted in the bread aisle." However, "Type 'Lil' Stinker' in the subject line" is oddly specific and wonderful.


Seattle

Pretty in Pink - m4w - 36

You pulled up listening to David Bowie, you parked and got out and all I could think was DAAAYAMMM!!! That backend was "ass"tronomical!!!

JUST PHO YOU! - m4w

White pants and heels around 1030...OMG!!! 

Apparently Seattle CraigsList users just discovered puns.

Hair today, Gone tomorrow - w4m

Never have I been so intrigued by an octopus in owl glasses. 

When would that not be intriguing?


Testing Cologne - m4w - 34

I was testing colognes during lunch at the NEX PSNS. As you walked by, I smelled the inside of my elbow and gagged in disgust, which made you laugh. I said something (if you can quote me, I'll know it's you). 

I continued smelling the inside of my elbow for the rest of the day and decided that I prefer it to the scent I sprayed on my wrists. Would like to get your opinion. 

"I continued smelling the inside of my elbow for the rest of the day." THE REST OF THE DAY?! That's way too much inside of the elbow sniffin'!

Since this entire post has been quotes, I feel that closing with one is only appropriate. 

Another day, another thousand missed connections. I wish you a pleasant evening and better morrow full of shameless eye contact with strangers that manifests as an anonymous post on a website. I bid thee adieu.

                             -- William Shakespeare - m4w&mmwweklsaIr***


* This is cool kid vernacular for "man for woman"
** This is cool kid vernacular for "woman for man"
*** This is cool kid vernacular for "man for woman and maybe men will we ever know LOL sonnets am I right?"

On Ingrid Michaelson, Lingerie Shorts, and Intimate Moments with Strangers' Dogs

Ingrid Michaelson talking to a fly on her arm

Here are noteworthy parts of my Tuesday. 

First, there was the conference I helped plan for work. Some highlights:

• The venue looked like the Crossroads Motel from Breaking Bad from the outside. On the inside, it was saloon-themed and covered in tile that most likely came from a McDonald's built in the 1970's. Tile and trellises everywhere. If anyone needs a reception location for a shotgun wedding, I know one that's probably available that day.
• On what was maybe the least stressful day of all time, the woman I was working for kept running around and saying, "Make it work! Like Tim Gunn! We're on Project Runway!" We were not on Project Runway. We were discussing rural wealth with small town mayors.
• My personal computer ended up being used to show PowerPoints. In between every speaker, this picture of DiMaggio (my desktop background) was shown to 200 of my least close friends

This M83 song is the only caption that fits.

Basically a good time might have been had by some. 

After that I changed in my car (in the parking lot of a sketchy motel, I know) into a pair of shorts that my mom said look like lingerie. However, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't attract even the most CraigsList post-y man, and I like them. So armed with Leandra's advice, stories of the two Prom nights I spent babysitting, and eighteen years of success, I vowed not to attract nor talk to anyone who appeared male and wore them. 

No one hits on a girl with a pleather jacket tied around her waist.

Then I drove back to Indianapolis and had time to kill before meeting my friend for Ingrid Michaelson's show. I spent part of it reading Ayn Rand behind a column at a Cajun restaurant and the other part calling my sister from a bench. During that bench time, a cute dog on a walk came over and licked me on the face. At the time I thought it was fine, most likely because I have been desensitized to dog slobber by living with this guy for 3 years:

Precious face-licking dog nugget

Ten minutes later, I realized it is probably not socially acceptable to have intimate moments with strangers' dogs. Five minutes after that, I was pretty okay with it again. That leads me to the questions of the week: How much interaction with a stranger's dog is too much? Is it like a baby where you shouldn't touch it without direct permission? Should you ever let a stranger's dog lick you on the face? Did that dog lick my face because it saw my lingerie shorts?

After I stopped worrying about whether the dog was rabid, I met my friend for one of my favorite concerts I have ever seen (and I go to a lot of shows). She was also wearing pleather.

Pleather galore

Much to no one's surprise and everyone's delight--probably mostly my mom's (Hi, Mom!)--no straight, single men go to Ingrid Michaelson concerts. Although if you are a straight, single, desperate man, going to one of her shows could be the indie equivalent of going to a Twilight premiere.

Her husband, Greg Laswell, opened. Here's a picture of him singing songs.

If you want an idea of what he sounded like while wearing that fedora and playing guitar, listen to this. I was pretty into it. Then he sang with Ingrid, then the opening set ended. 

After that Ingrid's set began. Before she came on, this Ke$ha song played, which surprisingly set the tone for a way more uptempo show than I was expecting. Then Ingrid sang a bunch of songs. Most were from her new album, but she also did amazing covers of Skinny Love by Bon Iver and We Found Love by Rihanna. Her voice is as perfect live as when recorded, and she told great stories in between songs and interacted with the audience a ton. See her live if you ever get a chance.

Ingrid singing this song with Greg Laswell

An added bonus of the show was seeing her bandmates, Allie Moss and Bess Rogers. They're also flawless. I'm a huge Allie Moss fan (check this out), and the two lines of Somewhere Over the Rainbow that she sang would have put Connie Talbot to shame.

Basically the show was perfect, and I successfully did not attract any male attention while wearing the lingerie shorts. It more than made up for my afternoon at the McDonald's motel.

Today's Top 5: Del Rey Monday

Lana Del Rey (from here)

As the one year anniversary of the first time I heard this song approaches, I have decided that I do, in fact, like Lana Del Rey. Here's why:

1. She has mastered the Lucille Bluth wink, which is harder than it looks.

Lana does Lucille
(From here)

2. I don't know what most of the lyrics to her song "National Anthem" mean--"makin' me so wow wow" (?); "hold you like a python" (seems difficult); "Tell me I'm your National Anthem" (LOL wut)--but the music video is so glamorous that I'm sad I missed the opportunity to be half of an interracial couple in the 1960's.

3. When asked about her obvious plastic surgery, she responded, "That's just how I look when I sing," which is the best response to any question ever.

4. Instead of cowering after her notorious SNL performance, she posted it on her own VEVO page: 

I respect her for this. She knows she is "not a showstopper onstage," but she doesn't cop out by lip syncing/"having acid reflux"/being a "studio band" (still love you, Britney/Ashlee/Steely Dan 1975-1993). Props, Lana.

5. The Tumblr Lana Del Rey Dancing would not exist without her.

My favorite gifs posted are Lana Del Rey Dancing in a Microwave, Lana Del Rey Dancing with the Brady Bunch, and the always classic Lana Del Rey Dancing in a Toilet. 

If her beauty and music had not won you over already, hopefully these reasons have. If not, don't worry: there's a whole internet of people who can't wait to hate on her with you. I, however, made my support official today. 

Happy Del Rey Monday!

Today's Top 5: Timesaving Tips for the Modern Lady

Don't taint this picturesque ladybrunch!

Park on the other side of the lot and walk instead of going to the gym? Yeah, right.
Make a schedule? Spontaneity is a necessary component of being a Manic Pixie Dream Girl.
Plan a meal calendar and buy everything in bulk? What do I look like, a mom?

Disregard all the timesaving advice you've read before because it probably doesn't apply to you, you modern lady. Here are some useful, practical tips that will earn you more Netflix time.

1. Do extremely cardio-intensive dance moves in da club.

I've never been in da club because I am underage, but I imagine that they all look like the White Castle with strobe lights that every person on True Life goes to crossed with this Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull video:

Assuming that 90% of people in clubs dance like everyone in that J.Lo video who wasn't J.Lo, they're missing a prime workout opportunity. Stop grinding and doing cool arm moves and start doing more cardio-intensive dance moves like these:

You'll save yourself a hungover trip to the gym tomorrow, and you'll be the life of the kiki.

2. Disregard sidewalk traffic directionals and cross the street regardless of the hand or walking man.

You are a lady. Oncoming traffic will probably stop for you. 

3. Don't go on dates with people you're not at all interested in.

This seems like a no-brainer, but here I am. Did reading He's Just Not That Into You too early in life leave you paranoid? Are you that selfish of a jerk that you're willing to give someone false hope for a free dinner? 

I don't care what your reason is. Do a mud mask. Visit a museum by yourself so you can really digest information about your state's natives. Get yourself to da club (see step 1). Whatever you do, don't go on dates with people you're not at all interested in.

Save your own time, save that hopeful man or fellow lesbian's time, and save time at your weekend ladybrunches for your modern lady friends to talk about their modern lady business. 

4. Pull off the Checkout Line Challenge.

I don't use the word "challenge" lightly, so don't try this unless you have successfully completed many other timesaving maneuvers. This is multiple steps and may take a few tries to pull off. If you can't handle it, just move on to #5. Here you go:

Step 1: Get all of your groceries except for one item.
Step 2: Go to the checkout line and put all your groceries minus that one on the conveyer belt.
Step 3: Say (with surprise/shock/horror) "OH MY GOSH I FORGOT [insert single item you did not pick up before] AND NEED IT!" to the cashier.
Step 4 is slightly out of your control. He or she should say, "It's okay, I'll ring you up while you go get [insert single item you did not pick up before]."
Step 5: Run and get that item.
Step 6: Run back, put that final item on the conveyor belt, hand over your plastic, and buy all your groceries without waiting in line.

Bonus: You'll stop impulse buying Cookies and Cream Hershey bars, which don't exist anywhere outside of checkout lines. BOOM I just saved you money and calories, too.
Disclaimer: You can never go to the same cashier twice again.

5. Be more easily entertained.


Save yourself from having to watch entire episodes of Downton Abbey to relax by lowering your standards for what is fun. For example, I get as much satisfaction from theatrically gesturing to people at intersections as I do watching approximately half an episode of 30 Rock. It's a fun thing I can do for myself while driving home from work, and I've saved 11 minutes later.

So really, it's not that hard to add seconds or even minutes to the amount of time you feel like you have in a day. Adopt these simple steps and have a better life. Just call me Modern Lady Suze Orman.

Today's Top 5

1. This is an official shout-out to Laura, the middle contestant on Jeopardy tonight. Here's why:

• She dominated the 30 Rock category.
• She won a True Daily Double with the answer "The Natural," then did a celebratory squeal.
• She high-fived her fellow contestant when he got a tough question right at the last second.
• She rocked straight-across bangs.
• She told a sincerely funny story about her goat's death by QuickCrete. 

Laura, if you read this, you may have lost by a narrow margin tonight, but you're the best one-time contestant I have ever seen. If you're looking for a fellow Tina Fey-loving brunette friend, hit me up. Thank you for being a female who is good at Jeopardy and who isn't a crusty-looking librarian.

2. Five songs that are making me smile today:

• The Box by Johnny Flynn
• When I Go by Slow Club
• Oxygen by Willy Mason
• Boat Behind by Kings of Convenience
• All Tomorrow's Parties by The Velvet Underground with Nico

3. This Etsy seller. Just searched "giraffes" and ended up ordering this

sweet vintage giraffe pendant and this

cool skull bracelet because I didn't want the giraffes to be lonely on their long, long trip from China. 

4. One of my sisters and I made up a game today that is rocking my world. First, a note about her: she's really cool and pretty, and she writes for CNN, and she's living in Atlanta right now, and she picks up the phone whenever I call her, so I call her every day on my way home from work (HI, MARIA). 

ANYWAY, the game was born of one of those after-work phone calls. She was at the grocery store when I called, and then all of the sudden she was on her way home, and I had no idea she had checked out or made any shopping progress or anything. SO the game is to do stealthy things that require interaction with other humans without the other person having any idea what it is that you're doing. For example, I went into a Whole Foods I wasn't familiar with, found the gluten-free section, and checked out, and she didn't know I ever left my car. The game also applies to scenarios that are not grocery shopping. I am currently in the lead.

We still need to write concrete rules, but I have set rules for those rules:

1. They must be written using resolution clauses from Model UN. 
2. You get bonus points for wearing a high school Model UN participant's interpretation of  "Western business attire," while playing, which means boxy suits with greasy hair or bandage skirts with Uggs and bleached hair. Either way, 10 points Gryffindor. 

5. A new NPR Tiny Desk concert of Laura Marling was uploaded today! (Today's been a big day for people named Laura and me.) She is the coolest, and she ends her set with "Sophia," which is one of my favorite of her songs. She's also wearing an amazing ring in it. If you watch it today, you'll be one of the hippest kids on YouTube. Or, as this guy commented,

Being one of the first people to see a video like this with such a beautiful performer feels sort of like waking up when it's been snowing and seeing that your footprints are the only thing in the world.

(better than F1RST lol, huh?)

I live for people who take the YouTube comment section seriously. Also CraigsList.

Have a nice Friday! 

Today's Top 5

1) Diablo Cody interviews Mindy Kaling here:

I love watching funny people interact and have a major friend crush on both of them. I also can't believe that I still haven't read Kaling's book. 

2) This song by The National

3) These vintage maps for sale. There has been a framed world map on the wall by my family's kitchen table for as long as I can remember, and I'm better at geography for it. Maps are also amazing wall art because they a) are aesthetically interesting, and b) make you look mad global. Here are some examples from the design website Houzz:

Eclectic Kids design by Atlanta Architect Harrison Design Associates - Atlanta

Traditional Home Office design by Seattle Architect Bosworth Hoedemaker

Eclectic Home Office design

Traditional Kids design by Media And Blogs From House to Home

4) This TED Talk by Rives entitled "Is 4 am the new midnight?":

Everything he does is this brilliant. I was first introduced to his work at Slam Poetry Night at school when a gangly, pale, red-headed man who I would not think attractive under other circumstances did such a perfect interpretation of this Rives poem that I still get nervous when I see him around campus.

5) I'm adding this Rolling Stone article detailing "Walter White's 10 Lowest Lows" to my reading list for when I get through the fourth season of Breaking Bad. I've been half-way through season two for the past few months because I don't know if I'm mentally tough enough to handle more. In the meantime, I'm on a roll with 30 Rock because of clips like this.

Happy Wednesday!

Today's Top 5: Mud Mask Music

During a very stressful first year of college, my roommates and I held Mud Mask Wednesdays sacred. Around 11 p.m., we'd set our books aside, turn the lights off, and try to figure out what we needed to do to get through the week's last two days while looking like green-faced fools. As a lover of downtempo music, I was the designated deejay most nights. Here are five recurring favorites that make for a relaxing twenty minutes of pore minimizing:

Quelqu'un M'a Dit by Carla Bruni

Barcelona by Jay Nash

Brandy Alexander by Feist

O Leãozinho by Caetano Veloso

Hey Mama Wolf by Devendra Banhart

Have a lovely Monday and, in the words of my university's founder, "Never let your world get too small."

Photo from allaboutfashiongossips.blogspot.com.

Today's Top 5: Sunglasses Under $100

In preparation for buying new sunglasses today (R.I.P. Anthropologie Tortoise Frames, 2011-2012), I've done some research and compiled this list of my 5 favorite pairs under $100.

Disclaimer: I only like plastic frames in interesting shapes.

Spoiler: Assuming they look right on my face (big assumption), I'm going with #2. 

Pro tip: Clicking on a picture redirects to its site so you can order :)

Anthropologie, 42.

Anthropologie, 38.

Warby Parker, 95.

Fossil, 60.

Topshop, 32.

Happy Friday!

Today's Top 5

1) Alec Baldwin interviews Kristen Wiig in this installment of his Here's The Thing series from April. These 40 hilarious minutes will brighten any commute, and you can download it free from iTunes.

2) This article entitled "The Tipping Point for Women: Invest in What You Love" by Goldman Sachs alumna Janet Hanson. It's her take on why women have the potential to be great investors and how to become comfortable with taking the plunge. I love this suggestion:

Women are brilliant consumers -- they know how to compare brands, and they know what they value. In essence, they are "value consumers.” When women buy clothes, books, toys, and appliances, they are "purchasing." Why not change the word "purchasing" to "investing"? If women thought of themselves as investors, then perhaps they would be more inclined to confidently invest in the shares of companies whose products they love to buy.

For more advice from powerful women in business, check out 85 Broads.

3) Gluten free espresso fudge brownies. How can you go wrong? I had an amazing one at brunch at the very GF-friendly Tulip Noir in Indianapolis on Sunday, and I cannot wait to try this recipe as soon as I can steal the kitchen for a few hours.

4) I've had this cool bossa nova classic on repeat for the past few weeks. Great way to counter the summer heat.

5) This is the most perfect t-shirt in the world. And it's on sale! If I hadn't done so much reckless spending investing already this summer, I would get it in every color right now. It feels like a really light t-shirt, but it drapes so nicely that it makes any outfit instantly and effortlessly chic. BUY BUY BUY (but leave one in every color for me, please!)

Have a happy Tuesday!

Photo credits: Kristen Wiig was photographed by Terry Richardson. The image was found on Joe's Daily. The espresso fudge brownie picture comes from the website Elana's Pantry. The whisper linen dolman-sleeve tee image is from the J.Crew website.

The Head and the Heart Concert

Last night, I saw Trampled by Turtles and The Head and the Heart at an outdoor concert in Indianapolis. If you haven't heard of either, listen to this song by The Head and the Heart as you read the rest of this post to feel like you lived it with me.

I wore this,

and due to the relative lengths of the tunic and shorts, I rocked a hotly-contested "J.Crew half-tuck." I hate to get too deep on this, but it probably goes back to a traumatic incident in first grade when I wore a super-long Pacers t-shirt that made it look like I was nakey jakey/nudey rudey from the waist down. Note to parents: think before you let your kids walk out of the house sans half-tuck. 

Back to the concert: I went with these pretty people, 

one of my best friends from high school (don't let those good AP Chem lab partners slip away) and her college boyfriend. They're extremely stylish and cool and run this awesome prep Tumblr page together. Also, they did the most amazing job of not making me feel like a third wheel. I greatly appreciated this, since I'm a dish best served single and will only be put in more and more of these situations as my friends and I enter adulthood and pair off. We're all going to Lollapalooza together in a month, and I'll take notes about what they do so right because the single friends-couple friends dynamic is a difficult one to navigate. What pros.

Anyway, the concert audience was a strange combination of humans (Central Indiana, holla atcha) and the people-watching was stellar. Also stellar: these delicious ice pops that come in flavors like Lemon Basil, Chili Mango, and Avocado. If you're in the Indianapolis area, FIND THEM. Best $3 you can spend on a sweltering hot day. Everything smelled like sweat and weed, it was 90 degrees with the sun down, and the bands were even better live than I was anticipating. What a perfect summer night.

Introductions

My name is Liv, and this is my dog, DiMaggio.

Pardon the inevitable massive quantity of pictures that I will post of him on here, but
a) he's an absolute Golden Retriever nugget,
b) he's my best friend, and friend pics are always appreciated, right?
c) he's mad photogenic.

I'm an undergraduate student studying finance at a private university in the Midwest, and I need a creative outlet. Since I'm outgrowing the whole Tumblr part of my life, I'm hatching this little guy.

A few more things about me:
1. I'm an art lover in every form. If I weren't studying business, I'd be busting my hump to be a professional musician and/or improv comedian. And who knows? I'm still a teenager, so I may shelve this degree eventually. Don't tell my parents I said that.
2. I'm a super nerd. If I like something, I LOVE it, and I've probably read an inappropriate amount of articles about it. This is especially true of bands and cast members of Saturday Night Live and real estate.
3. I've always been a long-term kind of girl in every way except in relationships. I had a ten year plan before I turned ten. This could completely change on a given day, but as a result, I've honed my ability to analyze situations for every possible outcome. I'm a joy at parties, I swear.
4. I dance like if Jason Sudeikis were portraying a thirty-year-old man who coached youth sports and was an accountant.

Happy reading!