Classy, Easy Recipes to Impress

Recently a fraternity on campus had a pot luck dinner and my cooking side kicked in. And my competitive side. Upon leaving I had a marriage proposal from one of the brothers for my beef tenderloin. That’s right, I brought a beef tenderloin to a fraternity function. However, though it tastes delicious it’s ridiculously simple to make. So here’s my secret recipe that takes no time and is difficult to mess up.

• Take a piece of beef tenderloin and put it in a baking dish.
• Salt & pepper meat.
• Squeeze 1 whole lemon over meat and place lemon wedges around tenderloin.
• Let sit all day in Fridge to marinate. (could cut down to 1hour)
• Broil on high for 5 minutes
• Pour 1T Worshireshire sauce over meat
• Cook until desired doneness at 375 (approx 30 minutes)

That’s it. Easy, huh?

A great dessert afterward is this recipe for Double Chocolate Brownies.

• ¾ Cup Unsifted Flour
• ¼ tsp Baking Soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 Tabelspoons Water
• 12 oz ( 2C) Chocolate Chips
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 eggs
• ½ Cup Chopped Nuts (optional)

Instructions (super simple)

1. Sift Four, Soda and Salt – set aside
2. In pan – combine butter, sugar and water. Bring just to a boil.
3. Remove from heat.  Add 1 cup Chocolate Chips and Vanilla
4. Stir until chips melt and mixure is smooth
5. Transfer to large bowl – add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
6. Gradually blend in flour mixture.  Stir in remaining chips and nuts.
7. Spread into greased 9” pan.  Back at 325 for 35 min.

Impress & Enjoy!

Audrey is a PR major at Marquette University. She is a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega as their VP Communications and incoming President. A lover of traveling, music, movies of every genre, and cooking for relaxation.

GO TEAM GO! With CL Class

So I’ve always been a bit too much of a sports fan, ok not sports fan but Football and the Green Bay Packers in particular. I’m sad to say that the one thing I got grounded for as a child was getting too upset anytime they lost. My parents would have to threaten no more watching the games or no dessert.

With growing up I’ve realized that there is more to the world than Sports, but as my boyfriend recently found out, I take my Packers a bit too seriously, I see them as a family and pout a little if they play poorly. He was surprised how much a dude I was about sports.

While I’m not condoning men pouting about sports, I figured I’d start taking my own advice and remember to be a Classy CL Lady, even when wearing a jersey.

So here are the few tips I whipped up:

–Only cheer for your own team. I learned this in Softball at age 8, don’t put down the other team. You know how bad it feels to have people mock your team so don’t stoop to that level. Say nice things about your team, cheer on your boys on!

– Remember there’s a whole season, not just one game. It’s like all those cliché war movies, “you may have won the battle but not the war!”. It’s basically that. I’m a much classier fan when I have that in the back of my mind, it’s not the end of the world. I promise.

– Laugh at the mistakes. Sometimes they are pretty funny (as long as no one gets hurt). Teams 0-16 still have fans, and they just learn to love the team for trying.

–Have great food! Now, I’m not saying to eat your feelings, but having some great (and healthy) food around is bound to make things better. My choice? Diet Coke and chips and spicy salsa!

So go root on your team, it’s a great way to bond with your guy and/or your guy’s friends. Just remember to stay College Lifestyle Classy!

Audrey is a PR major at Marquette University. She is a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega and their VP Communications. A lover of traveling, music, movies of every genre, crisp fall air and of course, Football!

Great Date Night Movies

So it’s getting to be chillier outside where you want to cuddle up with your blanket and your boo (Yea, I went back to the 2000 Usher reference…). So what are some great movies for you and him? Let’s see…

Comedy: Okay, this is hard to narrow down because it’s my favorite category…

When Harry Met Sally: Both sides are portrayed about relationships. It’s very funny with cute moments (The elderly couples… LOVE). I love the quick witted humor and the banter back and forth.

Animal House: One of my all-time favorites! You’ll nearly pee your pants laughing at all the fraternity boys’ antics. Laughing will make you happier and feel more relaxed too, so it’s perfect for a first or second date!

Billy Madison: Because watching it will make you feel a little bit smarter. Guys love this movie because it’s silly, you’ll like it because it does have a cute little romance going. And who doesn’t love the penguin??

Manly ones that are great for us girls:

Saving Private Ryan: the movie all men cry at. You get to see Matt Damon ( A personal favorite) and it’s an amazingly done movie. I really have no words about this movie because it is so perfect. So sit back, watch and enjoy! He’ll be glad he let you choose the movie!

The Dark Knight: Every guy has a special place in their heart for Batman. This movie is dark, filled with action, suspense & a romantic plot. Plus, you know you want to take a test ride in the bat mobile.

Suspense/Horror:

Disturbia: This one will definitely make you jump causing him to hold on tight to make sure you’re safe. It’s got everything you want in a scary movie, cute moments and humor to cut the tension and a plot that’s twisted but still easy to follow to keep you intrigued rather than scratching your head.

Red Eye: This is one of my favorites. It’s scary because it’s realistic and it’s not obnoxiously gory. It’s an intelligent movie with great acting (Rachel McAdams is great) and suspense woven in delicately to keep you on your toes and clutching his hand.

Drama:

Blood Diamond: A wonderfully done movie that’s eye opening and powerful. By choosing this movie it speaks volume about the kind of person you are. You care about today’s issues and the well-being of individuals (You are a classy CL Lady after-all!)

The Shawshank Redemption: True friendship shines in this movie. It’s heartwarming and intelligent and is a great portrayal of finding peace and solace. You may cry, but it’s a good cry, not a Notebook type cry.

Romance (If you know, he lost a bet or something. Or he’s just that good):

Love Actually: Don’t watch this on a first date, it may scare him off. But it’s got humor, some attractive ladies to make up for you swooning over Hugh Grant as your date sits next to you. You’ll both laugh and need I say more? It’s Love Actually, you know you love it.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Classic, classy lady and an interesting plot that’s full of romance, roller-coaster emotions and some of the best one liners and mantras to be found. A movie every girl must know and something wise boyfriends should also be educated in.

No, who’s ready for popcorn?

Audrey is a PR major at Marquette University. She is a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega and their VP Communications. A lover of traveling, music, movies of every genre, and the colorful fall leaves!

The Thumper Rule

I warn you, this post may seem to have the same message as “Mean Girls”, but I really believe in the message and that it should be stressed as often as possible. When you have a group of sixty girls together in say, oh, maybe a sorority, drama is bound to happen. Now, I hate the word drama, I never understood it, I always had a “drama”-free life in High School, but then again I was on the speech team, not much drama to be had.

Now, I know it’s easy to get sucked into saying negative comments. We know it’s wrong, yet for whatever reason, we still succumb to it. Maybe it’s to have the “popular” girl like you, or if you say something about someone then the rest of the group wont badmouth you behind your back. Maybe you’re just super frustrated and need to vent and say words that 98% of them you don’t even mean. I’m fairly sure no one does it to be malicious. I still have a large amount of faith in the goodness of people.

Still, this is a problem in our society. Girls feel the need to gossip and sometimes it turns it turns mean. I’ll admit, I’ve said things I wish I could take back. They come out (like word-vomit, told you it’s a little “Mean Girls”) and you just want to take them back and hide them far, far away.

So what to do? How do break this cycle so we don’t have to regret some of the things that aren’t so classy to say? Especially if who we’re discussing are friends, or sisters, or even random classmates for that matter?

I found myself being sucked in a few weeks ago, and I stepped back and realized I didn’t like the woman who was saying those words just to fit in. I knew it wasn’t me. I was ashamed. So I did what any independent college woman does when she’s upset or lost, called mommy. My mom has the great power to bring me back down to earth, put things in perspective and shake me back to who I know I am. She reminded me of something she always said when I was 6. The “Thumper Rule”. You know, the adorable and sassy bunny from Bambi. “If you can’t say something nice…Don’t say nothing at all”

Despite the grammatical error, Thumper’s got a great point. Keep reminding yourself of the Thumper rule, tap you foot on the ground like a bunny if you have to. It helps. For about a week straight I’ve been following this rule vigilantly and I’ve felt much better about myself.

Saying nice things isn’t hard, especially if you mean them. And the mean things are easy to brush off and simply not say. I really dislike some outfits but I keep the comments to myself rather than make some offhanded comment to a friend and I don’t relate it to the nature of the person sporting the outfit. I feel refreshed, I feel happier without the negative comments and I feel proud of myself. It’s a good feeling.

Now, some girls will always have mean things to say, it’s okay. There will always be “new plastics” (couldn’t help it). But you can only focus on yourself and being the elegant, classy lady that you are. Stand tall. Be Proud, be nice. And remember…the Thumper Rule.

I think you’re all lovely readers (see? It’s not hard at all)

Audrey is a PR major at Marquette University. She is a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega and their VP Communications. A lover of traveling, music, movies of every genre, summer sun and all that it brings!

Ask For Help…It’s Okay!

I have the tendency to be a little stubborn (okay, maybe very stubborn). I don’t like to admit defeat or that I’m wrong and I’m terrified of asking for help because I’ve always seen it as a sign of weakness. I’ll only ask for directions if I’m really lost. But after being totally overwhelmed the other day in the kitchen, I mustered up the strength to ask for help and the meal was saved. While I can look back on the things I did wrong that would have made me not ask for help, I decided t ignore that and just be happy with the final result. (Spiced Chicken with vegetables over couscous. Yum). This got me thinking, why do I find it so hard to ask for help, and how can I get over this fear?

Repeat after me: Asking for help doesn’t make you weak, it makes you strong.
Did you repeat it? Good.

It shows unbelievable strength to be at a place where you’re sure enough in yourself to ask for help.

Did you ever see the movie “Chicago”? It’s great if I do say so myself. Anyways, there’s a song sung by Catherine Zeta Jones with a line “I simply cannot do it alone”. It’s all about how double acts are always more fun. Sometimes, you just need to ask for help because a partner is one of the most entertaining and rewarding things you can have. Plus dance numbers are way cooler with two!

Asking for help also builds trust with friends and significant others.I’ve been told by my boyfriend multiple times that I can ask him for help now and then. He sees it as a way of displaying trust, of really letting someone in. When I started thinking about it that way, I opened up even more and our relationship became stronger. Do this with your friends or loved ones and I’m sure you’ll see the same results.

Start small, we can’t expect big changes to happen over-night! So take it slow, don’t force yourself to always ask for help if it still makes you uncomfortable. But try to do it at least once a day with small tasks and work your way up. I promise it will be okay.

So here I am, finishing this post and asking you for help. What advice do you have for stubborn college co-eds like me who have a difficult time asking for help.

Oh, and don’t forget to say thank you!

Thanks Classy College Lifestyle Readers!

Audrey is a PR major at Marquette University. She is a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega and their VP Communications. A lover of traveling, music, movies of every genre, and the smell of crisp, Autumn air!

The Classy, Savvy, College Lifestyles Guide to Flying

My parents were and still are, always jetting off places. Nowhere cool, just dull places for work, but they always seem to be in the air.  As a way to make up for all the time they missed I suppose, I went on lots of vacations. Needless to say, I got used to flying and running through many airports.

So what can I share with you about traveling for the next time you take to the sky? Let’s see. I guess it really is about what you bring:

-       Almonds (Or walnuts). They’re hard so they take longer to eat, keeping you a little more occupied and awake. Plus, they’re packed with protein and good for you. Way better than the traditional peanuts.

-       Raisins. They satisfy my sweet tooth, and again, they’re good for you. They also go great with almonds, a simple trail mix minus all the salt.

-       York Peppermint Patties. I always feel, well, Blah, on airplanes. The kick of chocolate and mint make my mouth feel fresh and satisfy my chocolate need when planes get delayed or the guy next to you just wont share the armrest.

-       Gum. Okay, not surprising. But it’s pretty much a well-known flying standby that deserves to be mentioned.

-       WATER. Flying leaves me feeling like the air on the plane, stale and dry. Water takes care of everything, from the dry throat to dry skin and has 0 calories. Trust me I’m a diet coke fiend & a poor college student, so the idea of a free Diet Coke is appealing, but I know I’ll feel much more refreshed at the end of the flight if I have just nice pure water in me.

-       My computer. I’m on my way to Los Angeles right now! It gets me to do some tedious computer tasks I normally wouldn’t do when I have Internet access, (read: Facebook access) like manage my budget, edit pictures and work on my calendar.

-       Headphones, I need some kind of noise instead of the freezing air blowing out of the vents and the woman in 14C snoring.

-       Reading materials. Currently I have a Glamour and the English Patient. Glamour for fun vacation reading. The English Patient, it’s my “I’m not trying to get noticed but if you happen to look, don’t you think I’m so educated and well read and interesting” book. Vacation means not worrying about jobs or school, so your brain can take a little tougher read that really makes you think. Don’t worry, we all get tired, that’s why there’s glamour!

-       Cards. Don’t travel with someone and ignore them for Britney on the iPod. I’m assuming if you’re traveling with them that you like them, so chat, interact. But if a plane ride starts getting long, whelp, there’s The English Patient. “I’m sorry I really need to focus on this complex work of literature so would you mind if we chatted later?”.

There’s probably way more I could share with you, but these came after lots of flights figuring it out on my own. Find out what works for you and feel free to share!

Audrey is a PR major at Marquette University. She is a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega and their VP Communications. A lover of traveling, music, movies of every         genre, summer sun and all that it brings!

Classy CL Way to Deal with Customer Service

So my baby couldn’t speak the other day, and I freaked out. Ok, not my legitimate baby, but the closest thing I have to one…my MacBook. The sound wouldn’t work, all my iTunes were silenced, I felt Britney Spears crying as she longed to be played at an ear splitting volume while I tried to wake myself up in the morning. Anyways, I was seriously bummed.

So I went to my trusty Apple store with a Genius Bar appointment. The guys at my hometown one basically know me by name (I’m technologically challenged and a clutz), but the one at school was new territory.

I knew I was in for an unlucky visit when after I’d been waiting for 25minutes the guy asked if I had an appointment and why I was waiting so long, yea, they lost my appointment. It had been a long, long day and I wanted to yell at the man, “you were the one who checked me in!!!!” but the rational side of my brain kicked in. I’m a red-head, so rash behavior is more natural, but I listened to the calm part here =)

I was polite, a bit curt to get my point across that I was on a tight schedule but still respectful of their human-ness that causes us to all make mistakes. They were very nice after that.

So College Lifestyles ladies, customer service is a tricky topic. We often get frustrated with the people trying to help us. But we need to be classy about it. Even if the person on the other line or behind the counter is frustrated, being angry and yelling at them wont get what you want any faster. Of course, we can’t just roll over and be taken advantage of by the company. So find that balance between firmness and Disney World happiness. Just a few things to keep in mind that I’ve found, please share your own tips on dealing with customer service:

1. Know their name. Referring to the lady helping you as Jane puts you on a more personal level and she (or he) will be more receptive to helping you because it shows you see them as a person, not a mere facet of the company without human feelings.
2. How would you talk to your boss or mother? Swearing will get you nowhere. Sounding like you belong on Jerry Springer will just make the customer service rep less likely to help you. Any CL classy and savvy girl should know that one already though!
3. Make small talk. Show the customer service rep that you understand she’s in a tough spot, give her your story if you wish as long as it’s not asking for pity. Any level of personal contact will help your chances of being helped more efficiently and humans are gregarious by nature. We love talking, so keep it pleasant, you’ll be happier and wont be bogged down with frustrating thoughts.

Good luck! And remember to back up your computers, you never know when they’ll have to go in for little computer surgery!

Audrey is a PR major at Marquette University. She is a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega and their VP Communications. A lover of traveling, music, movies of every genre, summer sun and all that it brings!

1,000 Words Will Trump a Picture Every Time

My last two posts have been about my recent trip to France. But this one is about before going. I get a package in the mail with carrots and a penguin drawn all over it (it’s an inside joke), so I immediately know it’s from my big, we’re weird enough to draw penguins and carrots to each other. Anyway, she had gotten me this beautiful journal, an antique and gilded map decoration with a moving inscription inside. Since my big LJ is an English major, I’ll copy what she said and then get to my point, she puts it more eloquently than a PR major like myself can:

“If you ask me, a thousand words will trump a picture every time! PS. Sometimes a blank page is more useful  than any other person could possibly be when it comes to tough times or hard decisions—probably because to the last, it’s you!”

Now I’ve never been a big journal-er, thought it was weird that you are writing to yourself. But she has a point, it is you, no one knows you better. I was nervous for this trip, for the first time. I’ve traveled a lot, flew alone at 8 for the first time (Why they thought putting a sign saying “Unaccompanied Minor” on me still baffles me tho…), but this France trip had me nervous. I was finally in a stable relationship with my boyfriend of 6 months, finally at peace with a lot of my insecurities, so I was scared what going away for 2 weeks might do. So I wrote.

It was strangely (to me at least, a journaling skeptic) therapeutic. I looked forward to being able to write down my journeys and thoughts about the day and put my feelings about things totally unrelated to France and even my own experiences down on paper. I wrote through emotions and confusions and thoughts till the page was full with run on sentences and words that didn’t exactly match up, but to me, it made perfect sense. It was my own train of thought documented, it reminded me of James Joyce’s “Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man”.

While other people nosing through it (it doesn’t have a voice identifying lock…darn) will probably be confused with my circular writing to get to my point, but it makes perfect sense to me. Now, I’m not a person that does stuff for myself, I usually put others first and forget about myself, but I didn’t care that my journal was mine, only for me, only in my writing and for no one else, there were no rules I had to abide by, no pleasantries needed, if I was upset, I could let it show.

So here it is, straight from me to you, from a person who let all the journals and diary birthday gifts go into hiding under the bed. Try writing because there really is a zen experience. Let me know how it goes when it’s just you, a blank page, and a pen.

-–Audrey is a PR major at Marquette University. She is a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega.  A lover of travel, reading and movies of every kind.

The Classy French Approach to Food…and Life

Eating…That uses the taste sense, right? Wrong. Well, kind of right, but wrong for the purposes of this post. I just got back from France where the food is absolutely amazing. They even make a hard roll taste like something entirely new. Anyway, it got me thinking about why eating is more of an art form in Europe than it is back here. Then we went to a winery and the  was an aged man, hardened by long days in the vineyard with leathered skin, deep set wrinkles on face and hands telling the story of his journey with the vines.

He instructed us to focus on the weight of the glass in our hands, wait with open ears in anticipation for the “POP” of the cork, inspect the varied hues of the wine and to smell the wine for different aromas and flavors. There was so much that lead up to the tasting of the wine that it was an entirely different experience. The wine didn’t taste like wine, it was a multitude of different flavors’ essences coming together and evoking deep-set memories and causing an emotion to emerge.

This really started some rusty wheels turning in my brain (it’s summer…it’s out of practice). At first I thought that I should adopt this whole body experience of eating and drinking. But then I started observing the French a little bit more, they do this for every aspect of their lives. They take the time to really understand the meaning of both things and experiences. They don’t rush through a meal, a walk with their boyfriend to the market, a splash with their children in the fountain. They really experience things, with all senses creating a more in-depth emotional experience.

Now I don’t claim to know how to do this, but I promise now to take the time to inspect things a little more thoroughly so that I can enjoy each day to its fullest potential. If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them, but for now, I’m going to try learning on my own…slowly, and listening to all of my senses.

–Audrey is a PR major at Marquette University. She is a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega.  A lover of travel, reading and movies of every kind.

Learning from Europe; Being a Classy Co-ed is Easy With These European Tips

So it’s Tuesday, I leave for a 2 week Marketing class in Strasbourg, France on Saturday. It’s been such a fun summer so far, that this basically crept up out of nowhere. But in my preparations for France (making packing lists, revising packing lists, reviewing the language, looking up sights, revising packing lists again…) I started to think about the general attitude of Europeans and how they just seem to have a lot of things right. What can we as classy co-eds take away from Europe? Well let’s see…

1. Dinners last longer than 30 minutes. I went to a nice dinner the other night and was hesitant to park in a 2hour parking spot and my friend said that dinner couldn’t possibly last 2hours. This hit me a little bit. Why couldn’t it? we’re not getting charged for sitting, we’re getting charged for the food we eat, so why not make it last longer? You always get to sit with friends in your dorm room or apartment, but eating out is rare. If we made it last longer, what’s the harm? More conversation in a new location, adds a new element and new vibe to the relationship. Also, to slow down the meal, you can eat slower, which helps you eat less because you’ll actually know when you’re full.
2. They embrace their history. Besides the 4^th of July, we don’t really celebrate our country’s founding. We roll our eyes at trips to historical societies. Maybe it’s because I’m a history nerd but you feel much more pride and respect for the area you live in if you know what it’s been through. Some say the history of America isn’t as rich as Europe’s because it’s younger, but Europe’s history is as rich as it is because people remember and respect that past rather than always plowing forward without a glance behind them. Slow down, we don’t have to let our history hold us back, but it definitely deserves a longer glance of acknowledgment than we’ve been giving it.
3. READ. The few times I’ve been to Europe, the only people on trains or the metro not reading, were tourists. Europeans always seem to have a book or newspaper in hand. When was the last time you read the newspaper? It’s been a while for me too, but there’s always time to start. And pick up a book now and again, give up 30 minutes of your 2hour long facebook stalking sessions and read something. It doesn’t have to be Crime and Punishment, just something to give your brain some exercise!
4. They know how to be apart of a community. Small living quarters don’t bother the Europeans, they embrace the fact that they’re close to others. Little towns and villages have much more sense of community than most culs-de-sac do in the States. My friend Liz went to London this past fall and saw so many life size chess sets in different towns she was amazed. Those types of things breed community, see if your campus has any open things for you to explore and meet people in your community.
5. WALK. Europeans walk everywhere. Now I’m a very high-heel girl, so the flat concept (also I’m 5’3”) never appealed to me. But thinking about Audrey Hepburn walking around Paris and Rome in flats makes sense. You have lots of places to go and see and your feet need support. Why not walk? You get a beautiful look at wherever you are, you get to clear you head and think and take your time, you don’t feel rushed and you get amazing exercise. No, walking to classes doesn’t count. I vow to stop relying on my car so much (unless it’s raining, some things take time to change) and start walking more. My stilettos are just going to have to keep up otherwise, I’m going to just accept that I’m short and go with the flats.

Ok, this just made me more excited to get to France, but also put me in panic mode. I have 4 days to pack! Next post from me will be from France, don’t worry, I wont traumatize you with my terrible French writing though! But even after I come back from France and for the 4 days before I leave, I’m going to start embracing a little bit more of the European lifestyle. Time to go walk to a long lunch now

–Audrey is a PR major at Marquette University. She is a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega.  A lover of travel, reading and movies of every kind.

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