lifestyle tech The Pink Mac

How to Choose a Mac for College

The most frequent question I get asked on YouTube is how to choose the right Mac computer for college. So, in order to answer this complicated question, I have made a YouTube video discussing the most important things you will need to consider and which options are right for which people. Because money is a complicated issue, I have created this video under the assumption that the viewer is going to college and has enough money to buy any mac, but wants to know which is right for them. Obviously, I do not work for any colleges or Apple itself, so if you have additional questions, it would be best to ask your college and major department for any additional specifics I did not touch on as each program and school is unique and has their own requirements!

lifestyle

5 Ways to Live Large while Spending Less

There is no need to confuse living well with spending a lot of money. There are plenty of inexpensive ways you can improve your quality of life if you think creatively. Here are a few idea’s to get you started.

  1. Refresh your closet with some vintage and modern finds at your local thrift store. Thrift stores get a bad rap nowadays, but they are actually a great place to score unique and fashionable finds for very little cash. Thrift stores do a great job of sorting through clothing and don’t put out dirty or worn items. Many times you will actually find brand new clothing from large retail stores that are from last season, tags and all! They are also great places to go looking for those one of a kind pricey items like leather jackets and fur coats. So give it a try and for the money you end up saving you can have all your finds dry cleaned and still have money to spare!
  2. Shop for your favorite designer bags at outlet stores. Nearly every name brand accessories company and pricey department store has an outlet where you can find the same designer bags and accessories for a fraction of the price. You may not find your dream bag at half off on your first try, but shopping around at these types of stores and keeping your eyes open for the newest arrivals will have you saving big bucks on those luxury bags.
  3. Throw dinner parties. Instead of going out to eat at pricey restaurants, start a dinner party group with some of your good friends. Each month, a different person hosts and everyone brings a course or dish to share so that you get that great restaurant variety without shelling out a lot of money. Add some wine and party games and you will find you’re having the time of your life!
  4. Find unique decor pieces at discount stores. Places like Home Goods and TJ Maxx are filled with great home decorating finds. You will often find great designer name items for much less than traditional retail which means you can afford to spice up a room or two. Add some new pieces and maybe rearrange your furniture for a refreshing update to your home.
  5. Sign up for the loyalty programs at your favorite eateries and stores. Although they may seem annoying and useless, the loyalty programs or email lists for restaurants, websites and more usually end up paying off with discounts and freebies that are a welcome treat. If you are a frequent visitor or shopper it always pays to sign up because free appetizer vouchers and discount coupons can stretch your dollar a long way.

lifestyle

Foodie: The Cheese Board

Right before New Year’s I bought an Antique Silver cheese board with a wooden chopping block from Pottery Barn. We originally thought we would use the board for entertaining, but we quickly realized that cheese, cured meats and fruit were our favorite after work snack. For the past few weeks we have been working through different cheeses to find the perfect mix for us, but here is a list of items you will frequently find featured on our board.

Brie: I love brie and I buy it in a wheel and then when I get it home I make a superficial incision across the top of the cheese separating it into 1oz wedges so that I make consistently even cuts. I take each 1oz wedge and then slice it as thinly as possible to give multiple servings of the creamy goodness.

Parmesan: We often buy a large wedge of good Parmesan cheese and then grate large slices off the wedge and serve it on our cheese board. Parmesan is a familiar grated cheese but it has a nice bite to it in a block which contrasts the softness of the brie. Also, its so easy to slice it thin that you get many slices from a small portion so it feels like your really indulging.

Sopressata: Growing up in a very Italian family meant that I got a taste for cured meats at a young age. As an adult, I get my fix of my favorite salami in a pre-cut version available from Boar’s Head that is so authentic I could swear I was at my grandparent’s house eating their home-made variety that they cured in the basement!

Prosciutto: Although its a little pricey, I find that buying half a pound very thinly sliced is an excellent investment in my quality of life. The taste of this salted Italian ham can cure all the ills of a hard day and a thin slice or two never hurt anybody!

Dates: I am a great lover of dates! I prefer fresh to dried, although they are harder to find and of course a little more expensive, but they are truly natures candy. I love the fancy Medjool variety because they are big and plump, but I never met a California pitted date I didn’t like!

Dried Cranberries: aka Crasins. I love dried fruit, but there is something about the tartness of a dried cranberry that is absolute magic and brings out the flavors of cheese and meat like no other. Plus, they are so full of antioxidants its hard to resist those little sweeties.

Walnuts: Recently, I discovered that my husband likes walnuts. Really, it was a surprise to both of us when I began using them in some paleo recipes I found on Pinterest. Ever since I have kept a large bag of them in the fridge and they are a great crunchy addition to the cheese board filled with heart healthy fats and oil.

DIY

DIY TLR Camera Kit

     Last year I decided that I wanted to get into photography as a hobby that myself and my husband could share. We both love photographs, especially real film photographs so we bought a Holga to learn more about real film photography. When I get into things, I get in very deep and one of the things that interested me most of film photography was how cameras actually worked. You really don’t think about it much, especially in the age of cell phone photography, but it really is an interesting process.
     Then I came across a DIY Twin Lense Reflex Camera Kit. This was an opportunity I just could not pass up! I loved the idea of building my own camera from scratch. It would give me insight and understanding that hours of scouring webpages could just not compete with. Not to mention, how many people can say they have built a camera before?
     So, I ordered the kit that I found on Photojojo and immediately began assembling the camera. It took me about an hour to do, mostly because I got stuck on the shutter mechanism which is one of the most important and delicate parts of the camera. I learned so much in the process I was blown away with the simplicity and intricacy of the device. Although its not a state of the art device, I use the camera from time to time and love knowing that I assembled it myself. I have even opened it back up to do some adjustments on the viewfinder which make me feel like an absolute genius knowing how everything goes together even without the directions!
If you are interested in photography or a photography student or professional, I highly suggest this inexpensive and educational kit that will literally bring you closer to your photographs!
lifestyle

5 Films for Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day! In the spirit of the holiday, whether you are single or taken, close to your love or miles apart, a romantic or a skeptic; here are five heart-warming flick’s that will make you believe in the power of love!

1. Gone with the Wind

2. You’ve Got Mail

3. Breakfast at Tiffany’s

4. 50 First Dates

5. An Affair to Remember

lifestyle tech

Adventures in Customer Service: X-Doria

When the iPad mini launched, there were a number of different companies that immediately announced cases for the new device. The major players like Kensington and Belkin had iPad mini cases available from day one, but I wasn’t exactly impressed with the options available. I knew I didn’t want to order an expensive DODOcase or buy a smaller replica of an iPad case I had already owned. So, I figured I would search around the internet and find a nice case that would fit my needs and in the meantime, ordered a very inexpensive but cute case off Amazon.

It wasn’t long until I found my dream case, the X-Doria Smart Jacket. It’s slim folio silhouette with a hard back and smart cover like front was very appealing, and the teal and grey color combo added with the pillowed grip texture were like nothing I had seen before. So, I scoped out the site to order the case which was currently out of stock. So I waited and waited and waited a few weeks until it came back in stock and I ordered it for about $35. It wasn’t a bad price for such a cute case and to me it was worth every penny.

Once the case arrived, I was so eager to get my iPad mini into it, I forgot to take unboxing pictures and video! The fit was a little odd though. The case snapped in, but it was very hard for me to get the edges to snap into place. With a little force and some time, I finally worked the iPad into the case and was pleased at how wonderful it looked.

Then, a few weeks went by and I began noticing little hair line cracks at the corners. In the beginning I ignored them until one of the cracks broke open and created a gap in the case. Worried, I began wondering if I should call customer service and find out if this was a production issue. Of course, being me, I didn’t want to part with the case so I held off for a few more weeks until the cracks were at every corner and starting to look dangerous to the safety of my iPad. I was even fearful of removing the case, worried it may crack open and injure the device.

With the fear of real danger to my new mini, I decided to take a chance and email customer service to see if they had any other reports of such an issue, assuming that it may have been a production problem. I also asked if there was a way for me to get a replacement since it had been less than 2 months since I purchased the case. Initially, I was worried my email would be ignored but after a day or so I got an email back asking for some pictures of the issue. So, I snapped a few and sent them back for evaluation. Almost immediately I received an email that said they would send me another case and only a few days later my new case arrived.

When I slipped on the new case after carefully extracting my iPad mini out of the defective one, I noticed an immediate difference. This case snapped right on perfectly, no use of force required to get it in place. Overjoyed, I immediately sent a thank you email to the customer service team who helped me with my issue. They made everything incredibly simple for me and replaced my case immediately. I am so glad I ended up choosing to purchase from X-Doria because they really showed that they were willing to earn my trust and my business and I am going to make it a point to buy from them again in the future.

If your looking for a case for one of your apple devices, iPad or iPhone alike, make sure to check out X-Doria because they have some great looking cases and their customer service is outstanding!

lifestyle

5 Cheap but Romantic Date Ideas

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day which is right around the corner, here are five inexpensive but romantic date ideas that prove money can’t buy you love!

  1. Go to Starbucks for a drink and play an iPad or iPhone game together. Multiplayer gaming is pretty fun and super easy on a portable device. Using a play and pass style game gives you an excuse to get close and cuddle while sharing the screen. Easy listening jazz at no additional cost is always a plus and you may even be able to pick up a Starbuck’s Pick of the Week showcasing a cool new game or app the two of you can enjoy together!
  2. Pick up a movie or two from Redbox and a box of popcorn for a romantic movie night. Okay, so the movie doesn’t have to be romantic, but just the act of watching movies together and snacking on popcorn is romantic in and of itself. Whether your watching at your place or his, make sure to pile up the pillows and blankets and arrange yourselves a little love nest to cuddle in.
  3. Bundle up for a moonlit walk in the snow. Now this one requires a little planning ahead of time, but perhaps not if your from a warmer location where it just never snows (in that case, the snow is optional). If you are going to opt for the evening stroll in the snow, make sure to bundle up tight, wear some good snow boots and have some hot cocoa waiting for you back at home. It is infinitely romantic but incredibly inexpensive.
  4. Plan a picnic at home. Depending on how much you want to spend you can get as simple or creative as you would like. Arrange a picnic style meal, find a blanket and eat on the floor inside. The key to this one is ambiance, so you may want to play some old french music or a track of birds singing.
  5. Go stargazing. Grab some blankets, pillows and a few snacks and head outside to a clear area to watch the stars. Bonus points if you bring a telescope or some binoculars to give you a better view. And extra bonus points if you have or can borrow someones pick up truck to make a cozy bed in the back to gaze from.