Category Archives: Perspective for Breakfast
A Video To Make You Smile: Bags With a Conscience
We recently discovered Stela9, a business determined to provide its customers with fashion forward handbags and totes from around the world, all well helping support the artisans that created the beautiful accessories. After checking out the website and watching this lookbook video for their spring/summer line, we’re completely sold. Not only is each bag truly a work of art, the concept behind the idea of helping the impoverished make a living for themselves is even more breathtaking. See for yourself.
Got the Mid-Winter Blues?
Every year, somewhere between Christmas vacation’s abrupt halt and the impending excitement of spring break, a campus wide epidemic hits. Its symptoms include crippling laziness, hostility towards all things academic, and really really dry skin. Familiar? Sounds like you have a case of the mid-winter blues.
What’s the best treatment? Well, dropping that dejected attitude cold turkey by celebrating the winter blues away of course! It’s about time we stop complaining, stop hating and embrace the season and all its quirks. So sprinkle some chocolate in your sad coffee, put on your brightest and happiest scarf, and follow these fun ideas to embrace this chilly time of the year. 
1. Go outside. Yes, it’s a little cold and we understand that your bed is much more inviting then the grey skies outside, but we promise that you won’t regret trading in a wasted afternoon of sleep for a breath of fresh air.
2. Make a playlist. Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean everything has to be dead- including the music you bump in your car. There is such a thing as a winter anthem and we believe that every lalalady’s ipod should be filled with them during these final stretches of the season. Make sure to add all your new favorite music, and pay homage to Whitney’s classics. Nothing will give you release like belting out “I will always love you” in the shower.
3. Celebrate. Chances are you are not the only kid at Purdue battling off winter misery. So gather together, live up to your college stereotype and throw a fabulous party. From the trashy to the well planned, any soiree will do! Scan the Internet for wintery cocktails and treats and dress in your winter’s best.
4. Skate. Turn that wretched ice into a day of fun by ice-skating at the Riverside Skating Center with the people you love the most. With a close location to campus, and hours open every afternoon and evening you have no excuse! (Unless you don’t know how to skate- in that case, we suggest finding a cute guy to lean on.)
5. Get lost in a project. Avoid hibernation mode by keeping your creative juices flowing. Check out one of LaLa’s DIY projects or one of the many fabulously crafty blogs we love!
6. Don’t wish time away. We know how easy it is to curse the bad weather and pray for warm spring afternoons, but it doesn’t have to be 70 degrees out to have the time of your life! So grab your best friends, take some advice from LaLa’s list, and let the winter games begin!
Posted in Perspective for Breakfast, Uncategorized
25 More Things
As with the closing of any chapter in life, it’s only human nature to look back, reflect, and remember all the crazy, incredible, pivotal, and hilarious times. You may remember our post, 25 Things that reminisced on all the “life lessons” we learned after our sophomore year, and well because we love making lists so much we thought, why not make it a PurdueLaLa tradition?!
Now we realize that it’s not quite the end of the school year, but this semester was more influential than any other in our college careers and next semester is the beginning of a crazy adventure for one of us (Katherine will be living in Brussels, Belgium for all of second semester!). So we thought it appropriate to make a list, in true LaLa fashion, with all the incredible discoveries we made, funny times we had, and more truths we’ve come to know. Here we go….
1) Fuzzy’s Taco Shop… need we say more?
2) Climbing up a fire escape at 3 am on a balmy August night will start your year off the right way, and change everything you’ve ever known in a crazy “Freaky Friday” kind of way. (Disclaimer: PurdueLaLa does not encourage climbing up a fire escape and cannot be held responsible for any injuries incurred from doing the formerly stated action).
3) Some of the best shopping can be done in your Mother’s or even Grandmother’s closets (see here).
4) Elf Yourself never, EVER, gets old. It always is and always will be hilarious. Merry Christmas and have at it friends (here).
5) When you’re convinced you might be the most unlucky person in the world and have had the worst day (you have pneumonia, you’re three weeks behind on your final art project, you dented someone’s car parallel parking, you completely and utterly wiped out when running inside a building on campus, you’re pretty sure you bruised your hip bone because of that, and you have a formal interview in a half hour…. and yes this all really did happen) the best friends will always show up at your backdoor with an Oreo Blizzard and help you put your life into perspective. It’s really not that bad.
6) The nachos at Fuzzy’s. The perfect combination of three cheeses, pico de gallo, and their famous garlic sauce. We recommend forgoing meat on them as it tends to weigh down the chips.
7) If you become easily distracted while studying, the Hans Zimmer Pandora station might be the answer to all your attention deficit problems. Just try and not vigorously flip those textbook pages while the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack hums in your ears.
8 ) John Davey, an incredibly talented musician from West Lafayette. You must listen (here).
9) Never EVER drink the Green Dragon from Harry’s… even if a kind Nigerian man dressed as Big Papi for Breakfast Club buys it for you.
10) The best way to find out if someone really does have a good sense of humor is to show them this Kenny G music video and watch their reaction. If they don’t think that the sight of Kenny G chopping wood in the Sierra Nevada with his shirt all the way unbuttoned to be the perfect combination of ridiculous, disturbing, and down right genius, time to reevaluate your choice of friends.
11) Finally letting go of whatever is keeping you from living fully in the present may be the best feeling in the world.
12) A great way to make your best friend cry is to make them their very own power hour on their 21st birthday, complete with messages from friends at home. Happy 21st Katherine… feel free to celebrate along with us.
13) Listening to “Eye of the Tiger” before a major exam will get you in the right mindset to ace it. Drinking raw eggs before is optional.
14) No matter how much we are embarrassed to admit it, Rihanna can do no wrong. “We Found Love” is our jam!
15) The Boilerita at Fuzzy’s… a Corona upside down in a Margarita… need we say more? Side note: if we don’t get customers of the year at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, something is not right in the world.
16) Fate has a funny yet incredible way of working. People will come in to your life when you least expect it but when you really need it the most. People you never knew existed until that funny moment when you meet them. So don’t question fate. Let it work and let it be.
17) Money is best spent on plane tickets. Clothes go out of style, shoes wear down, and all material things eventually break or become obsolete, but the memories you make on adventures with the people you care about most… those never die.
18) If you haven’t done a backbend in years, don’t attempt to do one in order to impress your friends. The results are never pleasant.
19) There is still so much pleasure in hacking into your friends’ Facebooks and posting Nickleback lyrics as their statuses. Just be prepared for the repercussions… like this one, “night in with the girls watching “Beauty Shop” cause sometimes you just gotta ‘wine’ a little.”
20) Saying goodbye never gets easier. Especially when “Closing Time” by Semisonic is playing in the background.
21) No matter how much you want to resist it, and try your hardest to avoid it, you sometimes just have to go see the newest “Twilight” movie simply to see what all the hype is about. But don’t worry… we’re not picking any teams. Or at least not sharing which one we’re on.
22) Although we’re embarrassed to say we discovered M83’s new album from a Victoria’s Secret commercial, “Midnight City” has become our anthem. Take a listen (here).
23) “Just one drink at Harry’s” is never just one drink at Harry’s. But it does make for some good stories later. If you’ve ever carried your laptop around the bars for a significant amount of time, we can now say we truly feel your pain.
24) If you dress up like Moms once for Halloween, people think it’s hilarious. A second time for a costume party, people think it’s still pretty funny. A third time for a formal sorority dance, people start to worry.
25) Grades are important and getting a job is every college student’s ultimate goal but don’t let the stress of it all get in the way of living your life. College is also about the lifelong friends you make who will always be there no matter what state, country, or continent you might be in. We only have four years at this place (or five for those fans of the victory lap) and they go by quickly. Cherish every second of it, do things on a whim, don’t think too much, see where life takes you, because some of the best things in life come as a surprise and happen only when you’re not looking.
So here’s to an incredible semester and many more adventures to come.
Lots of LaLa love,
Katherine & Molly
Posted in Food for Thought, Perspective for Breakfast, Uncategorized
Perspective for Breakfast: The Girl Effect II
Having a rough day? Broke your new iphone? Lost your favorite pair of sunglasses somewhere between Slayter Hill and Ross-Ade Stadium? Mad at your roommate for constantly borrowing your stuff without asking?
Well we have the solution. We promise that after watching this short 3 minute video your biggest issues of the day will magically disappear. There is really nothing like a giant dose of perspective to put your “first world problems” to rest.
We present to you the second installment of the Girl Effect. (Missed the first one? Check it out here!) The way we see it, the best way to start your morning is with a little wisdom, thankfulness and a strong desire to change the world.
Check out more educational videos about how girls and women can break the cycle of poverty and save the world at the GirlEffect.org
Posted in Perspective for Breakfast
Shake the Monday Blues
No matter how sunny it is out on a Monday morning, sometimes it takes a little extra effort to kick your cloudy disposition. So check out this website that will undoubtedly clear the clouds from your Monday funk.
Filled with lists of the little reasons to smile and be happy, we promise this positive site will add some spring to your step- and dare we say it, make your Monday all around much brighter. Come on, stop and smell the roses, smile, and spread that LaLaLove.
Posted in How-To, Perspective for Breakfast, Uncategorized
The Body Image Project
This week’s Perspective for Breakfast comes with a short set of directions to start your day off the positive way.
1. Watch this fabulous video by the Body Image Project.
2. Look at yourself in the mirror, no seriously we mean it! Now, smile. You are beautiful. You should never forget to love yourself for being simply, uniquely you.
3. Throughout the day compliment the people you love. There is no denying that sometimes everyone needs a little reminder of why they are special and beautiful in their own perfect way!
4. Check out the Body Image Project and help promote this wonderful mission. Their initiative is to help everyone, everywhere discover and celebrate their real self by reframing our worlds distorted view on body image.
5. Have a wonderful Tuesday, and spread the LaLaLove <3
Posted in Perspective for Breakfast
Perspective for Breakfast: When life gives you…
Just the other day, in desperate need of a creative outlet, we set out on another one of our photo shoot extravaganzas, no plans, no direction, just a camera and some willing friends to use as models. Much to our surprise, we found some beautiful locations including rusty old train tracks and fields of wild flowers but perhaps our favorite pictures of the day came after coming across a very unlikely location.
We were crossing through a back alleyway behind a fraternity house on our random adventure when we spotted the most perfect, ratty, burnt-orange colored couch. Then angels filled the sky and began singing the Hallelujah Chorus… okay so maybe the angels part didn’t happen, but the couch was screaming, “sit on me and take my picture!” So with the help of an able-bodied fraternity man, we were able to maneuver the lovely piece of furniture to become the perfect photo op prop. Don’t you worry, we sanitized ourselves in steaming hot showers afterwards… hey photo shoots aren’t all the glitz and glamour they appear to be.
This real-world “stumble upon” moment got us thinking and wondering how many other wonderful items we’ve passed by in our lifetime that we brushed off as trash or useless just because someone else categorized them that way. It really is true that one man’s/woman’s trash is another one’s treasure, it’s just all about how you frame it in your mind.
Transitioning back into the swing of school hasn’t been all rainbows and lollipops that’s for sure, and we’ve already had our fair share of obstacles… but what if those obstacles are just little speed bumps and life’s way of saying, “whoa slow down and stop to smell the [insert flower of choice here. We’re partial to daisies].” And maybe all those dead end signs we run into aren’t telling us to give up; maybe we just need a change of direction. Take everything with a grain of salt, learn from it, and we promise you’ll see the shiny silver lining.
So remember, when life gives you a dirty old couch, make something beautiful out of it.
Posted in Perspective for Breakfast
Perspective for Breakfast
Fifty People, One Question: New York from Fifty People, One Question on Vimeo.
Do us a favor and drop whatever you are doing and answer this one simple question: What do you wish would happen to you by the end of the day? Seems pretty simple compared to that stat homework you just finished huh? But think again!
When the creators of this video took to the streets of New York City they knew they would receive a plethora of unique responses- some silly and some serious. But no matter how different the response, each person took a break from their busy day and really thought about what would make them happy.
As we are sure you already know, us LaLa ladies are huge advocates for knowing how to make yourself happy. Sometimes taking the time to remember what is important to you will make your schedule seem a little less busy, your homework a lot more simple, and your dreams considerably more clear.
Do what makes you smile and spread the LaLaLove.
Posted in Perspective for Breakfast
Packing Survival Guide
As we look around our rooms scattered with boxes, suitcases, and heaps of clothes we can’t
help but find that packing for school is comparable to being lost in the jungles of the Amazon. In fact, as we write this we are swimming through waves of old christmas sweaters and fighting off mismatched flip flops as if they are blood hungry piranas.
Remember to take caution, you never know what might be hiding underneath that pile of scarves. Always keep in mind there is a chance you may need some emotional rescuing. We are pretty sure finding your ex-boyfriend’s old cologne laced sweatshirt is the packing equivalent to being bitten by a deadly python. But it’s not all bad- if you’re lucky enough you may just stumble upon a lost treasure of a couple of bucks in your old jeans from last february. So if you are feeling our pain, never fear! We have compiled a survival guide to escaping that amazonian jungle that once resembled your bedroom.
1. Put on a good upbeat Pandora station to motivate you for hours of packing fun.
2. Fix yourself a delicious drink. Having a tasty soda, juice or vitamin water to sip on makes almost any life chore a little bit more enjoyable. Side note: If you spring for making yourself a cocktail prepare for your packing to get a lot more difficult- yet much more fun.
3. Clean your room. Sorry for sounding like your mother. But if you’re room is clean and organized it will be easier to find everything to pack!
4. Separate everything you are packing into specific piles around your room. “Pack” “Donate” and “Keep at Home”.
5. Donate. Donate. Donate. All of those old clothes you don’t fit into anymore but won’t let go of (yes, we mean those old AE jeans from 7th grade) need to go to a new home! Give them away to your little sister, younger neighbor or a local goodwill store. Let someone else get a little enjoyment out of your old lucky pink tank top!
6. Enjoy some “me time”. Packing is the perfect time to relax and reflect on yourself and get excited for an upcoming year. Go through old birthday cards you have saved, or make yourself a bucket list for you and your friends for the upcoming year!
Posted in How-To, Perspective for Breakfast