Flashback Friday – “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors
Posted by on May 4, 2012 Leave a Comment
There are few pop guitar riffs from the early 1990′s that are more recognizable than “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors.With a rhythmic drum beat, groovin’ guitars and lots of “Yeahhhhhhs” in the song, how could you not sing and dance along?
I remember the first time I heard the song on Z100 in 1992, and it was so fun and catchy! I HAD to walk to Fred Meyer to buy the cassette single. Spin Doctors formed in the late 80′s but hit it big with their album release of “Pocket Full of Kryptonite.” Their first official single was “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong,” but it never got as big as “Two Princes.”
“Two Princes” hit number 7 on the US charts, number 2 in Canada, and number 3 in the UK. The song was in the movie “So I Married An Axe Murderer.” Spin Doctors did a cover version of the song for an episode of Sesame Street. Bill Nye the Science Guy did a parody of the song “Two Eyes by the Eye Doctors.” The scat singing used to be featured in KMart Australia commercials. In more recent years, the song was on the soundtrack for Love and Other Drugs and Pooh’s Heffalump Movie. It was included in the Lego Rock Band game, which is where my daughter became a fan of it.
When I was 12, I was in a church stake production of “Hello Dolly”. And in the cast was the most amazing boy I’d met to date. Although I had experienced many crushes in my young life, Randy was the first one I considered myself in love with. He was 17 (older man!!!) and in high school, and I was just a 7th grader. But he flirted with me, was my dancing partner in the polka scene, and when the show ended we decided to be pen pals. We would share our favorite music, and one time he wrote out the lyrics for me:
If you want to call me baby, just go ahead now
And if you’d like to tell me maybe, just go ahead now
And if you wanna buy me flowers, just go ahead now
And if you’d like to talk for hours, just go ahead now
Reading through his letter, I was certain it was a subtle hint that he liked me back. But alas, he was just quoting the lyrics to an awesome song. But that didn’t stop my crush from continuing until I went to college and he returned from his mission. We haven’t spoken in years, but the song reminds me of him, and the carefree years of teenagerdom (before I got into grunge and alternative).
I ain’t got not future or family tree, but I know what a prince and lover ought to be….
Review: Fresh Produce Clothes
Posted by on April 26, 2012 1 Comment
I was recently contacted by a representative for Fresh Produce Clothes, a California fashion retailer. Having lost some weight, I’ve been excited to have new things to wear in my wardrobe. I was told to go on the website and pick anything I wanted. How cool is that?
The Fresh Produce site was full of unique womens tops that were stylish and age-appropriate. After being in the upper sizes of everything available in plus size stores, I was excited to find stuff young and fashionable. Also, can I say how refreshing it is to see a website that actually uses plus-size models? It’s frustrating to see an outfit on a “normal model” and try to imagine it on your larger frame. In many stores and in many websites, even a plain plus-size t-shirt could run me $40, and usually it wouldn’t fit well. For similar prices, Fresh Produce offers an impressive variety of stuff co cute, I could hardly decide on just one thing.
I decided on the Float Above Top in South Beach Blue. This shirt retails for $64 and features “Gathered pintuck details at the gently scooped neckline for a feminine and flattering silhouette. 92% rayon, 8% lyrca, shallow scoop neck, raglan sleeves with gathers, pintuck detailing, made in USA.”
As soon as I pulled the shirt out of the mailer, I knew I’d love it. It’s got the right amount of stretch to emphasize my curves, and the length wasn’t too long or too short. I was surprised that the sleeves have an unfinished edge, but even after a few washings, it hasn’t frayed. My only problem, which was more with my frame than with the shirt itself, was that the scoop neck goes LOW on me. I’m constantly tugging at the shirt so that it doesn’t show the top edge of my bra cup. I’ve tried wearing the shirt with a Shade and a HalfTee, and it doesn’t look quite right. I might have to alter the top seam of the shirt to avoid that hassle.
But overall, I LOVE the shirt. I always get compliments on it, and it’s a good shirt for the transition phases of my weight loss. I got it in a 2x, and the fabric is definitely baggier in the last 3 weeks than when I got it. But luckily, the fitting through the shoulders and arms is just right so I’ll still be able to wear it for some time to come.
FTC Disclosure: I received this clothing item from Fresh Produce clothing free of charge in exchange for a blog post to review the item. Opinions in the post are my own. Estimated retail value $64.
My Roadtrip Mixtape
Posted by on April 22, 2012 3 Comments
Meet Dharma xB - my ride
I travel more than the average person,and even though I have flight benefits, nothing beats a good roadtrip. Last year I got my car, and I’ve already put 26,000 miles on her in 14 months. Why? Because of all the roadtrips I take! This weekend I took a roadtrip down to St. George, UT for a wedding. See how pretty she looks against the red rocks?
Of course, great music is requisite for any roadtrip. Some of my earliest memories are driving between Portland and Salt Lake City for family roadtrips. I have a diverse liking of many genres of music, and a lot of my tastes began with the music my dad played in the car. Nowadays, I don’t actually record a mixtape on a cassette player, but the idea still sounds better than just punching up an iPod playlist.
Here’s a list of songs that I love to listen to when I’m on the road:
- Ventura Highway – America
- Rio – Duran Duran
- Enjoy The Silence – Depeche Mode
- Crystal Ball – Keane
- The Adventure – Angels and Airwaves
- Chicago – Sufjan Stevens
- Take On Me – A-ha
- No Cars Go – Arcade Fire
- Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson
- Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You – Frankie Valli
- Let Go – Frou Frou
- Time of the Season – The Zombies
- Such Great Heights – The Postal Service
- Nothing Left To Lose – Mat Kearney
- Come Together – The Beatles
- Why Georgia – John Mayer
- Even Better Than The Real Thing – U2
- Where It’s At – Beck
- Building a Mystery – Sarah McLachlan
- No Rain – Blind Melon
- Going The Distance – Cake
I could go on and on, but these are the songs that are in heavy rotation when I’m flying down I-15 at 75 miles per hour. This trip, I was really in a John Mayer mood. His music is one of my guilty pleasures – oh, how I love his voice! He sings in a range that suits my voice so well. When I’m driving alone, I crank up the volume and sing along.
What are your favorite songs to roadtrip to?
Winner – Breathing Space Blogger Retreat Ticket
Posted by on April 22, 2012 Leave a Comment
Congrats to June Haskell, AKA Simply June, who is the winner of the ticket to Breathing Space Blogger Retreat. Her entry simply said, “Relax? What’s that?” I think everyone feels that way to a point.
I’m excited that Breathing Space is in less than two weeks! Can’t wait to have fun, enjoy the company of friends old and new, and get away from it all. The Breathing Space retreat is now officially sold out. If you’re bummed that you didn’t win, but would like to be added to the waiting list, email lindsey.breathingspace@gmail.com.
Giveaway – Breathing Space Blogger Retreat
Posted by on April 18, 2012 26 Comments
Have you heard about Breathing Space blogger retreat? It is a 2 day gathering of bloggers to relax, get to know each other, and fun held in Utah’s Daybreak Community in South Jordan. Not only will bloggers get to learn new things and have a fun time, they will be able to have a “bed and breakfast” experience sleeping in the gorgeous model homes in Daybreak! Classes will range from floral arranging to photography, quilting to cooking, and more.
Breathing Space will be held Friday May 4th at 3:00 pm to Saturday May 5th at 7:00 pm. Registration has been conveniently priced at $75 to make it affordable for all. Registration includes four catered meals, a choice of seven of the fifteen different classes, ‘dorm style’ sleeping arrangements in the model homes, and lots of free swag from our sponsors like Diet Coke, Chick-fil-a, Sweet Tooth Fairy, Whippy Cake, Torani Italian Syrups, Crabtree and Evelyn, and the Color Me Rad 5k (and you get a free ticket to the race with your registration as well!) There will be a Stepford Wives party and a Cinco de Mayo fiesta too!
I am on the event council for Breathing Space, and it’s been amazing to help put this event together. I’ve gotten to know other bloggers, been able to help seek out sponsors. We have a weekly #BreathingSpace Twitter chat to help get to know other bloggers before the event, which will help take away some of the awkwardness of being thrown together in a room with only a few people you recognize. I’ve been to a lot of blogging conferences, and I’m excited to attend Breathing Space where it has a great line-up of classes and activities, but is on a smaller scale so you can get to know everyone.
GIVEAWAY: I am giving away one ticket for full registration for Breathing Space. Currently, there are only a handful of tickets, and it’s possible that the registration may be closed before the event when the giveaway ends. Ticket is valued at $75 and is transferable if you are unable to attend (you’ll just need to let me or someone else on the council know.) Join in on this unforgettable experience!
To Enter:
Comment on this post – Tell me what you like to do to relax and have some breathing space in your life
For additional entries (leave a comment for each entry)
- Follow me on Twitter @cuteculturechic
- Subscribe to my blog via RSS
- Add my Cute Culture Chick blog button to your site (see sidebar)
Giveaway ends SUNDAY, APRIL 22nd at 5:00 PM
Wordless Wednesday – City Creek Center in Salt Lake City
Posted by on March 28, 2012 2 Comments
Wordless Wednesday – Sprinkles 24-Hour Cupcake ATM
Posted by on March 21, 2012 1 Comment
(PS Just so you know, the cupcake was for Rosie. I just went to the Sprinkles Cupcake ATM just to say that I’d been there. Not going to sabotage myself like that yet. I’m down 40 lbs.)
Blogging Everywhere But Here
Posted by on March 10, 2012 1 Comment
The last month has been pretty crazy for me. I’ve been doing lots of blogging, just not on this site. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I decided to have weight loss surgery. On February 7th, I underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. I decided to publicly share my surgery journey, and created the blog Beauty and the Bypass.
The last 6 weeks I’ve thrown my heart and soul into that blog, sharing the trials and triumphs of weight loss surgery. The awesome thing is that I’ve already lost 35 pounds, but it’s been harder than I expected. Rapid weight loss isn’t always fun and success. I’ve had to deal with pneumonia and severe dehydration, which has necessitated extra trips to the hospital. If you want to read more about it, they’re well documented on my other site.
As you can see in this photo, I’m already looking a lot different in my face. My cheeks are much less round, and I’m finally losing my triple chin. This is the difference of 3 weeks…not bad, eh?
Notable Posts on Beauty and the Bypass
- Why I’m Having Gastric Bypass Surgery
- The Surgery Approval Process
- Weighty Impressions
- Down A Dress Size
- Laughing Cow Queso Dip Recipe (yum!)
- I Want To Be Sedated
But my blogging efforts haven’t just been limited to blogging about weight loss surgery. Between my employment at SEO.com and doing contract blogging for companies like ZAGG, I’ve been putting out a lot of content into the bloggosphere. After blogging for 9 years, it’s so nice to be able to get some good recognition for my blogging abilities. I’ve had offers from several other companies, and I’m hoping to find a good balance between personal blogging and being a voice for brands and businesses. Here are some other cool posts I’ve recently written elsewhere:
- How To Successfully Pitch A Blogger For A Guest Post
- Five Ways To Turn Social Media Feedback Into Valuable Business Data
- How An iPad Helped Save A Life
- Want Cupcakes Anytime? Visit This 24-Hour ATM
- How Larry Bird And Twitter Are Connected
- Tips And Tricks For iPhoneography
- Generate Great Ideas From Pinterest
- Fall In Love Or Save A Life With Words With Friends
I’m not sure how much I’ll be blogging on this site for the near future. Cuteculturechick.com is my baby, and I’ve poured my heart and soul into it for so many years…but my writing skills have been in demand elsewhere. My goal is at least once a week, but that will vary with available time and content ideas. I’ve got a BUNCH of posts in draft for my Flashback Friday series. But if you’re missing what I have to say, I’m always around on Twitter and Facebook.
Flashback Friday: “Greatest Love of All” by Whitney Houston
Posted by on February 17, 2012 2 Comments
When I think of inspirational songs of the 80′s, I usually think of “Wind Beneath My Wings” and “Eye of the Tiger.” But Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All” is also at the top of the list.
With Whitney’s untimely death last Saturday, I decided to dedicate a Flashback Friday post to the talented songstress. Whitney faced many demons in her life, which I’m not going to commentate, but I do want to talk about my favorite song she sang.
When the song was released in 1986, I was still a bit young to love the song off the radio. But my elementary school music teacher Mr. Phay would teach us contemporary music to sing in class, and learning “The Greatest Love of All” was on of the songs that he taught in class. 20+ years later, I still remember every word.
Everybody’s searching for a hero
People need someone to look up to
I never found anyone who fulfill my needs
A lonely place to be
So I learned to depend on me”
“Greatest Love of All” was written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed, and George Benson actually sang it years before for Muhummad Ali’s biopic “The Greatest.” Whitney released “Greatest Love of All” on her debut album “Whitney Houston.” The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks in 1986, her second-longest stay atop this chart, behind the 1992 monster hit “I Will Always Love You”. It remains her third biggest hit behind “I Will Always Love You” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me). Interestingly, all three songs have reemerged into the Billboard Hot 100 in response to Whitney’s death. It’s possible the her estate may acquire some fund through these music sales to make up for her lack of financial planning before her unexpected death.
I have to admit that my favorite rendition of this song is from the movie “Say Anything.” In the graduation scene, Joe sings an awful rendition of “The Greatest Love of All” (skip to 2:58). The song was in the movie “Coming to America” with a terrible rendition in a Miss Black Awareness Pageant. The song was even used in the show “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Not only is it a great sounding song, it really is an iconic part of 80′s pop culture.
Were you like me? Did you stand in front of the mirror, with a hairbrush as a microphone, and belt out this anthem of self-esteem and self-love? No matter what they take from me, they can’t take away my dignity….
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