For decades, the Brits have been crossing the pond and introducing new styles of music. Punk, rock and dubstep are all styles of music that our culture embraces, all thanks to the United Kingdom! One band that is rising to the top is the Welsh rock trio, The Joy Formidable. Their latest rise to fame would be opening for the Foo Fighters, and being on the Twilight "Breaking Dawn" soundtrack. Ritzy Bryan, the female lead vocalist and guitarist of the band, has a soft, lovely Welsh accent, but when she sings, she owns the stage, and has this ever-powerful voice.



Their most famous song that is being played on the radios is “Whirring”, and the ever-so-catchy “Austere.” I had the pleasure of seeing them last week in Vermont and the energy that they have makes you want to get up and dance! The band had a massive gong on the stage and during the performance Ritzy went over a banged the gong over and over. Their music is filled with many different instruments and is really a great new band to keep your eye out for. Their album “The Big Roar” is available in stores and on iTunes. They are now beginning to work on their second album and planning a world tour.



Want more? Check out The Joy Formidable here.

By: Brooke Stuart | Image: Source

This weekend I will be taking advantage of the Megabus going from Burlington, Vermont to Boston, Massachusetts!

Megabus began in England in 2003 and as popularity grew they expanded to Scotland and Wales. In 2006 it came over to America and is constantly adding more destinations. What makes these buses so great is that they are very affordable; if you plan in advance you can find tickets for $1 each way! My trip to Boston is costing me $10.50 round-trip- you can't beat that! I've taken the bus at home from Philadelphia to New York City for $20, which is almost half of what I would have to pay for one way if I took the train.

The buses are all air-conditioned, the drivers are friendly, and there is plenty of room, some of them are even double-decker buses and have great tables set up on the first level so you can get work done! Another bonus to this bus is that there is wireless! This may not seem like a major thing to some people, but I take the train back and forth from Vermont to Philadelphia, which is a long 10-and-a-half-hour train ride with no Internet. I don't need the Internet to be on social media websites, I just would like Internet to watch a movie on Hulu, or work on a paper by researching online.



Megabus is a great way to travel for not a lot of money with fairs as low as $1 if you look early enough! I highly suggest it and hope that if you are planning a trip to the following places, you will consider them!

Check out the Megabus website for more details.

By: Brooke Stuart | Images: Source, Source

It’s fall and a few things spring to mind: the cool weather, pumpkins, changing of the leaves and apple picking!

Apple picking is a fun activity that you can do with your friends. It’s a lot of fun to spend time outside picking apples, climbing trees and eating freshly made apple cider donuts. You can wander around the orchards picking different types of apples such as McIntosh, Granny Smith, Red Delicious and Honey Golden.



I came home from my apple-picking adventures with a lot of apples and knew that even though I really love apples and peanut butter as a snack, I’ll get tired of it pretty fast. I looked up recipes and learned that some apples are better for baking and cooking with than others. One recipe that is extremely easy and really good is applesauce.


To make applesauce you want:
• Four apples peeled, cut and cored (McIntosh apples work really well)
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all of these ingredients in a pot or pan and cook for 10-15 minutes. You then let them cool and take a masher or a spoon and mash the apples. It’s very easy and the results are delicious!

Another easy and healthy recipe that I made last year is “The Purple Foodie’s” Apple Chips recipe. For this, you will want to keep in mind that it takes a while for these to make, so don’t make these if you are in a hurry!

What you will need:
• 2 gala or granny smith apples
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• A large bowl filled with water

How to make them:
• Turn the oven to 175F
• Fill a bowl with 1 cup of cold water and lemon
• Cut the apples into thin slices, dropping them into the water (this keeps the apples from turing brown)
• Take a baking sheet and line the with parchment paper and place the apples on the sheet, making sure excess water is off.
• Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar onto the apples
• Put the baking sheet in the oven for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the apples are crisp. It may take a long time depending on your stove and thickness of your apples.

These do take a while, however they taste really good and are worth the long wait!

Check online for an apple orchard near you, with fresh apples and recipes you will find tons of fun things to do in the fall.

By: Brooke Stuart | Images: Brooke Stuart

In September, Teen Nick launched “'90s Are All That,” which is programming from the early '90s that aired when we were growing up. Every night beginning at 10, Stick Stickly introduces a show that we used to love. If you don’t get Teen Nick, it’s OK, because you can watch full episodes of your favorites online at '90s Are All That!

One day I was watching "Clarissa Explains It All" and realized something: “I own a shirt just like that!” I then began to think more about it and realized that some of her outfits can be, and are, worn today. This became the case with two shows in particular.

"Clarissa Explains It All"

This was one of my all-time favorite shows. I remember really wanting a pair of the boots that she wore in the opening. Her sense of style varies and is somewhat tomboy. However, her look can easily be modified a bit to fit into today’s fashion. One outfit that works well is the combo of a button-down shirt, jean shorts and tights. Today shorter jean shorts work really well with fun printed tights and a pair of black boots to pull the outfit together. Here are a few choices for dressing like her.




"Doug"

Now you may be thinking... Doug? Really? I found a picture of Patti Mayonnaise from “Doug’s 1st Movie” where she’s wearing what appears to be skinny jeans and a sweater. Many people wear just that on cold days to class when they are just too tired to really make an extravagant outfit, but still remain stylish.



By: Brooke Stuart | Images: Pinterest, Source, Polyvore

This past weekend I went to Boston and discovered something really cool during my trip: Haymarket.



What Is It?

Haymarket is a weekly produce market held in Boston that dates back to the 1830s. The market is held every Friday through Saturday from dusk 'til dawn. During these hours, many students and locals visit, seeking the best deals on produce: 10 plums for $2.00 or a pound of strawberries for $1.00. It truly is a great place to check out!

Where Is It?

Haymarket is located between Blackstone Street and North Street. It can also be easily accessed by the T. The Haymarket stop can be found on both the Orange and Green lines.

Know Before You Go:

The venue is packed with merchants and tons of deals, but one thing to keep in mind is that Haymarket is not a farmers market. This being the case, the produce is not the freshest, so try not to stock up for a week. Although the produce is fine and delicious, it is the type of produce found in grocery stores and is stored in a warehouse before being sold. It's best to buy only what you plan on consuming in the next few days.

Not only is produce sold, but fish and oysters populate the market. There is a raw oyster bar there, which I tried for the first time. They are a dollar each and, with a squirt of lemon and a dash of hot sauce, are very good.

What to Bring:

-Low dollar bills. The vendors move fast and it will inconvenience them if you pay with a $20 bill for a $1 purchase.

-A camera. The market is packed with people, so between all the colorful stands and the diverse amount of people, there are tons of photo opportunities.

The Haymarket's atmosphere alone can be very entertaining. The vendors are very enthusiastic and vocal about what they are selling. You can hear people screaming “5 for a dollar!” and “1 dollar a bag!” pulling your attention in. Overall it’s a great cultural experience and a great bargain!

By: Brooke Stuart | Image: Eric Borzino