6 Dumb Things I've Heard on Dates

August 25, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Dating, Life In Your 20's, Sara's Column, Tweets and Mascara

I can't say I'm particularly good at dating. I typically pick guys based off of very limited details, then sit through a dinner or round of drinks wondering why I set myself up for them. On the rare occasions that I actually pick a good one, it's then my turn to be the date-ruiner. Now for a self-deprecating example:

There was this one time I forgot I said yes to dinner with a guy from Coffee Meets Bagel, which is a classier Tinder, and went to a work happy hour. I remembered after three-four $2 beers that I had a date, so I showed up heavily buzzed / probably drunk to dinner. He was the sweetest little (I do really mean little) Southern guy who told me he "traveled into the city just for me." Well dang. No pressure there.

Rejected Blog Posts 2.0

August 19, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Humor, Leisure, Life In Your 20's, Sara's Column, Social Media, Tweets and Mascara, Uncategorized, Work, Young Professionalism

It feels like forever ago now, but I once wrote a whole blog post out of all the beginning's of my rejected blog post ideas. I liked it so much the first time I did it, I've decided to do it again. Some of these ideas don't terribly suck but never materialized into much, and some of them are really terrible but are fun to laugh about. In no particular order, here are another 10 writing prompts I decided to can (and the reason why, just in case you couldn't figure it out on your own).

Brunch Review: Paul's Homewood Cafe

Paul's Homewood Cafe

August 16, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Leisure, Richmond Brunch Review, Sara's Column

Our reservation for Sunday brunch was at Paul's Homewood Cafe, which as conveniently located .3 miles from my grandparents apartment. My first impression of Paul's was that it was a pretty small establishment, with an odd parking situation. We were right on time for our reservation, and got one of the two big tables in back. We were, after all, meeting a few of my grandparent's friends (how cute!).

The waiter was patient with us as we swapped seats to ensure everyone's maximum enjoyment, and was friendly and joking with us all. He also used the phrase, "complimentary mimosas," which put a bit of extra sparkle in my eye for the entire meal.

Why is "Wedding Season" in the Summer?

August 11, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Humor, Leisure, Life In Your 20's, Dating, life lessons, Sara's Column, Tweets and Mascara

My uncle got married this summer. Last summer, my two cousins both got married during the summer months. As did my childhood best friend. In previous summers, my other two cousins got married in the summer. As did what I estimate millions of people, because summer is "wedding season."

I took to the streets with my journalistic integrity and surveyed at least one person about why people all get married in the summer. The answers I got were because that's when people plan and expect to travel, because more people are off during the summer (teachers, it's just teachers and their students) and that people don't want to get married when it's cold.

Don't Tell Me to Smile: A Resting Bitch Face Rant

August 07, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Leisure, Life In Your 20's, life lessons, Sara's Column, Tweets and Mascara

I am a sufferer of resting bitch face. The symptoms included, but are not limited to: being interested in what someone is saying and not looking interested, contentedly working and people thinking something's wrong, and waiting in line for the bathroom and people thinking you're a stone cold bitch, and then being told that. Most of the time, what my face is telling people is not what I really feel. Most of the time I'm happy, or at least content. My face just doesn't quite get the memo.

One of the side effects of this disease is constantly being asked, "Why aren't you happy?" I then turn my resting bitch face toward them and mutter something like "I'm fine, I'm just working”, and everyone takes that to mean I think my life is horrible and I am stressed.

The Skeletons in my Google Search History

August 04, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Sara's Column, Tweets and Mascara, life lessons, Social Media, Work, Leisure, Young Professionalism

Sometimes you just start talking and things come up that merit a quick Google search to learn more. Or sometimes events happen in your life that cause you to search for answers...on Google. And almost all of the time--at least for me--they are either bizarre, inappropriate, hilarious, or a combination of the three. Here is a cross section of my (better?) Google searches.

Goodbye, Grace

July 28, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Life In Your 20's, life lessons, Sara's Column, Tweets and Mascara

There’s this map of Richmond that breaks up the city by stereotypes: we live questionably in cross section between Rich Renters and Vegans, Tattoos, Curly Mustaches. Once I shared it with Cazey, he then giggled about how we should make up a map of every memory we had across Richmond. Since I was in email training at the time, we never really spoke of it again, but the thought made me pretty sentimental.

I’ve lived in Richmond for two years now, and with Cazey, my roommates and other friends, we’ve gotten to experience a ton of bizarre, wonderful, simple, comfortable and spectacular places and people within the city. In no particular order, here are the little labels I’d want to put on our own Richmond map.

Review: Southern Season

Southern Season

July 26, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Life In Your 20's, Richmond Brunch Review, Sara's Column, Tweets and Mascara

A few weeks ago, Cazey and I were invited to celebrate Southern Season’s first year in business in the Richmond area. The event included learning more about the store and restaurant, while also getting to sample some of their food.

My prior knowledge of Southern Season up until the event was mildly passable: I’d been there, made a few purchases and even went to a cooking class. I didn’t know about the restaurant at all, and couldn’t have even identified that there was one. What’s interesting was listening to the manager’s speak about Southern Season, and that seems often to be the case: if you know of Southern Season, you either enjoy the restaurant or the store and hardly know about the other.

About that Time I Wore a Prom Dress to Work

July 21, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Humor, Life In Your 20's, life lessons, Sara's Column, Tweets and Mascara

Last month, I was invited to our company-wide “Prom” luncheon. I happily declined, as it was scheduled for a day I was already going out of town. There’s no way I wanted to sit around the office all day in my old prom dress, while reliving all of our high school prom memories. Considering prom wasn’t really my thing the first time around, I really felt no excitement at the prospect of a round two.

But then they moved the date to a time I’d be able to go, offered free lunch for participants and my two friends were really, really excited about it. So I accepted the meeting invite to attend prom, which then meant I needed a prom dress.

The Only 5 Items You HAVE to Buy Name Brand

July 14, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Humor, Leisure, Life In Your 20's, life lessons, Sara's Column, Tweets and Mascara

Ever since starting my job at an auto insurance comparison website, I've began to realize how often it is that people may compare prices on things. You're standing in a grocery isle and what's the first thing you do: scan the isle looking for if any brands are on sale that week. Does it really matter if you get Daisy sour cream or Breakstone's? No, no it does not because it's freaking sour cream.

As I say that though, there are a few products that I absolutely will never ever skimp on. No matter what the cost is, I will buy the specific name brand. However, they are few and far between, and there is are distinct reasons as to why these items mandate name brand. In no particular order, here are the only 5 items you have to buy name brand or nothing: