My Internship at Every Day with Rachael Ray

Working at Every Day with Rachael Ray was my first journalism internship in New York City.  I found out about the internship through a club I had joined at school, Ed2010. I went to a website that listed internships in New York City and applied for various ones I was interested in. I chose this magazine over others I was offered because I have always been a fan of cooking and food which is why the Rachael Ray magazine was such a good fit for me.

The majority of my time working at Every Day with Rachael Ray was spent researching information for articles. I would be given the topic of an article and would spend the day putting together websites, information and pulling up related articles that would correspond with the subject I was researching. Once I compiled all this information I would forward it on to the editor and save a copy of it to the server.

My favorite thing to do at work is when I would get sent out on assignment. The first time I got sent somewhere was to look at the new spring line for Home Goods. I took pictures of the new furniture, home accessories and outdoor furniture so I could show them to my editor. When I got back to the office I wrote up a short summary of all the items that I saw and included the pictures in the word document I later forwarded on to the editor. The company sent over samples of the items I liked the best so my editor could see them in person.

The second time I was sent out of the office was to cover green/recyclable items that are new for spring 2012. It was held at the Marriott in Time Square. There were multiple set ups there showcasing new products that had yet to come out in retail stores. I took pictures on my phone and took press packets of the items I thought related to our magazine. When I got back to the office I wrote up a short article on the items that I liked the best. The online editor for the magazine then published my article on the magazines Tumblr site. It was great to see my article published online with my name on it. My Tumblr Article

Many days I would spend organizing the product closet in our office. The closet is full of pots and pans used on the show, items we use for our Faves pages, and products we get sent from companies hoping to be featured in the magazine. The editor’s office gets bombarded with packages from companies sending free products for us to try out. Multiple times I went in to clear her office and put away all the items in the closet. There are racks of beauty products that I organized. I separated all the skincare, hair products, makeup and items used in the shower. It may seem like a small task but it took a few days to get the closet completely organized. Every week we would be sent more items for photo shoots and products to be used in the show so the closet was in need of constant upkeep.

When we would need products called in for our monthly Faves pages I would be in charge of getting them into the office. This required me to find PR numbers for the companies or call in the item from the vendor. I would then have to keep in contact with them and get the tracking number so I could ensure that they would get to our office by the deadline we needed them. For the items that were in the New York City area I would send over a messenger to pick up the item so we could receive it that day. When we got the item to the office I would unpack them and put them in the designated place in the closet until our product selection meeting. We would get all the items together in the conference room once a month and choose which items would make it to the Faves page. Once they decided which items they needed I would take the ones that didn’t make the cut and send them back. The other items were sent off to the studio where they would be taken for a photo shoot. A week or so later when these items were photographed I would send them back as well.

I also submitted ideas to the online editor of ideas for new boards. I suggested an Olympics themed board for the upcoming summer games in London. I thought it would be fun to list different foods from countries competing so you could have an Olympics party. I looked up ideas for decorations and games you could set up to for the festivities. I also suggested a BBQ Party board, a board for food you could eat on a road trip, a board for garlic lovers and a board for Cinco de Mayo themed foods. The Cinco de Mayo pages features different types of tacos, quesadillas, nachos and margarita recipes that I found of Rachael’s site. I put them together with a few decoration ideas I found online for Cinco de Mayo themed parties. The online editor liked this idea and said they would consider putting it on our pinterest page. She was also interested in my idea for road trip food. With our summer issues coming up and many people planning vacations she thought this idea would be helpful to our readers and their families.

I enjoyed my internship I had at Every Day with Rachael Ray. I think having internships are very important for your career. It helps figure out what specific field you are interested in and it is a good way to make professional contacts. Internships are a great way to get your foot in the door with your future career. If you are willing to put in the time to find one, and work for free, internships will be well worth your time.

All Hail Joss Whedon

The moment all the nerds have been waiting for has arrived. Summer movie season is upon us and The Avengers is finally in theaters! Opening on Friday it has numerous rave reviews and has already made over 280 million dollars overseas. The Avengers is directed by Joss Whedon, creator of Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame. Bringing all of the characters from these multiple blockbuster films into one movie surely was no easy task. A big thanks goes out to Mister Whedon for bringing this film to the big screen.

Everyone has their favorite Avenger, the one whose t-shirt they wear to the midnight premiere and the DVD they constantly keep on repeat. For me that guy is Tony Stark aka Iron Man. While I appreciate all the other Avengers I have no doubt that Iron Man is the best of the group. The majority of the members have help from science or genetics in order to gain their super human powers. Tony is just your average every day genius who is using his powers for good which in my book makes him the best Avenger. But I have a soft spot for all the super heroes trying to make the world a better place.

The Avengers

Captain America is genetically engineered to be a super hero. Considered the first Avenger he is what he is thanks to Iron Man’s father, Howard Stark. (Point for Iron Man, his family is made up of geniuses.) Everyone loves a good underdog story, which is exactly what Captain America is. Small guy Steve Rodgers takes an experimental serum and transforms into what comes to be Captain America. This is the ideal story for nerdy kids hoping to become a super hero. But the odds of getting your hands on that serum are pretty slim.

The Hulk is a science experiment gone awry. Sure, he’s super strong and you really don’t want to be around him when he gets angry, but he looks like the green giant from the string bean can. The Hulk looks like a super hero vegetable. Like Iron Man, Dr. Bruce Banner is also quite intelligent. He is a fantastic part of the Avengers; every group needs a super strong giant on the team.

Hawkeye-Archers seem to be the new upcoming athletic event to try. It has proven to be quite popular recently in pop-culture. Katniss Everdeen, star of the Hunger Games was into archery as well as Disney’s new princess, Merida. Then there is always the classic Robin Hood who was known to carry around bows and arrows around Nottingham. Sure Hawkeye, you are the coolest archer I can think of. But out of a pool of a teenage girl, a Disney princess and a cartoon fox it’s not really anything to brag about.

   

Thor-Of course Thor is a superhero, he’s the God of Thunder!  It’s in his blood. He has this killer hammer, Mjolnir, which is the main source of his power. It looks like Thor is going to have a lot to deal with seeing as his adopted brother, Loki, looks to be the villain of the movie. He’s destined to be the King of Asgard so I am sure he can handle a little sibling rivalry. (Side note: Why does Natalie Portman get to be the love interest for Thor AND Anakin Skywalker? My jealous meter is off the charts.)  

Black Widow – Of course I have to support her being that she is the only female in The Avengers team. What I like about her is that she is a girl who has obviously had an insane amount of training to become an incredible martial artist successful enough to join a group of super heroes. While I enjoy seeing a girl mixing it up in the group, any member of Charlie’s Angels can do what Black Widow does. They should have given her a more powerful weapon or intense suit. You can’t blame them though for putting her in all spandex.

Finally finishing it off and bringing it around to my overall point: why Iron Man is the best. Tony Stark is a sarcastic, self indulged, genius rich guy. Or as he likes to describe himself, "a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist." He has no physical super powers only uses his money and his brain, like Batman but with a better personality and no annoying deep voice. He is an inventor extraordinaire and always has something to say in any situation. He is a hero for all those nerdy science kids out there who would rather watch Bill Nye & stay inside studying then practice their lay ups or slapshots. (Side note to the bullies out there: watch out who you give your next wedgie to because nerds are taking over the world.)

While I love all superheros, my ideal hero is just an everyday guy who is fighting for what he believes in. It’s great to have super human strength, be invisible or have lasers for eyes, but what is most impressive is just your every day guy in spandex fighting against evil. That is exactly what Iron Man is. Obviously he has an insane amount of wealth and he is an incredible genius, but at the end of the day he’s just a regular guy. If I happened to be captured by some mad man taking over the city the first guy I would yell at for help would be Iron Man.

I hope everyone gets a chance to see The Avengers this weekend. I have only heard good things about it so far and cannot wait to get to the theater this weekend!

Batter Up!

I understand the ins and outs of most sports, but I don’t consider myself a huge sports fan. I don’t like watching games on TV, I can’t get into them nearly as much as when I am there in person . (Unless we are talking football, I am from Texas after all.) I would much rather be at the stadium to see the event played live. I especially love going to baseball games. Sunshine, hot dogs, people doing the YMCA, guys in tight pants, it’s pretty great. Naturally last weekend when my friend, Raquel, asked me to the Yankees game I jumped at the chance. Raquel is a huge sports fan. She works for MLB and knows all the crazy random stats and facts about each player. It was like sitting next to a Jeopardy winner at the game with all the random trivia she knew.

In between innings I asked Raquel a few questions about her career and love of baseball.

What drew you to baseball?

I grew up in Saint Louis which is a big baseball city. Cardinals baseball is in my blood. As I got older, it developed into an all out obsession with the sport.
 
How did you get a job with Major League Baseball?

For the past year, I worked for the Major League Baseball Network. But at the start of this season, I made the switch to the MLB Commissioners Office. I work for the Umpires Administration, which is great because the umpires are such a huge part of the game. I'm sort of the liaison between the Umpires Union and the MLB Office. We like to think of the umpires as the 31st team. Baseball games don't happen without that team of umpires on the field.
 
What is your ideal career?

My dream job in baseball is to be a sports broadcaster. I would love to do on-air work. It's not something I went to school for, but I have the passion. I've taken a lot of classes on my own, and worked with some of the best on-air talent in the business, so hopefully I'll get a chance one day.
 
Do you have a favorite moment in baseball?

My favorite baseball memory has to be working the World Series in St. Louis last year. I got to work on the set with MLBN on the field and in the clubhouse. Being a Cardinals fan and being one of the first 10 people with our camera crew on the field immediately when the Cards won game 7 was one of the happiest moments of my life.

Being at a game with someone who is so passionate about the sport is great. The best journalists are ones who are truly interested in the field in which they are working in. Raquel is clearly interested in baseball and has had a good amount of success in her career already. Like any player would know the way to a successful career is practice and dedication, two traits that Raquel possesses.With her hard work ethic and love for the game I have no doubt she will have an outstanding career as a sports journalist.

Golden Girls vs. Sex and the City

Go up to any woman in their twenties and there is no doubt they have heard of Sex and the City. They own the DVDs, drink cosmos, and day dream about having Carrie’s shoe closet. Sadly, only a handful of these girls have heard of the show that paved the way for their favorite New Yorkers. Golden Girls was a beloved 80s sitcom featuring four older women who lived together in Miami. The similarities between the characters of Sex and the City and Golden Girls is surprising. Each character has a counterpart with a similar personality on the other show. I have no doubt that down the line the women of Sex and the City will turn into the Golden Girls. They will all retire to Miami and spend their days still talking about sex and eating cheesecake.

The Brains- They tell it like it is and don’t deal with any BS. Sophia Petrillo and Miranda Hobbes are kindred spirits. While Sophia is more of a spitfire, Miranda also has moments where she is not afraid to hold back. Both women are looked to for advice from the rest of the group. Sophia’s advice comes to us in the form of “Picture This” stories where she relates whatever problem you have to a situation that happened in her life. Miranda uses logic and the knowledge she has gained as a lawyer to help influence her friends decisions. But if came down to a battle between the two Miranda wouldn’t stand a chance against Sophia.

Rose: Gee, Sophia! You’re awfully cranky today.
Sophia: Well, forgive me. But my arthritis is playing me up. My social security check was late. And I realized today I haven’t showered with a man in twenty-two years!
Dorothy: Ma, pop’s been dead twenty-seven years.
 Sophia: What’s your point?

The “Friendly” One- Blance Devereaux and Samantha Jones have to be two of the most man-hungry women in TV history. Both women have sexual rosters longer than a 5 year old’s Christmas list. They’re not afraid to share stories of these experiences with their friends either. Putting these two women in a room together would be a sight to see. Have mercy on the men in that room because the bedroom doors of these women see more action than a turnstile at a theme park. While they may be the promiscuous ones of the group they both also have a soft side for true love. Blanche was married for decades and when Samantha realized she loved Smith she was not afraid to start a commited relationship with him.

Rose: Tell me, is it possible to love 2 men at the same time?
 Blanche: Set the scene, have we been drinking?

The Naive One- Oh, Rose and Charlotte. These women are the ones you go to when you’re having a bad day because odds are they will hand you a cupcake and a hug. They both live in this optimistic fairy tale where they believe everyone is good and can turn any situation into something positive. They believe in love and happily ever afters for everyone and both have found love in their own lives. Rose enjoys a successful romance with Miles and Charlotte settles down with Harry. It would be hard to not be friends with these women in real life.

Rose: Like the old saying, you can lead a herring to water but you have to walk really fast or it will die.

The Glue- Without these 2 women I don’t think either show would exist. Dorothy and Carrie Bradshaw are the glue that hold their group together. Just swap out the shoulder pads for a pair of Louboutins and there you have it. Both women throughout the series have that one guy who just seems to show up at the most inconvenient times. For Dorothy it’s her ex-husband Stan who constantly cheated on her during their marriage. Although at times Dorothy questions her feelings for Stan she realized that he is not the one for her and ends the series marrying another man. Carrie is not as smart and constantly goes back to Mr. Big despite everything he puts her through. There is no way Dorothy would have taken Stan back if he stood her up at the altar like Big did to Carrie. Odds are Sophia would have had him whacked.

 Blanche: I can’t believe you said that! Oh if I weren’t a lady I’d deck you. Dorothy: You try and I’ll have you on your back so fast you’ll think you’re out on a date.

Both shows feature incredibly empowering women who lean on each other through lifes obstacles. While one show may be a little more risque than the other (Sex and the City's sex scenes makes The Golden Girls look like Lamb Chops Play Along) they both run off the idea that a solid set of friends is all you need. Unless your Carrie in which case you need a solid set of friends and a really big closet.

Disney Dreaming

Only 3 weeks of school left let the countdown begin! Is everyone else as excited as I am for it finally to be summer? As in 'ready to break into a choreographed song and dance about how excited you are' happy? Lately I've been pretty homesick so I cannot wait to get to spend some time back in Texas. But before heading back to the Lonestar State I get to spend some time at my home away from home, Orlando!
Usually when I am feeling homesick I put on my cowboy boots and watch a Disney movie, that way I cover both bases. I recorded a few of my favorite things in Disney on my phone which I watch quite frequently. And lucky for you I figured out how to get them on my computer! Technology seems to hate me, this took quite a while.

Have you ever been inside the Grand Floridian at Disney? It looks like the Titanic on the inside, it's absolutely gorgeous. My favorite part of the hotel is the pianist that plays at night. They play mostly Disney music but if you request a song they know they will usually play it. Luckily the pianist this night was also a Journey fan. Hearing Faithfully played on piano made my night. It took a lot for me not to sing along while recording this, your welcome.

I always request "Candle on the Water" from Pete's Dragon. If you haven't seen this movie yet do yourself a favor and rent it now! I get goosebumps when Helen Reddy sings this song. I'm warning you now though, after watching this you are going to want to live in a lighthouse and have a pet imaginary dragon. So prepare to be disappointed with your lack of these items now.

I have to end with the best part of Disney, the Wishes fireworks at Magic Kingdom. (The pineapple dole whip in Adventureland is actually the best part of Disney but I don't have a video of that.) No matter how old you are these fireworks just pull at your heartstrings. They play music along with the fireworks that go off behind Cinderella's castle and time it perfectly. Even if you are not a huge Disney freak you will still enjoy this show.

So while your summer plans may not involve spending time at the Happiest Place on Earth or the great state of Texas I'm sure y'all have equally exciting plans! Anyone going abroad? Maybe to London for the Olympic games? That would be a pretty epic summer! Only a few weeks left of school so stay strong. In the words of one of my favorite Disney girls, Miley Cyrus, it's all about the climb.

It all started with a shoe

My favorite part of any outfit is the shoes, so naturally I can easily relate to Cinderella. While I’m sure those glass slippers were not the most comfortable shoes of all time, (this was before the brilliant invention of gel inserts after all) you can’t deny they were a knock-out. While Cinderella’s story centers on one iconic pair of shoes, I’ve listed a few different ideas I feel Cinderella would happily incorporate into her closet.

Not all occasions call for high heels. I’m sure even Cinderella herself would happily trade in her magical shoes for a simple pair of ballet flats once in awhile. In keeping with the essence of Cinderella, try a pair of silver or sparkle ballet flats. Flats would be much easier to run around a castle, or go off to class in. These shoes can be paired with a sundress for a dressed up look, or thrown on with a pair of jeans for a more casual approach.

                                                          

If you’re busy running around like Cinderella and have a tendency to slip out of your shoes, have no fear, there are ways to fix this problem. Leave no shoe behind! Adding a pair of heel grips to your heels can help eliminate the problem of constantly walking out of your shoes. For desperate cases try attaching a pair of invisible straps to your pumps. There are different varieties that come in clear shades, or decorative colors for a more daring and fashionable approach. The straps wrap around the bottom of your heel and the base of your foot to secure that your shoe will not get left behind at any ball. Prince Charming better just learn to take down your number.

On a college student budget, glass slippers are out of the question. Buying a new pair of heels may even be a stretch. Instead of going broke buying a pair of fabulous heels, try to spice up your current selection by adding new shoe accessories. Adding a shoe clip could change the entire look to your heels. There are dozens of sites online selling clips with rhinestones, bows and printed designs to help update your shoe collection.

                                          

Sometimes you spot the most gorgeous pair of shoes you have ever laid eyes on and it’s like magic. You must have them. Even though they’re incredibly painful and you may think the person who made them has a secret hatred for feet, they have to be yours. I too have fallen victim to this scam. They’re just too beautiful to pass up. You convince yourself that you will wear them all the time and get an insane amount of use out of them. Sadly 2 hours in your feet are screaming and you can’t deal with the pain anymore. Even the most comfortable pair of heels can feel like you’re walking on nails after a few hours. Who are you kidding, you’re not Victoria Beckham, it’s nearly impossible to live in heels 24/7. Thankfully some genius came up with a back-up plan, fast flats. These foldable ballet flats can fit in your purse and be carried around in case of emergencies. If you’re traveling into the city for an interview, or have a good amount of walking involved in your daily commute these wonder shoes are a fantastic investment. Wear these flats to and from your event so you can give your feet a rest from those painfully beautiful shoes you had to have.

                                                     

Don’t doubt the power of a pair of shoes. Without those glass slippers, Prince Charming would have never been able to find Cinderella. She is proof that the right pair of shoes can change your life.

Spring Break 2012

While many college students spend their spring breaks jetting off to exciting locations, spending time in the sun in bathing suits surrounded by various types of alcohol, I stayed at school. Before you start thinking, “Man this chick is lame” have no fear, I had a fantastic time. I just brought Florida to me! My best friend from Florida came to visit over my spring break. I decided to move to New York from the sunshine state last August sadly leaving my 2 roommates/best friends in Orlando. But I may be the luckiest person ever because they both were able to come and visit me this month. I already wrote about my adventures with Leah so now I have to document the epic-ness that was my week with Lindsey Ward.

Luckily this trip was not a surprise like it was with Leah. This gave me time to plan the cliché touristy events that most people roll their eyes at. Now being from Orlando and working at a theme park we are no stranger to the camera totting, fanny-pack wearing tourists, it’s just rare we get to be on the other side of the scene. Lindsey had never been to New York City before, so naturally we had to soak this up to the fullest extent. Warning: there are a lot of pictures ahead with cheesy peace signs and costumed characters we ran into.

We hit up the obvious tourist attractions first, the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, Rockefeller Center, Time Square and the Empire State Building (I was very disappointed Tom Hanks was not waiting for me at the top.) Although these are all great tourist sites my main goal was to get Lindsey some authentic New York food such as pizza, hot dogs, bagels, but mainly my focus was on getting cupcakes. I have quite a large sweet tooth. We had a chance to see all of the best sights in New York City but my favorite part of our entire vacation was sitting in Central Park chowing down on Magnolia’s cupcakes. I really don’t need anything more than sunshine and a cupcake to make me happy. For the record the chocolate coconut cupcake from Crumbs won best cupcake of the week, a highly coveted award given by my taste buds.

While trying to decide which Broadway show to see the obvious choice was the newest Disney production, The Newsies. I have been a fan of this movie ever since I was a kid and saw tiny Christian Bale belting out tunes over newspapers, so I was busting at the seams to get a chance to see this show. Unfortunately the lottery was not on our side the first 2 times we entered our names. But like people say, third time is a charm! After waiting through over a dozen names to be called they pulled out the last name to win tickets and yelled, “Victoria Powers!!” I again apologize to the people of Time Square for the level my voice got to. It was like tweens at a Justin Bieber concert. The show itself did not disappoint. The music, composed by Alan Menken, was phenomenal (but really when has Alan Menken let me down?) The song ‘Seize the Day’ still gives me chills, the way these boys dance is just incredible. It takes some serious talent to pull off flawless fouettes on top of a newspaper.  Jeremy Jordan, who plays the lead Jack Kelly, may have made Lindsey and I fall in love with him when he started belting out the last notes to Santa Fe. If you can get yourself to New York I highly recommend this show.

On our way to the city the last day I got a call from an unknown number. Being slightly curious I answered only to find out we had won tickets to go and see a taping for the David Letterman show! We had wanted to go see a taping of a show but being slightly lazy and over an hr away from the city were  not able to make it to any of the morning tapings. Fate was definitely on our side this trip. Dave, (that’s right we’re friends now so I can call him Dave) was really funny in person. Before the show started he came out and talked to the crowd and thanked us all for coming. Way to keep it classy Dave, well done.

Our week together was jam packed running around Manhattan, but we both had a great time experiencing a vacation as cheesy tourists. As I dropped her off at the airport at 4 am I was left with a few thoughts:

1.)    It is 4 am Lindsey, why on God’s green earth did you book such an early flight?

2.)    I wish I had a delorean so I could jump back to the beginning of this week.

3.)    I’m pretty lucky that my friends have come to visit me in New York.

With 3 days left of my spring break I’m left with nothing to do but watch Golden Girls and plan my upcoming trip back to Florida. Only 3 weeks left of school, let the countdown begin! Hope y’all had exciting spring breaks as well!