Showing posts with label Sazanka Idris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sazanka Idris. Show all posts

Check Out Columbia's Hottest New Smoothie Shop, Blenders: Smoothies + Juice


There are a variety of restaurants you can find in downtown Columbia. However, it was missing one thing for health enthusiasts and fruit lovers on the go: a juice bar. With the official opening of Blenders: Smoothies + Juice in August, that’s no longer a problem.

Owner Kieran McBride previously worked at a smoothie shop in Kansas City before moving to Columbia three years ago. Combining his aspirations to open a business and the lack of a smoothie shop in downtown Columbia, McBride opened a store of his own.


In addition to basic smoothies, the Blenders' menu also consists of new smoothies created by McBride and the shop’s Facebook followers. In the shop and on their website, the smoothies are divided into six categories: citrus, tangy, sweet, smooth, active and gonzo. Blenders makes it easier for customers to choose smoothies based on the flavors they want.

Devil’s Icebox (strawberry, banana, Greek yogurt) and Hawaiian Elvis (orange, strawberry-lemonade, pineapple, mango) prove to be the crowd’s favorites so far.

If you’re still confused on what to get from Blenders, feel free to tell McBride what your favorite fruits are. Everybody’s taste buds are different, and he’ll provide you some options to satisfy them.

As if that’s not exciting enough, Blenders also sells warm pretzels and hot cider, which is perfect for the cold weather.

Head over to Blenders on 308 S. Ninth Street, Suite 113.

Check out their website. You can even order online to have your order ready once you get there!

Once you’ve had the Blenders experience, feel free to like their Facebook and follow their Twitter page. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

A big thanks to Blenders for their contributions to our fashion show "What's Your Muse?," which takes place this Sunday at 8 p.m. at Muse Clothing in downtown Columbia.

By: Sazanka Idris | Images: Source

Fashion News: Paris Fashion Week Recap


When it comes to style, no one does it better than the French. I feel like they have these genes inside of them that make them look cool wearing pretty much anything. Whether it's pretty or punk, we know we can count on the French to deliver. Here’s a recap of some of the major labels from Paris Fashion Week.

Isabel Marant

This French designer has done nothing but create trends and design staple pieces, to say the least. She started the wedge sneaker trend, which was followed by many other designer and retail labels.

This season she managed to mix edgy and sweet into her collection. Black leather and blazers were combined with soft floral patterns and ruffled hems. Black Mary-Janes became the accessory of the outfit, with an Isabel Marant twist of course. Speaking of Isabel Marant, who’s ready for her collaboration with H&M to come out? I know I am.

Saint Laurent

Hedi Slimane had a tough year dealing with critics. From the name change to the grunge-themed collection, things weren’t looking very positive.

This year, he took a different path from grunge while still keeping the youthful look. This was shown through the short skirts that dominantly pranced through the runway. The color theme was mostly black with a couple of bright colors such as green and pink.

Chanel

While Isabel Marant and Saint Laurent showed an edgier side of French fashion, you can always count on Chanel to bring a whimsical show. Color blocking and pattern playing was present in the collection. The boxy silhouettes gave the collection a more masculine look, besides the fact that the colors used were mostly very feminine.

Let's not forget to mention Cara Delevingne and Lindsey Wixson opened and closed the show ... now that’s just icing on the cake.

By: Sazanka Idris | Images: Source

Save or Splurge: Internship-Ready Dresses


Summer is approaching sooner than you think, and you still need to fill up that closet with more summer internship appropriate pieces. Well, you’re in luck, because I still have a couple ideas up my sleeve that can help you with that process.

This is for one of those days when your alarm doesn’t go off or you just simply don’t know what to wear for that day. Dresses are always my go-to for these types of situations. However, I don’t think our summer dresses will make the cut for our goal of creating a professional summer outfit.

In finding a dress for the office, make sure that it covers in all the right places and has a structured fit.

This LOFT dress does just that: It’s sleeveless, but it has a halter neckline that covers most of the chest and shoulders. The cutout above the chest gives the dress a fun feel while keeping what should be covered, well, covered.

LOFT, Asymmetrical Hem Sleeveless Dress; $59.99

The elastic waist will define your body, giving a structured look to what otherwise is also a fun, flirty dress. An asymmetrical hemline will make you stand out from the A-lined dresses and look on-trend at the office. Pair this $59.99 dress with minimum jewelry and pumps to look successful without sacrificing fashion. It’s also available in three different colors, too!

However, you can get a similar look for half the price with this Old Navy dress.



Old Navy, Women’s Split-Neck Sleeveless Dresses; $29.94 

Even though it doesn’t have an asymmetrical hemline, the dress has a halter neckline with a perfect slit-neck that ends right above the chest. It has empire waist, which can give you the illusion that you are taller than you actually are! So flats, preferably nude to keep the professional tone, can definitely be paired with it. The best part: It’s only $29.94.

NOTE: Keep in mind you can always throw a cardigan or light jacket over your dress for the office. You can use this to dress the outfit up or down depending on what you think is best for your workplace. Also, it tends to be a bit on the chilly side in some work environments, so keeping a cardigan handy is always a good idea!

So for a quick and easy, chic piece for your closet, will you save … or will you splurge?

This fashion piece is part of Sazanka Idris’ weekly lifestyle column, “Save or Splurge,” which compares products or services to help college students manage their budgets.

By: Sazanka Idris | Image: Source

Dress for Internship Success: The Peep Toe Wedge

Image Source

I promised in my last week’s article that I would give more options for investment pieces for your summer internship. Here you go, my second investment piece, none other than: the shoes.

Being an intern is not going to be easy. We will have to always be on our feet and ready to take on whatever task will be handed to us. We might even have to run around (literally) to complete the to-do list given by our bosses! Now imagine having to do all those while looking professional and put together … in the heat.

The perfect pair shoes can make everything easier if they are comfortable, light and preferably neutral colored (so they can match with a lot of different outfits). That is why I think this Tory Burch peep toe wedge is a great splurge for a summer internship.

Bloomingdale’s, Tory Burch Peep Toe Wedge Pumps - Eddie; $250

The simplicity and sleekness portray professionalism, the look we all need to impress our bosses (and maybe even the whole office). The wedges are only 2.5 inches high, enabling us to move easier –and faster– without having to sacrifice our desire for additional height (you ladies know how good it feels to wear heels, right?).

Now the peep toe, don’t even get me started on the peep toe! It gives a laid back, summer feel to a structured wedge without becoming completely casual (like sandals, which you should definitely stay away from.) You can also easily transform your work look into a going-out look for those fun summer nights with your friends or beau, without having to change your shoes.

They’re surprisingly comfortable, too. I personally know someone who lives in Tory Burch wedges, and let’s just say she survived walking up and down the stairs of a construction building. True story.

Sadly, these perfect peep toes are pretty pricey, and that’s not perfectly ideal for everyone. If you want to spend less, but get the same look, Forever 21 has a similar pair for you!
Forever 21, Peep Toe Wedges; $24.80

Made out of faux leather, also peep toed and also available in neutral colors, these are the true definition of a bargain. The only problem is that it’s 1.5 inches higher.

I do recommend that you wear these shoes around before your internship starts so that your feet gets used to it and won’t hurt on your first day! Yikes. Please let that pain be far away from our internship experience as possible.

So will you put your best foot forward this summer in a save ... or a splurge?

 This fashion piece is part of Sazanka Idris’ weekly lifestyle column, “Save or Splurge,” which compares products or services to help college students manage their budgets.

By: Sazanka Idris

Dress for Internship Success: The Colored Blazer


If you’ve earned a summer internship or better yet, a job, high five! Give yourselves a big pat on the back because no matter how big or small it is, the experience will take you a long way. I got a summer internship back home in my tropical country, and there’s this one huge question I’ve been asking myself: What am I going to wear?

Now, I bet the weather here (or anywhere else in the world except for the poles and Australia) and in my hometown won’t be that much of a difference. It’s going to be hot, humid and sweaty. So how can we look like we’re ready to conquer our internships without suffocating through that cotton dress shirt and boxy blazer?

I believe with the right pieces we can still look professional without breaking a sweat in the summer. However, we might have to break our banks.

This MICHAEL Michael Kors blazer is perfect for a summer internship because not only is it light, but it also comes in a variety of bright colors that are perfect for the summer. Whichever color you choose will become the statement piece of your whole outfit and will make you stand out from the rest in the office.

MICHAEL Michael Kors, Shirred Sleeve Jacket: $130

A blazer can give you the freedom to wear lighter clothes beneath it, even ones with spaghetti straps. A thin blouse with capris is the perfect complement for a bright blazer like this. Remember though, you still want to show professionalism in the way you dress. So a low-cut, see-through blouse might not be a good choice to pair with a blazer. However, chicness comes with the price of $130.

If you would like to make more money than spend this summer, you can opt out for a similar blazer for less. For $59.90, Gibson’s Collarless linen blazer is a great alternative for less than half the price.

Gibson, Collarless Linen Blazer: $59.90

So for a polished, colored blazer perfect for a thriving summer intern, will you save … or will you splurge?

Keep on the lookout for my next columns, giving you save and splurge options for other summer internship outfit investment pieces.

 This fashion piece is part of Sazanka Idris’ weekly lifestyle column, “Save or Splurge,” which compares products or services to help college students manage their budgets.

By: Sazanka Idris | Image: Source

Save or Splurge: One-Piece Swimsuits

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I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who is anxiously waiting for summer to come. It’s so close...yet so far. Even though we’re still stuck here for a couple more weeks, it doesn’t mean we can’t get a head start on our summer shopping, and yes, that includes swimwear.

Bikinis are cute and all that, but they’re so expected and average. Everybody is going to be wearing them in all different shapes, colors and patterns. So how can you stand out? Why not go old school with a one-piece!

Asos, Piha Spot And Stripe Mix Skirted Swimsuit: $91.44

This swimsuit is anything but ordinary. Its blue and white polka dots and stripes give you the nautical look with a hint of flirtiness from the flare of the skirt. The straps are adjustable and versatile, meaning you can put in on or take it off easily. This one-piece is cute to play around in the summer, even if you’re not near the waters.

If you want to look more mature, Kushcush’s one-piece jumper is the swimwear for you.

Anthropologie, Kushcush Lovey Jumpet One Piece: $165

This strapless one-piece shows off the right amount of skin without revealing more than you want to. The band on the waist with a touch of thin string transforms a simple swimsuit jumper into a one-piece that outlines females’ greatest gift. Why, our curves of course!

The one-piece is designed to flaunt every body type. 

Asos, Pour Moi D-G Underwired Strapless Suit: $66.50

Pour Moi’s nautical-themed swimsuit with a mix of polka dot and striped patterns will make you feel like a pretty pin-up babe either on the beach, in your local swimming pool or basically anywhere you can slip on this one-piece. The straps are versatile, too. Looking cute and sexy at the same time comes with a price though, $66.50, to be exact.

If you want to go for the same look without spending the money, Target has an alternative option.


Target, Clean Water Women's Polka Dot 1-Piece Swim Dress: $36

For $36, you can get a flirty, tiny polka dotted one-piece similar to the one sold at Asos. The straps are also adjustable to give you the choice of pulling two different looks. This one-piece is also called a swim dress because the top part extends towards the hips and covers it, unlike a regular one-piece swimsuit.

So for an out of the ordinary summer essential, will you save...or will you splurge?

This fashion piece is part of Sazanka Idris’ weekly lifestyle column, “Save or Splurge,” which compares products or services to help college students manage their budgets.

By: Sazanka Idris

Save or Splurge: Coconut Water


Water can be the hardest thing to drink, even though it’s the most healthy drink for us out there. Not to mention that water is vital for our health, and we need to drink a certain amount everyday to stay hydrated. Sometimes, no matter how many lemons you put into your water to give it some flavor, it’s just not enough. And if you’re like me who tries to stay healthy but gets tired of water, then listen up.

Coconut water is one of America’s new crazes, but as an Asian from a tropical country, it’s nothing new to me. Back home I would drink coconut water (and its coconut “meat”) because it was always served as a casual beverage, like lemonade to Americans. I could easily buy coconut water from street vendors, who sold them for less than a dollar per coconut.

What I didn’t know then is that coconut water contains a lot of supplements that are beneficial for our health. With only 60 calories, coconut water contains potassium and glucose used to lower our blood pressure and supply sugar needed for energy, in addition to vitamin C and B.

I definitely recommend switching your sports drink to coconut water because it has less sugar and more potassium. The sweet flavor of coconut water even has less sugar than most fruit juices… and soda, obviously.

However, as amazing as coconut water sounds, there is a limit to it. You have to be aware that it does contain sugar, and consuming a couple bottles a day is equivalent to consuming other sugary drinks. Regardless, it will be one of the most refreshing drinks you will ever taste, and it’s definitely worth a try.

Now, being in the landlocked city of Columbia, Mo., I did suffer from withdrawal for a couple months. The coconut waters found in chained supermarkets just weren’t as fresh as I wanted it to be, and the flavor just didn’t taste the same as the coconut waters I drank back home.

That was until I found Harmless Harvest’s 100% Raw and Organic Coconut Water available at Clover's Natural Foods. Its flavor was similar to the ones sold by the street vendors: natural and fresh. It turns out that this is because the bottle that the water comes in are designed to apply pressure to the water the same way that it would in an actual coconut. And there’s a price to pay for that: Each bottle ranges from $2.50-$4 in price.


For a cheaper alternative, I recommend Chaokoh’s Young Coconut Juice for only $1.25 a can, available at Chong’s Oriental Market. Sadly, it also contains coconut pulps (the “meat” I was telling you about earlier), which brings the calories up to 220. But it won’t hurt to enjoy for self-indulgence once in awhile, right?


So for a healthy, refreshing drink that will make you feel like you’re on a tropical island with every gulp, will you save ... or will you splurge?

This piece is part of Sazanka Idris’ weekly lifestyle column, “Save or Splurge,” which compares products or services to help college students manage their budgets.

By: Sazanka Idris | Image: Source

5 Female Fashion Bloggers We Love


It’s no secret that blogging is one of the most successful ways to be a part of the fashion industry. Posting pictures of outfits is cool and all that, but the following women are bringing something more to the blogosphere. Some of them already got their foot in the door but made their name huge and easily recognizable in the industry, and some of them built a brand for themselves from scratch, both by using the modern tool of blogging. They all started from creating a page on free blogging websites into having a website to call their own. It’s obvious that these ladies are worth mentioning during Women’s History Month, as they’re making their own history in the fashion industry. Here are five modern ladies taking the fashion world by storm, one blog post at a time.

Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere
cupcakesandcashmere.com

Blogging about not only fashion, but also food, interior décor and DIYs, Emily covers it all with elegance. You can really tell from just looking at a couple of her posts how ladylike and put together she is in almost everything she does. Her photographs are sweet and artistic in a calm way, with pastels as her main color pallet for her blog. Don’t get me started on her food posts, which are not only of the ones she ate at different unique restaurants, but also the ones she cooks in her own kitchen. Scrolling through her blog page after page will make you dream of a life full of precious little details that really matter, which is actually pretty realistic if you set your mind to it. At least, that’s what I think Emily’s trying to prove to me.

Garance Dore of Garance Dore
garancedore.fr/en


Notable for her fashion illustrations, this Parisian climbed up her way to the fashion industry herself when she realized that’s where her passion lies. She is now an acknowledged fashion photographer, covering both fashion shows and street style. Not long ago, she released a web-series following her adventures during fashion week where we can get a glance of the people she meets and her activities as a fashion photographer and illustrator during fashion week. Her sweet and outgoing personality really shows through her videos, which makes her that much more lovable.

Tavi Genvinson of Style Rookie
thestylerookie.com

Met Anna Wintour? Check. Karl Lagerfeld? Check. She also scored her first front seat at New York Fashion Week at the age of 13 and since then, the whole industry turned their heads toward little Miss Tavi Gevinson. She started expressing her interest in fashion along with posts about her normal eighth-grade life. However, this was enough to catch the attention of industry insiders and soon enough her quirky style and unique critiques were noticed. Her latest venture was founding and becoming the editor-in-chief of an online magazine called Rookie Magazine, written by girls for girls. It’s pure genius, I tell you. Check it out here. I have a feeling this won’t be her last bright idea.

Elin Kling of Style by Kling
stylebykling.nowmanifest.com

This Swedish native was in charge of the fashion section of Sweden’s second-largest newspaper, Expressen, before becoming her own fashion media mogul. Besides being a co-founder of Fashion Networks International, Kling is also the Fashion Director of her own magazine called STYLEBY. You read it right: her own. She documents all of her work and travels on her blog along with outfit posts that reflects her simple, cool and in-control style. With two design collaborations and a net-a-porter campaign in her pocket, Kling is definitely sticking around.

Leandra Medine of Man Repeller
manrepeller.com

Based in New York, Medine takes fashion styling to the next level. She started from a simple blog using Blogger, defining what it means to be a “man repeller” through outfits. Her unique approach to fashion landed her front seats to shows on fashion weeks all over the world. She has gone from a normal, New Yorker college student into a fashion blogger icon. She doesn’t even go by her own name most of the time, Man Repeller has become her identity. As if her posts about man repelling outfits and fashion events aren’t beyond cool enough, she also sometimes posts and discusses (as in reply her readers’ comments) conversational topics (like, the Tinder app) with a perfect amount of humor, sarcasm, and wit. Medine is definitely not your average fashion blogger.

By: Sazanka Idris 

Save or Splurge: Lip Savers

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Rough lips are as bad as rough skin. They don’t look flattering, and it doesn’t feel good to have them. Especially with the inconsistent weather we’ve been through, simply applying lip balm just won’t cut it. That is, unless you’re constantly doing it every five minutes. 

Now there are two ways to fix this overnight: the save way or the splurge way.

If you want the ultimate treatment for your lips, use Bite’s Whipped Cherry Lip Scrub. The natural ingredients will scrub away dead skins on lips, leaving them smooth and moisturized. The cherry smell is a sweet bonus. You can have velvety, luscious lips for $18, an investment for the perfect lipsticked lips.



A great alternative that I can’t go to bed without is Bath and Body Works’ My Favorite Night Balm. No matter how dry your lips are at night, you better believe that they will transform into soft and smooth lips in the morning. For $7.50, you can apply the balm every night for fresh lips the next day.



So to keep your smooch-tool looking rich and healthy, will you save ... or will you splurge?

This beauty piece is part of Sazanka Idris’ weekly lifestyle column, “Save or Splurge,” which compares products or services to help college students manage their budgets. 

By: Sazanka Idris

Save Or Splurge: BB Cream


Ever since my best friend introduced me to BB Cream last summer, I have become obsessed and continue to use it in my everyday makeup routine. We were in Bali island, and I wanted to cover my uneven skin tone with something that would not make my face look cakey. Especially after wearing sunscreen on my face, can you imagine wearing another layer of powder or foundation after that? Ew, no. So she offered me to try her BB Cream by Etude House, a Korean cosmetic brand, and I never stopped using it since then. It’s light, it evens out my skin tone and it has all these additional benefits that you can’t get from just powders or foundations.

For those of you who are not familiar with BB Cream, it’s a cream-like moisturizer, primer, foundation and sunblock. By applying a pea-size amount evenly to your face and neck, BB Creams prime, hydrate and protect the skin — all in a light formula. It also conceals and treats dark spots caused by acne and sun exposure and evens out the skin tone. This one-stop cream was founded and developed in Korea, but lately American cosmetic brands have been releasing their own version of BB Creams. So the basic contents of all BB Creams are the same, but some have extra benefits that the others don’t. The SPF among different brands varies, so that’s also another factor to consider when buying BB Creams.

As if all those benefits aren’t enough, BB Creams are also versatile enough to use alone or with other base products, such as concealers or powders.

Korean cosmetic companies have been innovating and improving BB Creams for quite a while now, including the Korean brand Dr.Jart+. For a high-quality product that will definitely give you all the BB Cream benefits and also hydrates your face all day with their Water Bead Technology, Dr.Jart+’s Water Fuse Beauty Balm with SPF 25 is one of the best you can get out there. This product has only one shade available, unlike other brands that have various shades for different colored skin tones, because the formula enables the balm to blend with and be absorbed by any skin types and colors. There’s no way that you can go wrong with this BB Cream, except for the fact that it costs $34. I consider it an investment that will save your face and your time in the long run.



The best one from the drugstore for our not-so-friendly pocket is Revlon’s Photoready BB Cream. For only $8.49, Revlon’s BB Cream comes in three different shades identical to their other base products. So for original Revlon users, you’re in luck! The cream has a dewy and satiny finish to it, and it has a higher SPF than other brands. The best part about Revlon’s BB Cream is that is has no smell, which can be noticeable and unbearable in other products.

So for a five-in-one skin saver like this, will you save … or will you splurge?

This beauty piece is part of Sazanka Idris’ weekly lifestyle column, “Save or Splurge,” which compares products or services to help college students manage their budgets.
By: Sazanka Idris | Image: Source

Foodie City Spotlight: New York City


New York is the type of city where there are many ways to enjoy it at its best. Based on personal experience, going back to New York will bring new experiences and new memories. There’s just so much to discover and explore; a couple of days (or even a couple weeks) will not be enough. But there are three restaurants that are a definite must when visiting New York because each one gives you a different atmosphere that is mandatory for the New York experience.

Shake Shack


Shake Shack offers a variety of freshly processed food, such as burgers and hot dogs and also sweet treats, such as shakes and custards. However, they are not only famous for their delicious, fresh and savory food and drinks, but also for a unique eating atmosphere. The company started from a simple hot dog cart in Madison Square Park and expanded into three different distinct fast food restaurants in the city. Even though the order line is almost always packed (it can even end outside of the restaurant at the one in the Theatre District), the service isn’t a long, dreadful wait. You’ll get your order after exchanging a couple of conversations with your company. I recommend trying the ‘Shack Stack,’ which is a cheeseburger with crisp-fried portobello mushrooms oozing out when you take a bite. For dessert, any of their ‘concrete,’ which is their dense, blended frozen custard with mix-ins (fudge sauce, strawberry puree, the list goes on and on), will surely make your tummy happy.

Location: Various locations throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn
Price: $5+
Website: www.shakeshack.com 

Dean and Deluca




Want to take the tourist hat off and act like an actual New Yorker? Have lunch at none other than Dean and Deluca in SoHo. Super busy, yet super trendy New Yorkers grab lunch at this super exclusive supermarket. From frozen pasta to sushi, every possible on-the-go yet well-prepared food is available here. Their variety of soup makes soup one of the most popular items and are served in an ice-cream-cup-like bowl with your choice of bread. There’s really no seating place in the supermarket, or any space to properly eat your food on that note, but there are chest-high tables where you can eat while standing up. Here’s the catch: Eat your meal quickly or else you’ll look like all the other tourists taking their time (and the small tiny space) and devouring their food.

Location: 560 Broadway on Price Street
Price: 10+
Website: www.deandeluca.com

Serendipity

Small space? Yes. Long waiting list? Yes. Worth every minute you wait to finally sit down in their uber-cool and uber-unique restaurant? Yes. Serendipity is known for being the location of one of the most romantic movies ever made about a man and a woman who met in serendipity (the noun). Since then, people from all over the world and also New York residents are constantly filling up the tiny restaurant and the waiting list. You cannot leave Serendipity without ordering their trademarked frozen hot chocolate. Yup, that’s right. Trademarked. While you’re at it, go wild with their dessert options. There’s never one I didn’t like … or finish. And if you’re waitlisted for more than two hours, don’t give up. There’s a seven-and-a-half-story Bloomingdale’s not far from the restaurant and Dylan’s Candy Bar right around the corner.

Location: 225 E. 60th St.
Price: $10+
Website: www.serendipity3.com 

By: Sazanka Idris

Joan Rivers Rocks the Crowd


Walking over to the Missouri Theater with my Joan Rivers ticket in hand the evening of Friday, March 15, I didn’t know what to expect from the show. I didn’t know if she was going to talk about fashion, her life, her career with humor on the side … or what! Even though I had no clue what I was getting into, I was still really looking forward to what she was going to bring to the stage. I watch her on “Fashion Police” on E! religiously, so I was sure that she knew how to entertain a crowd and bring out its humor.

What surprised me was seeing the wide variety of people that came to watch her show. I thought the theatre was going to be dominated by college girls, but I was proven wrong. There were actually several groups of older ladies who showed lots of excitement. The one who was sitting next to me asked if I’d seen “Joan and Melissa: Joan Knows Best?," which is River’s reality TV show starring her and her daughter. The show is about the conflicts they go through being mother and daughter, with the fact that Rivers is an international entertainment mogul. I told her that I hadn't, but I do love her on “Fashion Police.” And then it hit me. Rivers has successfully entertained females, from young adults to elderly, with her TV shows in addition to her three best-selling books.

When a voice suddenly came on announcing that her show is not intended to offend anyone in any way, shape or form, I had a feeling we were going to be presented with the comical Rivers we usually see on TV. A stand-up comedian warmed up the audience before Rivers came out wearing a long (and when I say long, I mean to the floor long) black and gold coat with pointy, black and gold heeled stilettos. She admitted that her outfit was planned especially for her performance in Columbia because she knew it was our school’s colors.

Rivers opened her show throwing out some jokes about celebrities ranging from Barbara Streisand to Angelina Jolie to the Kardashians. She was very active, too, walking all over the stage from each end, ranting about the people that get on her nerves (Anne Hathaway and Renee Zellweger, to name a few) and the people she hangs out with (including the legendary Cher and Kathy Griffin).

There also were moments during her show where she would just do things like getting on top of the piano and rolling around on the floor that made you wonder, “Is she really 79 years old?” I also noticed that when she would say something really offensive and horrible about someone, she would knock on the wooden stool that was set in the middle of the stage. Not to mention that it was also her only prop she used (if you can call it that since she didn’t really use it for anything).

Just when I thought the laughs would finally die down after an hour, as she ended the show, she came back on stage wearing her iconic pink feather coat that she used in her “Fashion Police” commercials on E!. She ranted a little bit more about her dog who recently died before giving the flower pots that were set on stage to a couple of people who were sitting on the front row. Then, she closed the show by taking off her clipped extensions! A total Rivers move.

All in all, it was an entertaining show to end a hectic school week. I laughed the whole entire time just watching Joan Rivers being Joan Rivers on stage. I would definitely recommend seeing her next time she’s in town — Columbia or your hometown! You’ll get a pretty good laugh out of her.

By: Sazanka Idris

Save or Splurge: Argan Oil


When I was two, I was bald. So my mom did all she could to make my hair grow. She used every type of herb you can find, convinced by the myths that they can make hair grow faster and thicker. From the sticky paste inside an aloe vera plant to candlenut jam, she used them all. Now as crazy as that might sound, the result is much crazier. At first my hair was normal and straight, but then as I grew older it became thick, wavy and volumized. Not to mention I grew up in Indonesia, a very humid country all year round. Since my transformation, I had no choice but to tie my hair into a ponytail almost everyday.

What’s worse is that my hair also has a rough texture and is always frizzy. I tried almost every hair product out there from different shampoos and conditioners to spray and cream hair products. All the results ended up the same until I discovered the magic of argan oil.

Argan oil is also known as Moroccan oil because it is made from argan trees that can only be found in Morocco. The benefits of argan oil are endless. This sultry, gold fluorescent oil gives benefits to not only the hair, but the face and the body, too.

I wanted to use an argan oil product on my hair as frequently as I wash it, so I decided to save. I bought Renpure’s Organics Argan Oil Deep Penetrating Reconstructor, which is a deep conditioning cream used on damp hair for three to 30 minutes. The ingredients of Renpure’s Argan Oil are organic and free from harmful chemicals. It contains various vitamins and minerals to transform the hair into becoming generally healthier, and they do. After using this product a couple times, my hair is shinier and smoother than ever before. I can FEEL that my hair is healthier. Renpure’s Organic Argan Oil also repairs dry and split ends caused from hair dryers and straighteners, which I use almost everyday to help tame my hair. The best part: it’s only $5.99!

To splurge, one of the best high-quality cosmetic brands out there, Josie Maran, sells 100 percent pure argan oil that can be used on skin, hair and nails. It is ideal to enrich almost every part of your body and to get the treatment right at home. The catch: it costs $14 for only 0.5 ounces of oil.



It’s a natural genius, I promise you. So will you save ... or will you splurge?

By: Sazanka Idris | Images: 1, 2, 3

Save or Splurge: Bandeaus & Bralettes


The month of March only means one thing: Spring break is right around the corner. I can already smell the freedom and the warm weather, even though I don’t have any definite plans for my week yet. I have, though, been preparing my spring and summer clothes in anticipation that the cold weather and dreadful snowstorms will be long gone by then. I can’t wait to be able to wear the clothes that I’ve been keeping in my storage box all winter, such as sheer tops and tank tops, and what better way to pair those tops than with bandeaus and bralettes!

I consider Victoria Secret’s PINK the queen of bandeaus and bralettes for the huge selection they offer. From cotton to lace, patterns to colors and reversible to crop, PINK has it all. They even have a variety of patterns and colors for a single type of bandeau and bralette. However, they come in a not-so-fun-and flirty price between $19.90 and $26.50. That seems like quite a lot, but some are worth investing in, like these bandeaus and bralettes.
PINK, Lace Bandeau: $19.50

PINK, Crop Bandeau: $24.50
PINK, Lace Bralette: $24.50

For an alternative, Aeropostale has bralettes in five different bright colors for $9, and Aerie has lace bandeaus in 12 different colors for $12.95! You can still rock that cool hippie festival-goer look under a budget. Here are some of my favorites perfect for sunny spring days.
Aerie, Vintage Lace Bandeau: $12.95


Aeropostale, Solid Lace Woven Bandeau: $9

The cool thing about this Aeropostale bandeau is that the straps can come on or off, so it’s a versatile bandeau that can turn into a bralette!

Whether you chose to save or to splurge, I highly recommend getting these flirty cover-ups to complete your perfect spring break outfits! I know I will.

This fashion piece is part of Sazanka Idris’ weekly lifestyle column, “Save or Splurge,” which compares products or services to help college students manage their budgets.
By: Sazanka Idris

True/False Film Festival Preview


Even with all the snowstorms in Columbia’s way, the True/False Film Festival is one outstanding event that is worth bundling up to attend. Since 2003, the festival has been bringing fresh documentaries that have been featured at larger film festivals like Sundance and Toronto to downtown Columbia. So before these movies become huge, you can watch them this weekend in the heart of CoMo.

The box office is located at 1020 E. Broadway, on the corner of Hitt and Broadway. Each ticket costs $8 at the box office and $12 at the door, if there are still tickets left before the show. Not bad for a college student, especially for the cool experience you are going to get! There are even panels with the directors and producers to answer burning questions and provide insight into their work.


Still not convinced? Here are some documentaries that caught my eye while reading the festival’s program.

"Cutie and the Boxer"


If you’re looking for a realistic yet romantic story, "Cutie and The Boxer" will be the choice for you. The documentary follows a Japanese husband and wife in New York who have been living their lives striving to achieve their big dreams of becoming artists. The wife, Noriko, described their relationship as “two plants in one pot” fighting for the same “nutrition” when sometimes there’s not enough. This story lays out the strong love and hate relationship in their 40-year-old marriage and how that shaped the relationship they have today. It’s going to be bitter-sweet.

"Stories We Tell"


For a light investigation and analytical story, "Stories We Tell" reveals an incident that happened in director Sarah Polley’s family. She managed to push her family members to tell the story as they know it, showing the various angles different members have. As the layers of the story are stripped one by one to find the true facts, characteristics of storytellers are revealed. Maybe we can see ourselves and the way we tell stories to people while following Polley’s family’s story.

"Manhunt"

If you liked Kathryn Bigelow’s "Zero Dark Thirty," you might want to check out "Manhunt." The documentary focuses on the investigators of Bin Laden who went largely unnoticed during the media coverage of the event. Most of them are women who have been doing research for almost 20 years. The director managed to capture the personalities of the women during the movie, which makes us understand the reality of the situation. Watching other women chasing the most wanted man by America? Oh, hell yes! Girl power.

"Twenty Feet From Stardom"


"Twenty Feet From Stardom" shines the light on the backup singers of famous artists like Michael Jackson, Phil Spector and The Rolling Stones. The documentary follows the journey of these three women, the past careers they had in the shadows and what the future awaits for them now. The movie sounds like a story that can move us college girls into dreaming and achieving bigger, to appreciate our own talents and to learn to not settle for less.

"Who is Dayani Cristal?"


For a thrilling mystery, "Who is Dayani Cristal?"is the movie for you. The documentary uncovers the search for the identity of a dead man found lying next to the Mexico border. The only clue the investigators can use to find it is a tattoo across the dead man’s body that reads “Dayani Cristal.” The search takes them to Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, tracing back the steps the man took that led his way to the U.S. side of the border where he took his last breath. Now who doesn’t want to know the ending of that?

By: Sazanka Idris
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