In celebration of this weeks Force Awakens premier we present to you Death Star! Finally an indica that is appropriate for night and day time. Of course it would be named after Star Wars. Death Star is a blend of the indica strain Sensi Star and the sativa Sour Diesel. Both strains have such dramatic effects that you would think the high from them being put together would drive you insane. Death Star is known to be a heavy indica, which is true but, the amount of euphoria that it takes from its sativa side is amazing. This strain is recommended for daytime or nighttime. It has great pain relief and tones of mental help. I would say this is a great strain to keep around for an anytime use. Its fairly popular now-a-days so, i'm sure you won't have trouble finding it! Keep it real! -Colin
When crossing the Blueberry indica strain and the legendary Haze sativa strain, you get an absolute amazing hybrid called BLUE DREAM!!! This strain is as good as it sounds. Every aspect that you look for in a sativa and a indica strain is within this strain. This type of hybrid is considered a sativa dominate. What that means is, when you smoke blue dream you get the euphoric creativeness that you would from a normal sativa but also, you get the relaxing pain relief that you would get from a normal indica. Patients that suffer from pain, depression, or nausea love this strain because normally they would have to smoke a heavy indica to relieve the threshold of these symptoms. Which usually make you very tired and unmotivated. But, because blue dream shares the best of both worlds, it doesn't make you drowsy but still gives you the pain relief with the desired motivation. A great strain to have in the morning with your cup of coffee.
Have an awesome week!!!! Peace -Colin
This strain is the one that everyone brings up when they try to nay-say marijuana. In no way at all does Green Crack have anything to do with real crack or even butt cracks for that matter. This strain was originally known as "Cush" and hit the scene in the early 90's in SoCal. Somewhere in its travels thru California, Cush got sold to Snoop Dogg and his crew. Its said that Snoop Dogg took a few hits of Cush and said that he was going to call it Green Crack for now on because of how quickly it hits you with energy and how much he just wanted to keep smoking it. This strain is a fantastic morning weed. It gives you every benefit of caffeine and gives you a lot of creative juices. Artist tend to keep Green Crack around cause of how well it helps to break through creative barriers. A great med for anyone who needs motivation, stress relief, anti-depression and pain relief. This is one of the most sought after strains out!!! Have a hazy week ya pot heads! -Colin
TRAINWRECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I. Fa-king. Love. This. Strain!!!! Seriously tho, one of the best scented and best tasting types of marijuana in my opinion. If you are looking for a cerebral “head high”, as the kids are calling it these days, this is a perfect strain to pick up. Trainwreck has been a household name for us marijuana abusers for decades now. I’m sure if you said the name “trainwreck” around your hippy parents, they would know exactly what you’re talking about. Besides giving a crazy awesome head buzz, this strain is great for patients that suffer from depression, anxiety, appetite stimulant, cramps associated with PMS, RLS, DDD, nausea, muscle aches, and eases pain from nerve damage. I personally have found myself leaning towards this strain whenever I’m in need of a pick me up. It helps take a bad mood and turn it right around. It’s also great to smoke during the day because it gives you a euphoric state of mind with a high amount of energy.
Smoke em if you got em boys and girls! Have a gnarly week!
-Colin
Two weeks ago I had no idea what Lamb's Bread was until this amazing strain came around and blew my mind. As soon as I ripped into the bulk bag, a sweet earthy pungent smell sneaked into my nose and I felt as if I've found true love. This super sativa has an instant euphoric feel, leaving you with an abundance of creative and inspirational thoughts. Lamb's Bread origins come out of Jamaica and is said to be a favorite of Bob Marley. Lamb's Bread is an amazing strain to have around when you have been feeling down in the dumps. Its a major mood booster. Lots of laughs are packed into this fantabulous strain.
Peace&Love -Colin
A few weeks ago, I touched on a cannabis product that most of us stoners call dabs. This week i'm going to talk about one of the methods you take dabs. Dab rigs are essentially bongs for the most part. They do make dab pipes but, they are absolutely awful and I don't recommend using them. The way you use dab rigs is a bit different.... Some say that it reminds them of how you would smoke crack and in which is why some don't partake in a dab sessions. You can use any normal water bong. The only extra pieces you need is a torch, dab nail and a dabber. Dab nails are made out of either quartz, ceramic or titanium. Each nail has different benefits. Dabbers are a glass or titanium rod that you use to touch the dab (wax) to the dab nail. You consume the dab by heating the nail with the torch then taking the dabber with the wax on the end of it and putting to the heated nail. The reason that dabbing is even popular is because it sedates you more than any other way of consuming marijuana. For patients with pain, some say it works better than the best narcotic. For stoners, they say it feels like the first time they've ever smoked again. Dabbing is the ultimate high. Peace! -Colin
The White is that kind of strain that you smoke once and fall in love with. I know people that won't even touch other strains cause of how much they love The White. This strain is claimed to be an indica dominate hybrid. You would never know that is its a hybrid unless you looked it up tho. It is a knock out bud. I will leave you feeling STONED COLD! If you needed help sleeping or with any pain, I would highly suggest The White. After the first three to four hits of this strain, you feel like you are on a cloud for hours. The white is not related to White Widow at all. There also is a strain called The Black which is on the sativa side of the fence. Keep it smokey!!! -Colin
I feel like I could walk on stars in these babies.
So, as well ALL know, festival season is upon us! Honestly, how could you not know when all you see on your feeds everywhere is #COACHELLA2K15. I myself don't have any plans to go to any festivals, because nothing exciting happens where I live, but I can dream, right?
Every time I wear LED Light Up Sneakers, I have these nostalgic flashbacks to my childhood years wearing light up flashy shoes, jumping and stomping around everywhere to show off my cool kicks! Who knew, as an almost 20 year old, I'd be doing the exact same thing! Shameless... All I want to do in these shoes, is dance around to 90's music, and run around for hours in the night!
The first shoes I'd seen that were like these, were the ASHISH Light-Up Platforms (shown above) back in February of 2014 for TopShop! But as you may know, ASHISH/Topshop can be a bit pricey, and I'm all about finding a better deal if I can!
I'm a big follower of TiltedSole, and they recently got these babies from Starry Eyed by BESTFIT! The very simple silhouette of the shoe, and the contrast of the light up soles, are the perfect blend of minimal, and flashy! They're extremely wearable, comfortable, and of course, flashy!
These shoes are available in high top, low top, slip-on, and a variety of colors! The way they work, is there's a button on the inner side of the shoe, so you can just click the sides of your feet together, and launch into galaxy shoe heaven! Your LED color options are RED, GREEN, BLUE, YELLOW, TEAL, PURPLE, and WHITE! Everyone asks if they run on battery, but they are actually come with a USB charger than you can just plug in, and let charge for 1-1.5 hours for a full charge, that should last a total of 4-5 straight of light-up dance party greatness!
I know everyone NEEDS a pair of these shoes for this Spring/Summer, because I already know these babes are going to be my go to shoe for every night out! Expect to see them a TON if you follow me on Instagram!
Use code: MELREY15 for 15% off of your purchase at TiltedSole
MEL XO
Toph-life has gotten an upgrade recently in the day-job department, which is not only exciting because I'll get more money(hold the problems, please), but because my schedule won't be all freaking up in my shit when I wanna go to shows. So look out for me in the near future, don't be shy because I'm shy and I'll never walk up to you(especially if you're cute). Also, look out for some live reviews and interviews since i'll actually have time on my hands to do such things.
photo cred: Tyler Humphrey
Anyway- earlier this week, MY DUDES in Lemix J. Buckley dropped a fucking killer single that kills you softly in a sexual way. It's this gorgeous, mathy emo ballad that channels feels through their twinkly, noodly guitar work and quick-witted rythm section. I friggin love these dudes, I've known Josh Gill and Alex Bazzi since before they were allowed to drink(are they even that old yet? shit.), and they have come such a long way. So fun to see locals gro into pros, especially when they're your homies and they write dope shit like this. This shit is called "Hauntings" and it is available to rock on bandcamp as you see below:
I know, I'm wet too.
Make sure you follow these fuckers on facebook and keep an eye out for shows. I also know from a specific source that there is much more where this song came from. You know my ass is posting a review on that shit as soon as it's out as well :)
Thanks again guys, I love you all! See ya soon.
-XOXO Toph
If you've never had a Jolly Pumpkin or aren't really used to the whole funky-brew thing yet, all the beers they have to offer may lead you to assume they've gone bad. They have not. Also no, they're not all pumpkin beers. In fact they only make one pumpkin beer and it's once a year. Jolly loves to infect all their delicious beers by letting them age in wooden barrels that have been carefully infused with bacterias such as brettanomyces, lactobacillus. These leave the beers with fruity esters, smelling of barnyards and having champagne-like characteristics on the tongue. Oro de Calabaza is brewed in the traditional Belgian Strong Ale way, but then aged on the bacteria barrels for some time. This is a nice light, not too sweet, but delightfully refreshing beer. Sort of spicy but in a zesty kind of way. Slightly floral with a nice acidity to it. Honestly, you can't really go wrong with anything from Jolly Pumpkin. It's obvious they are brewers who truly care about beer and see how many ways they can originate themselves by coming up with unique beer experiences such as this one. This could easily be paired with salads or white fishes. Maybe some chicken or turkey dishes. Cheers!
My Score: 99
Rate Beer: 99
Beer Advocate: 92
So personally, I'm not a big jeans person, just because I don't find them to be the most comfortable, but it is something I am trying to work my way into wearing more! My personal preferences for jeans is definitely light wash, acid wash, black, and TRASHED. Nearly every designer who does denim has come out with some kind of distressed denim look!
I own a few pairs of jeans, and all of the ones I own have some kind of rips or distressed look to them! It's safe to say the distressed, trashed look on denim is HUGE right now. Also, not just on jeans. But I see distressed denim jackets quite a bit as well!
I recently traded a pair of UNIF Twerk Jeans, for a UNIF distressed denim jacket with some cute patches on them! I'd say that was a fair trade, because I didn't wear the jeans all that much, and I've already gotten so much wear out of the jacket! I did a small shoot today wearing that jacket, and some ripped jeans! Here's just one picture of the jacket, you can see the rest on my personal style blog here!
If you tend to be crafty like myself, and don't feel like paying the extra money that really ripped off pieces cost, why not get into some DIY? I'm all about doing things myself if I can, and especially if it saves me money!
Here's how I learned to distress denim! NOW GO DESTROY SOME PANTS!!
Melanie XO
THIS SUMMER WE ARE STOKED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE GET TO BRING VILE TO VANS WARPED TOUR! WE CANT WAIT TO MEET ALL YOU COOL KIDS IN PERSON! SO FOR THIS WEEKS MUSIC MONDAY WE DECIDED TO MAKE A LIST OF BANDS WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE!
AND FOR WILD CARD MUST SEE, PLEASE CHECK OUT STATE CHAMPS BASSIST AND DETROIT NATIVE OUR BOY RYAN GRAHAM. HIS PROJECT SPEAK LOW IF YOU SPEAK LOVE WILL BE MAKING THEIR WAY UP THE EAST COAST! MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT HIS WORK AND MEMORIZE THE WORDS! THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF SING ALONG TIME WITH RYANS WONDERFUL ARSENAL OF LYRICS.
Yup. Fuckin' Black Label. It had been a while so I cracked one last night after a total shit day at work. You know what? That beer was delicious. I don't know if I just needed a beer so bad at that point that it could have been any beer, or something else. Either way, it lead to me doing some googling about said beer. FACT: Originally Carling's Black & White Lager, after renaming it, went on to become the world's first beer to be brewed on a mass international scale. This is back in the 20's.
FACT: Black Label sold amazingly well up to and through the 90's. It's a Canadian Lager that eventually opened up shop here in the states. The idea was to have a premium lager at prices that seemed more local. I guess it's always been cheap. There's nothing overly amazing about this beer. It just is. That may even be the best part. It's exactly that beer for when you just want a damn beer, and you don't want your pants brought down over the price. At this point if you've never had a Black Label... what? Were you ever a young human? You could probably go buy some right now with whatever is in your couch. That's the best. Cheers!
Who knew an 11 year old Christina Ricci, as Wednesday Addams, in a black with white peter pan collar dress would flash forward to 2015, and end up being such a huge trend. An effortlessly chic dress look, or a very last minute Halloween costume, accompanied by some braided pig-tails, tired eyes, pale skin, and a widows peak, the signature dress can be found at most clothing stores or websites! One of my favorite brands who kills the Wednesday Addams collar trend is a California based clothing, accessory, and shoe company, Deandri.
One of my favorite brands, Deandri , is consistently serving up some Wednesday Addams realness, whether it's a black with white collar dress, or a collared suspender crop top! They even have these fabulous BIBS! It may seem strange, but I feel like I remember thinking back years ago, "WHY hasn't anyone made something that I can put under any shirt/high neck dress as a collar?!" The internet is FULL of just little detachable collars, but when Deandri came out with the full bib, they changed the whole game! If it still sounds bizarre, check out the slideshow below, and be informed. Deandri is seriously killing the game with all of their innovative different takes on this contrasting collar trend! Every blogger I follow has sported pieces by Deandri, and tattooed mega babe, Kat Von D is crazy about Deandri. She's even gone as far to call their Black and White Grady Dress, "Dress of the Year!" I think Deandri fits the whole "Vile Girl" style so perfectly!
All Deandri photos taken from their Instagram: @Deandri
Well now that you've got your Wednesday Addams dress, you just need the make-up and hair to go along with it. Watch the video below to complete the look!
This signature style looks great on anyone, and I myself have a few pieces that go along well with the theme, so for Halloween at work, I did a Wednesday look, to keep it within dress-code. Tons of stores like H&M, Romwe, and Forever 21 have all carried, or carry pieces like these, at reasonable prices!
XO
Melanie
If you are anything like me, I love when I smoke some green that motivates my creativity to the point that I can't stop whatever project that I start til its finished. Mother's Helper is by far one of those strains. I absolutely love the earthy sweet smell and taste. It will have your head on cloud 9 for hours. This strain is a hybrid of the sativa Chocolope and the indica Northern Lights #5. The mix of is compared to heaven and hell for how completely opposite the two strains are. Mother's Helper is the type of smoke that leaves you feeling positive, creative and stoked on life. I hear a lot of patients like to have this strain around for anxiety, stress, headaches, pain and any type of depression. I would have to get it an A++ for its capability to knock down any writers block you might have. If you find Mother's Helper, I recommend you buy all of it and save as much as you can. Let me know so I can partake in the party as well. Have a great week friends! Smoke one for me!!! -Colin
photo by Blair Spear
So it's been a couple weeks, but things have been crazy since the last time I had a piece together for you guys. I hope y'all got to check out Berserker Fest, I heard it was a killer time. Meanwhile, when I was at Pizza Show at the stick- I saw some ridiculous live music that could have easily rivaled the lineups in ferndale, and I got to see punk bands at the Magic Stick(RIP) one last time before the "EDM scene"(blech) got it's chance to puke all over it. One band in particular caught my eye: Lake Effect.
These dudes hail from Port Huron, MI, and they fucking killed it live. Super raw, emotionally charged melodic hardcore homegrown in our own little angsty mitten. I love it. I bought a shirt and got to meet the dudes, as they were stationed right next to the vile merch at the show. Honestly the nicest, down to earth guys ever. Their most recent EP is titled "History" and you can snag it from bandcamp. They are presently writing a new batch of tracks to be released as well(as per their facebook page), so keep your eyes peeled- I'll probably be pulling a write-up on that bitch ASAP once it's done! MI kids- these dudes play out a bit, so make sure you catch them. They fucking bring it live! Make sure you say hi to them, and tell them Toph sent ya ;)
Here's a little snippet of their EP in youtube format-
Fucking dope, right?!? I think that jam might be my favorite on the whole set, so it's no surprise they've used it as the teaser. I just love how heavy and pretty the music gets behind the super raw split vocals. And it's sooooo tight, man- tight like your mom. I think you're adopted. There's no way a baby came outta there!
Once again- Get that shit from bandcamp(name your own price, beyotchhhhh!).
I'm out. Take it sleazy.
Love you guys!
XOXO - TOPH
The first bike I ever owned was a Honda CB750c. It was a cruiser, and at the time, not my taste, but I definitely loved it. From the moment that I parked that bike in my friends garage, I started tearing it apart. I grew up loving the look of flat trackers and scramblers, so I became acquainted with my bike, and got to work.
There were moments where I wanted to kick the bike on its side and just set it ablaze, and there were other moments where everything came together so perfectly. More times than not, the frustrating moments were the ones that have the most memorable stories. I was lucky to have friends that would come over and guide me or jump in and help tear down this bike, and rebuild it as I dreamed. This aspect of the riding community is one of my favorite parts: the stories of riding and brotherhood.
Every bike has a story to tell, and every rider has a handful of stories to go along with the bike, and the artists at Stories of Bike are passionate about telling those stories. Shot mostly in Australia, they beautifully document riders, explore their bikes, and talk about what drives their obsession.
According to this German dick I encountered a few days ago, this isn't an altbier. I rolled my eyes like a turd but really, it's more of an imperial altbier. With a higher abv at 8.5%, it's compared more to a barley wine style. It has a nice medium body and sticky. Definitely a sipper. Spicy notes, dark fruits. A little sweet and a little boozy. Overall it's a great German beer, even if it's not technically true to the style it presents itself as. That flip top lid bottle is awesome too. I'm looking at you, home brewers. Cheers!
My score: 93
Rate Beer: 98
Beer Advocate: 92
So as some may know, I work at an H&M here in Raleigh. As a very trendy store, lots of trendy people come through, so of course, I get to see every current trend that I've been scrolling through Instagram looking at, come to life in my store, which is pretty cool. One I've noticed for quite awhile now, that doesn't seem to go away, is all of the Pastel Princesses I've seen come through! So many adorable pastel heads of hair come through the store, and I drool in envy. My best friend and roommate are both Pastel QUEENS! Lacy usually floats somewhere between lavender, and silver purple; and Summer is either lavender, or platinum white blonde.
Because of how dark my hair naturally is, and how much dye and crap I have on my hair from past styles and colors I've done, it will be nearly impossible to have a mane of beautiful pastel hair! So, for now I can just admire from afar, and from my laptop screen as I scroll through Pinterest. My hair board on Pinterest is an overload of styles and colors, but here are a few of my favorite Pastel Princesses!
