Jen A. Miller Consulting

Author: Jen A. Miller

Single Girl’s Night In

Catherine shares her picks for a movie night at home this weekend.

PHOTO: Catherine Abalos

September has been a crazy month, and as much fun as I’ve had traveling, catching up with friends, and executing events (basically my day job), I am looking forward to a full 48 hours of R&R. I am foregoing my original plan for a staycation, because I’m eyeing a new pair of Rag & Bone boots as a present to myself for fall. Instead, I’m planning to cozy up in my apartment, get a couple extra hours of shut-eye, read a book (has anyone read The Bone Season?), and catch-up on Netflix. While Scandal is currently streaming on my account, I’m going to do something I haven’t all year: watch a full-length movie. With a glass of wine and a giant bowl of popcorn in hand, I look forward to revisiting one of my classics.
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September 27, 2013
Unsung Rivalry

Born in San Francisco, Catherine shares her struggle with calling Los Angeles “home”

PHOTO: Pretty Stems

To some in L.A., the rivalry between San Francisco and Los Angeles is nonexistent. I think this rivalry stems from the deep-rooted rivalry between the Giants and the Dodgers in New York City. While only a handful of Angelenos are true fans of the Dodgers, everyone in San Francisco is a Giants fan. (That’s one point for S.F.)

When I decided to move south for school, I began to discover the difference in the two cultures. L.A. felt cold (in demeanor, not in climate, obviously), and I counted down days until trips home to the Bay Area—the down-to-earth Californian cousin. In college, every time I visited home and returned to L.A. a feeling of dread came over me as the plane approached LAX. I swore I would move back upon graduation. Then I didn’t.
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September 26, 2013
Where to Sell Your Clothes So You Can Reinvest in Your Fall Wardrobe

Add a few dollars to your pocket with our roundup of places—old & new—to sell your old clothes

PHOTO: My Shoes Speak Italian

It’s that time of year again… to forget about your flip flops, tuck away your tank tops, and banish your bikinis to the back of your drawers. Sweater weather has descended upon us, and our riding boots and blazers are ready to break free from the backs of our closets where they’ve been stowed away (for three seasons if you live in SoCal).

Of all of the seasons, you can’t help but to love fall for its inviting sense of style. Unlike summer’s skimpy attire which bears little concern for body image apprehensions or winter’s over-protective layers, fall fashion strikes the perfect balance. Just like Goldilocks discovering the perfect bowl of porridge, each year we rediscover the perfect balance fall brings—not too hot, not too cold, but just right.

You are probably receiving catalogs and emails from your favorite designers and retailers announcing their fall sales. You might have already been convinced to browse their online stores. Maybe you’ve even moseyed over to the mall to see what bargains you can land. Regardless of what stage you are in, chances are you are prepping for fall’s wardrobe.

Fall shopping is fun, but it also poses a couple of challenges. First, there’s the question of finding space for the new summer wardrobe you invested in just few short months summer ago. Then, there’s the question of figuring out how you’re going to finance the must-have bag, jeans, and jacket you’ve undoubtedly got your eye on.

The Single Diaries is here to help with solutions to clear out your closet and add a few dollars to your pocket. We bet that you have few articles of clothing from last year’s fall wardrobe that have fallen out of style and a handful of items from your summer wardrobe that are too trendy to stay in style for another year. Instead of keeping your closet cluttered with clothes you know you won’t wear, why not turn them into cash you can invest into your new fall wardrobe?

Read on for a roundup of the places we recommend for doing just that.

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September 25, 2013
Should I Live Alone?

The Pros and Cons of Going Solo

Photo courtesy of Christina Marie Riley @ Flickr

The end of September marks the end of my last few weeks in my apartment. I currently live with three other girls, all single, all blonde, all from Michigan. As life would have it, we are all simultaneously reaching turning points in our lives that are splitting us on different paths. Realizing this was happening, we understood that it was time for us to say goodbye to our apartment and our life together as roommates.

With the month ahead of me I am tasked with figuring out what my next living situation will be. To this point I have never lived alone, having bounced from my parents’ house to a college dorm, from a sorority house, to post-grad roommates. I’ve started to wonder, is it time to get a place of my own? Am I ready to face an empty apartment that won’t be filled with effortless social interaction?

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September 23, 2013
Single Girl Reads: Revenge Wears Prada

The voice vibrated in her toes, and Andy knew it was Alex before she turned around. Her Alex. Her first love, the man she always thought she’d marry…

As promised, I present The Single Diaries’ first book report. Released over the summer, Revenge Wears Prada is the sequel to novel-turned-film The Devil Wears Prada. I was number 30 on the waiting list at my local library and practically ran to the branch when it was ready for pick-up. (OK, so I drove… I do live in L.A.)

I am a fan of both the novel by Lauren Weisberger as well as the film starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. I found the character of Andy to be more like her on-screen persona (i.e. Anne Hathaway’s portrayal of her) than what I remembered from the first book; that is to say she was whinier and a bit annoying. In typical screen-Andy fashion, of course she would make rash decisions based on one bump in the road. Regardless, I rather enjoyed this read for what it was: another chick-lit tale of the first year of marriage.

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September 20, 2013