My Essay on the Berry: Who Would You Date In The Battle Of The ’90s TV Boyfriends?

My second article for the Berry couldn’t have come out at a better time — isn’t it great when things work out like that?

To coincide with TV Week, my article “Who Would You Date In The Battle Of The ’90s TV Boyfriends?” went live this morning!! Oh, those awesome characters! Sure, they can sometimes be two dimensional, but we most certainly can’t rule out the dreamy factor, can we?? After all, they help form some of our greatest binge-watching memories and, especially, made our formative years full of pure joy.

Here’s an excerpt of the essay, which literally had me smiling as I was writing it; I can’t be the only writer who does that, right??

I’m a fierce TV watcher. I take it VERY seriously and was a hard-core binger wayyy before the phrase even became a hot trending topic. I’m also a lover of the ’90s. I fall in love with characters — OK, lots of times as if they were real people! — and my teen years were spent in a haze of TV’s best boyfriends. Thanks to the teen drama boom spearheaded by the WB, there seemed to be a guy for everyone.

So let’s take a little trip down memory lane, shall we? Who would win in a Battle of the ’90s TV Boyfriends? Here are 10 top contenders, known for everything from their keen sense of style to their brooding nature…

You can read the full essay here and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me anytime at mellow1422@aol.com and let’s chat! And of course, feel free to share my essay on Facebook, Twitter or even your local refrigerator. If you share on Twitter, be sure to tag me @melissablake so we can connect! I can’t wait to hear from you! Love you all… xoxo

Etsy Love: Cozy Mugs For Fall

My mom is a sucker for hot chocolate and has been known to sip the warm beverage in the heat of summer.

While I’m not that fanatical about the stuff, I’m a firm believer that there is nothing more magical or more soothing as that ceremonial first cup as the fall approaches. Just picture it: You’re sitting outside in the crisp air, the autumn leaves falling around you… *cue dreamy mood music*

Well, that’s my fantasy, anyway. In reality, I’ve probably got myself wrapped in a sweater and am desperately trying to get used to the cooler temps. So maybe drinking a piping-hot cup of chocolate-y goodness is more of a survival thing? Either way, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be a fun experience!! And if you ask me, it’s all about choosing the right mug. Nothing says ‘fun‘ quite like an adorable cat mug!

To usher in the Season of the Mug, here are some of my favorite picks…

INSPIRATIONAL… Like A Boss, $15.95 | A Smile… $14 | One Small Positive Thought… $9.38 | Grateful Heart, $17.99

POP CULTURE… MTV, $20 | Picture It… $15 | Who’s Felicia?, $14.95 | Stranger Things, $15

CATS… I Love Cats, $16 | I’m A Caticorn, $17 | Because… $12.38 | You Are Purrr-fection, $19


Are you a hot chocolate connoisseur, friends? Are you a marshmallow person? Do you have a favorite mug?? This is all a very delicate and important matter, you know… xoxo

[Top photo via We Heart It]

Man Candy Monday.

It’s a beautiful morning!!! And you’re welcome for me putting that song in your head all day! How are you doing, friends? Welcome to our first TV Week — that fun time of year where we celebrate all the things we love and hold dear when it comes to the small screen! I’ve got lots of fun posts planned! But first, here’s a Man Candy round-up that’s sure to make your Monday sweet. Consider it a veritable smorgasbord of the best and brightest — my top 5 favorite TV characters, of course…

Steve from Full House — simple, lovable and always hungry!

Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl — moody, broody and captivatingly mysterious!

Brandon Walsh — a gentleman, hard worker and sweet!

Charlie from Party of Five — strong, protective and a true leader!

Chandler Bing from Friends — funny, down-to-earth and all-around chill guy!


Who are YOUR favorite guys, friends?? You know I want to hear all about it… xoxo

My Favorite Things With Groupon Coupons

(This is a sponsored post, though all opinions are mine. Thanks so much for continuing to support So About What I Said’s wonderful sponsors!)

I’m excited to share more finds from Groupon Coupons today, friends! One of the things I’ve realized in all my years of being a semi-shopaholic? My “fun” purchases usually revolve around three things: Lip balm, school supplies and candy.

That’s it! After all my essential expenses are paid for the month, I’ve been know to treat myself on one of my classic Target Trips. My mom always used to call it “fun money” and I think she’s right! And what’s even better than shopping, you ask? Saving money while shopping for the things you love.

That’s where the wonders of Groupon Coupons comes in! It’s a great way to save, with coupons to some of my favorite stores — everything from Target to Walmart to ULTA Beauty to Walgreens. Just for fun, here’s a mini round-up of the lip balm, school supplies and candy I’d buy with those lovely coupons…

LIP BALMS — Chapstick’s Total Hydration in Honey Blossom, Lip Smacker’s Juicy Jelly Bean and NIVEA’s Mint and Minerals.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES — Sharpie pens, colorful binders and daily planner.

CANDY — PEZ, Sour Patch Kids and M&Ms.

Which ones are your favorites?? Any treats you’re dying to indulge in?? Make sure you celebrate with some savings today! xoxo

In Defense of Guilty Pleasure TV

I’m a voracious TV watcher. I make no apologies for this and I also don’t discriminate where my TV choices are concerned — I’ve binged on everything from Keeping Up With The Kardashians to Frasier to House Hunters, and I’ve done it all without one ounce of shame. I’ve never watched something because it was the trendy, water-cooler show of the moment or because I thought it was something I was “supposed” to like.

Translation: I watch what I want, when I want, whether it’s hip at the time or not.

But apparently, not everyone shares this view. That’s probably one of the reasons the very concept of guilty pleasures was born — you know, to try and set some standards for quality TV programming. Or something like that.

TV watching isn’t an objective thing, though, is it? I mean, it’s kind of hard — maybe even impossible — to quantify something that is so subjective. What is quality to one person might be considered pure fluff to someone else. TV shows aren’t always as objective as the Nielsen rating system.

Whoa, I’m getting all sorts of philosophical there, aren’t I? But at the very least, I do think it’s worth taking a step back and realizing TV will never be a one-size-fits-all thing. And that is a beautiful thing — a breath of fresh air, if you will. That’s why I cheered when I read E! Online’s essay about taking the guilty out of our guilty pleasure habits. The argument is pretty undeniable…

This is the side of TV we’re told we should be ashamed of for enjoying, but why? Why does it matter if we find joy in a former housewife navigating a life in front of the cameras, or in a woman choosing a wedding dress, or in a pair of millennials trying to buy a tiny house (because it’s all they can afford)? It shouldn’t, and yet we feel the need to defend ourselves when our roommate comes in and finds us sprawled on the couch, hours-deep into a Degrassi marathon.

The line between a guilty pleasure show and just a regular show is often a very thin one. It also moves around a lot, and sometimes separates not just shows but entire networks, or kinds of networks. Some people consider the CW to be a guilty pleasure network (or at least they did, before the superheroes—but we’ll get to that). Some people think all major networks consist only of guilty pleasures. Some people still consider TV itself to be a guilty pleasure, and take pride in the fact that they don’t own a TV, have never watched TV, and what’s an Ellen Pompeo?

So why do we feel so guilty? When we get together with family and friends, talk invariably turns to the topic of our favorite shows. It’s hard sometimes not to whisper those shows that we don’t want to admit we love, the ones that we spend weekends getting lost in and finding out new favorite phrase is “just one more.”

Because, truthfully, it’s wonderful thing to get lost in your favorite TV show. It’s not a guilty pleasure. It’s one of life’s simple pleasures and one that should be wholeheartedly embrace for its magical awesomeness!

TL;DR: Life is short! Watch what makes YOU happy!


I’m excited to introduce a special week-long TV-themed series next week in honor of the most wonderful time of the year — new seasons of all our favorite shows! But for now, I’d love to know: What shoes do you love? Do you suffer from guilty-itis? Let’s chat, friends!! xoxo

P.S. More TV talk… :)