Mish Informed

Introducing Sofia the First

Michelle — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:53:15 +0000

Hey guys! I’m back – took a bit of a break…. again. I’ve been vegetating watching Disney shows and studying. Yup, I watch Disney shows to relax – I’m so awesome. I love Disney <3
Okay well, I recently got informed that Sofia the First will be premiering in South Africa on Saturday! I’m so excited. This show is adorable and the main character is voiced by one of my fave young Hollywood actresses, Ariel Winter.
Below is the official press release – make sure to check it out.. I can’t wait to watch it! To honor Ariel’s role in the show, I’ll be doing a special post about her on Monday.

Disney will introduce its first little girl princess with the premiere of Sofia the First, an enchanting animated Disney Junior series for the whole family, at 09:00 on Saturday, 11 May.

While Disney princess fairytales have been enchanting audiences for more than 70 years, this is the first time a series has centered on a princess as a little girl. The stories are designed to communicate positive messages and life lessons that are applicable to preschool-aged children. The series is a production of Disney Television Animation.

Sofia the First stories are set in the storybook world of young Sofia who starts out life as a regular girl. But when her mum marries the king, she is whisked off to a glamorous, but sometimes confusing, castle world of royalty, pomp and new step-siblings, Amber and James. Sofia the First will include appearances by Fauna, Flora and Merryweather (fairies seen in Disney’s classic Sleeping Beauty) as the headmistresses of Royal Prep, the academy that Sofia, along with other princes and princesses, attends. Special event appearances will be made by classic characters including Cinderella and other Disney Princesses.

Nancy Kanter, Senior Vice President, Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior Worldwide, said, “In Sofia, we have a ‘peer to peer princess,’ a relatable girl experiencing the same social issues as our young viewers – learning how to fit in, making new friends, conquering new skills and building sibling relationships.” She continued, “Although Sofia will have plenty of pretty dresses and sparkly shoes, our stories will show Sofia, and our viewers, that what makes a real princess is what’s inside, not what’s outside. That the inner character of kindness, generosity, loyalty, honesty and grace make you special, not the dress you wear.”

Starring as the voice of Sofia is Ariel Winter (Modern Family); Sara Ramirez (Grey’s Anatomy) is Queen Miranda; Wayne Brady (Let’s Make A Deal) is Clover; Tim Gunn (Project Runway) is Baileywick; Darcy Rose Byrnes (Desperate Housewives) is Amber; Zach Callison (Land of the Lost) is James; Travis Willingham (Ultimate Spider-Man) is King Roland II; Jess Harnell (Doc McStuffins) is Cedric; Ashley Eckstein (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) is Mia the Bluebird and Meghan Strange (Special Agent Oso) is Robin. Disney Legend Russi Taylor (Minnie Mouse), Barbara Dirickson and Tress MacNeille (Daisy Duck), bring Fauna, Flora and Merryweather, respectively, to life. Jennifer Hale provides the voice of Cinderella

***Catch the premiere of Sofia the First on Saturday 11 May at 09:00, only on Disney Junior (DStv Channel 309)***

PS: this totally reminds me of my younger days so I have like a sentimental attachment to this :p

Do The Dew & WIN

Michelle — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 05:17:32 +0000

To start: I really like the Mountain Dew soft drink. YUM.

This April, some of South Africa’s finest tertiary education institutes will play host to the Dew Tour Bootcamp (courtesy of Mountain Dew). This electrifying and adrenaline pumping series of action sports events will showcase some of the country’s finest skate and BMX athletes. The tour will take place from April 23^rd to May 8^th 2013.

The Dew Tour Bootcamp, which is a first in South Africa, will see an impressive collection of professional action sport athletes travelling around the country, to entertain and educate fans looking to get into action sports. The Dew Tour Bootcamp will visit universities including the University of Pretoria, Varsity College Sandton, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, University of Cape Town and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as the Durban Beachfront Skate Park.

For more information please visit www.dothedew.co.za , our Facebook page, YouTube or follow us on Twitter #DoTheDewSA.

With that said, I’m really excited to – hopefully – attend the event at the Durban beachfront! I don’t go to university and that day the guys are in Durban, I’ll be super busy at work. Boo hoo.

Oooookay, so the exciting news: I have two Mountain Dew hampers to give away to two Durban readers! The hamper has a value of R500 each and includes some Mountain Dew to beat your thirst! Woohoo! Who doesn’t want cool Mountain Dew things!? :D

Entering is simple: just tweet me about wanting to win or comment on a wall post/write on my wall of my Facebook page. Don’t forget to include the hashtag #DoTheDewSA and tweet@Mountain_DewSA. I’ll announce the winner on Friday.

10 Minutes With Bridgit Mendler

Michelle — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 05:06:36 +0000

Many of you are aware – or perhaps not, in which case that is sad – of my love for the Disney Channel. From their classic movies to their Original concept shows such as Shake It Up and Jessie, I really cannot get enough of the brand and what they have to offer.

One of my favourite shows has to be Good Luck Charlie which stars Hollywood sensation, Bridgit Mendler as the older sister to the adorable title star Charlie (Mia Talerico).

Bridgit is everything you expect: looks, talent and personality. At twenty years old she has made a name for herself following in the footsteps of Disney alumni Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato. She has a natural presence on-screen and I love her music – I have had Ready or Not and Hurricane on repeat since forever. Have I mentioned that I think her on-screen- and real life – relationship with Shane Harper is just too cute!? It is!

With that said, some of you may have seen that a few weeks back I conducted a telephonic interview with Bridgit where I asked her about GLC season 4, her music and her life in general. It was definitely really fun and an honour to speak to her – she is very sweet, polite and down-to-earth.

I plan to upload the recording onto YouTube, but in the mean time, I hope you enjoy the interview below:

Is this the final season of Good Luck Charlie? You have been quoted in several interviews saying this could be the final season. Is this the final season?

Oh, I am not sure. I think we are all enjoying this season and we [the cast] love working together, so if there is an opportunity to do another season, we’d be happy to do it.

What can we expect in the latest season?

Season four of Good Luck Charlie… We have the new baby, Tobie and we are also dealing with the Duncans’ dramatic season finale where their house falls apart… So there is that. And Teddy is kind of up in the air about what is going to happen with her relationship with Spencer so all of those things are going to be in season four.

Later on in your career, would you like to focus on just acting or the musical side of your career – have you decided yet?

I think I am going to work and focus on both. And I think learn to prioritize and not try to do them at the same time, but I want to do both in the future.

Musically you have been compared to many people, for example, Cher Lloyd; how does this make you feel?

I think it is flattering to be compared to other people who are so successful and established and who are really good performers. At the same time I do think we are individually different and doing different things.

Okay, great! And how would you describe your own sound and your own music? You are very different to a lot of other Disney Channel stars.

I think it is pop music and it also has some RnB/hip hop kind of leaning. I think there is some jazziness also to my style but I like to keep it young and fun.

In the industry, who do you look up to? Both in acting and musically.

I look up to performers who really did their own thing in the industry. So Bob Dylan is one of those. Adele is another one. I really respect that. And in terms of performers, I like people who can relate back to a lot of different roles; Meryl Streep is like that and Christian Bale.

You recently teamed up with Seventeen Magazine for their anti-cyber bullying campaign, how do you handle all of the negative comments you may receive?

You know, I think it is not necessary to read all of the negative comments. I think everybody is entitled to their opinion and I don’t think it is necessary for people to say things in such a way that it is intended to hurt people. Actually, the thing I think I get most protective over is when there is somebody who will comment on something of mine and say something mean to somebody else’s comment who has commented on something of mine. So, among people who are commenting, I don’t know why you have to be mean to each other.

You are very busy, when you have free time, what do you like to do to relax?

I love being with friends and family. I love watching movies and I LOVE cooking.

Finally, do you have a message for your South African fans?

I just want to say, thank you so much for the support – I really appreciate everything that you guys have done for me and I would really love to meet you someday.

(Image Credit: Disney)

Looking Forward

Michelle — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 05:08:20 +0000

Hey guys! How is it going? I thought I would do a simple post today and give you guys a quick idea on what you can expect in regard to posts in the next few weeks or two. Many of these posts will have accompanying videos because I am quite excited to get into vlogging and creating more video content.

So, below are some general sub-headings and what to expect – if you have any post suggestions, do let me know in the comments. And to wrap this up at the end I posted a few motivational quote images. :)

Life: how to balance working and studying because life really is tough. Ways to keep motivated and just have some insightful thoughts based on the many random conversations I have daily.

Fashion & beauty: reviews, trend reports, sizing debates and celebrity style files – I know this is quite popular.

Blogging: SEO tips, blogging tips and general things I learn whilst working in an online profession.

Celebrities: opinions and many, many interviews.

Other: what’s on my iPhone, how to cute-ify your iPhone, what’s in my bag and how I – try – to keep organized.

Don’t forget, if you have any suggestions to comment below. In other news, what are you all up to this weekend? :)

I’m So Socially Awkward

Michelle — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 05:38:10 +0000

You know, given the amount of talking and ranting I’m known for, I’m also known for being socially awkward and shy. Yeah, that makes total sense. What I love about this is that it’s great bonding topic. Did I say bonding? This is why I’m socially awkward.

Anyway, my colleagues, Samantha and Tasha have agreed that the three of us are socially awkward. Very much so. I thought sharing this great lack of social skill will make many others feel more – or less – normal. It’s true, we have realized that we are those people who hang out by the water cooler all the time, but due to the fact that our office water cooler is right by our boss’ we’ve made the kitchen our second home. when our tea lady, boss’ PA, my manager or our graphics designer walks in, chances are we are there. I know… so sad.

Whilst in said kitchen, we have amazing conversations about life, food, books and tend to dwell on our social awkward interactions within the office. Such fun.

Such as one conversation with Samantha who start making these awesome fashion rings.

Me: What is this heart shaped part thing called?

Sam: Well… technically… some people like to call it ‘wood’.

Me: *facepalm*

I’m such a sad and – dumb – person at times. I realized it was obviously wood. Sigh.

How often do you guys get into social awkward situations? As often as me or not so?

DEMI

Michelle — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 05:50:37 +0000

Have I ever told you guys that I love Demi Lovato? I love her style. I love her music. I love her personality and I am inspired by her life story.With Demi recently announcing her return back to The X Factor as a judge and releasing a teaser for her new self-titled album releasing mid-May, I felt it fitting to talk about my adoration for one of Disney”s ex-teen princesses.

I am not going to sit here, type this out and tell you “OMG, I love Demi Lovato – always have and always will.”. I did not. When i first noticed her in Disney Channel’s Original Movie, Camp Rock I remember thinking “ugh, another little Disney princess – bleh”.

I enjoyed some of her music but still preferred Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus. I watched Sonny With A Chance occasionally and started to have more ‘tolerance’ towards Demi. I Then really got in to her music and started to really like her. Then, as with the rest of the world, I was hit by shock when it was revealed that Demi Lovato was self-harming and suffering depression. Then she took a break.

I really hoped she was not going down the same pathways Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Bynes did. I grew to like her confidence and individuality. Luckily, Demi was on the road to a speedy recovery.She released her album ‘Unbroken’ and it was definitely a breath of fresh air compared to all of her previous Disney work.

Her life became so much more relatable and I instantly developed a new found respect and admiration for her. I think of her struggles when I need motivation. She really is the symbol of determination and strength.

At such a young age she has achieved a lot as well as experienced a lot. She’s been through all sides of life, unbroken but rising up like a Skyscraper.

This is for Demi Lovato.

I can’t wait for May 14th.

PS: here is the album track listing.

1. Heart Attack

2. Made In The USA

3. Without the Love

4. Neon Lights

5. Two Pieces

6. Nightingale

7. In Case

8. Really Don’t Care (feat. Cher Lloyd)

9. Fire Starter

10.Something That We’re Not

11. Never Been Hurt

12. Shouldn’t Come Back

13. Warrior

Wear Sun Protection (Even in Winter)

Michelle — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 05:12:16 +0000

We’ve all heard that the sun is bad for our skin. But how many of us really know why?
DAMAGE
The sun damages our skin through ultra violet radiation. These waves come in varying lengths, which means they damage different layers of the skin to varying degrees. This UV radiation is the number one cause of skin cancer worldwide.

Ultra violet radiation actually breaks down our skins’ connective tissue. This is made up of collagen and elastin, and is what gives our skin its firmness and elasticity. The breakdown of this tissue is what causes our skin to age. Lack of firmness and elasticity leads to lines and wrinkles forming. Never mind that this damage can also cause cancers to form.

The sun also causes our skin to dis-colour, sometimes in the form of a tan, but also in the form of pigmentation. This type of pigmentation takes many forms, but all of them are damage from sun exposure. Pigmentation is simply a higher concentration of melanin in that specific area of skin. Melanin is the skins’ own barrier against sun damage. It creates a certain amount to protect you to the level that it feels necessary, but if you spend too long in the sun, it will ‘panic’ and create uneven patches of excess melanin, causing what we call ‘pigmentation’. There are so many types of pigmentation, none of which sound like conditions you’d want to have. Poikiloderma, Solar Lentigines, and Lentigo malinga that can develop into melanoma, are all types of pigmentation.

Hormones can also increase sun sensitivity, as increased levels of progesterone and estrogen make your skin more photosensitive. This is why pregnant women, or those on the contraceptive pill are more at risk of sun damage. The damage associated with this type of pigmentation is commonly referred to as melasma.

PREVENTION
As scary as this sounds, you can help reduce the amount of ultraviolet damage you do to your skin by using a full spectrum sunscreen. They use chemical and mineral ingredients that are able to effectively ‘block’ these harmful rays.

WHAT IS SPF AND WHICH IS THE BEST FOR ME?
But how do I know which SPF to use? SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and it determines how long you can stay in the sun before burning. A simple formula will help you know when to get out of the sun. How long you can spend in the sun before your skin turns red is your base number. (Note that this will change depending on the time of day and the season, so do this test regularly). Take that base number and times it by the SPF on the sunscreen, this will be the number of minutes you can spend in the sun. e.g. If you start going red after 5 minutes and you have a SPF20 product, you can stay in the sun for 100 minutes before you have to reapply to get out of the sun.

TRY
African Extracts Moisturizing Day Cream SPF15
Lamelle Dermaheal Hydrating Sunscreen 30 (R375.00)
Badger Damascus Rose SPF16 Everyday Sunscreen Lotion 25ml (R220.00)
AHAVA Mineral Suncare (R320.00)

(Image Credit)

Re-inspired

Michelle — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 16:01:21 +0000

Hi Guys! How are you? Wow, I’m not too sure when last it was I properly sat down with the intention to write a blog post. Most of my latest posts have been press releases, give-aways and bits and pieces of my thoughts – nothing truly solid. I don’t know, lately I have been really stressed as well as getting sick quite often – it’s not fun. I’m slowly getting over that hump. Even though I have not been posting a lot on my blog, I have been writing a lot and plan to post it all some time soon on my blog. I actually sat down this weekend and organized my agenda/planner. I mapped out my content for blog posts, interviews and also include time for studying. I tried using a daily planner but failed miserably for the last 3 and a half months of the year. Then today I just stuck a whole lot of quotes in it and pink stuff to inspire me to use it… boom, now I want to use it. why did I not do this in January? Better late than never.

I’m really excited to get back to blogging – this semi-hiatus has been going on for far too long. I miss blog hopping and ‘meeting’ new people.

Anywho, Peace, love and all things awesome until next time.

Tips for a natural look

Michelle — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:02:10 +0000

Make-up tips for a natural look

Even though it might be cursory, nearly everyone judges other people at first by their looks and outer appearance. Therefore – and, of course, because one wants to be happy with one’s own looks – one pays attention to one’s clothes and overall appearance. In contrast to men, women also have the possibility to spice up their looks by applying make-up of all kinds: Mascara, blemish concealer, eyeliner, lipstick – there are countless beauty products to help improve one’s looks.

However, there is a thin line between the right amount of make-up and too much. One should always remember that make-up should be used to underline one’s natural features and not to change them. Otherwise one risks looking over the top and quickly loses one’s natural appeal. The same is true for clothes, which is why I prefer a classic and timeless style to anything flashy. Lipstick and eyeliner can look great if applied moderately, but can put people off if it is too noticeable. A great way to enhance one’s natural beauty is by spray tanning one’s skin to give it a more healthy and attractive look. Even better is the fact that there are specific vouchers available just for that purpose. Great spray tan deals can be found online on websites like Groupon. They can easily be made use of and allow for a saving of up to 70%. A real beauty bargain that everybody should check out.

A healthy lifestyle contributes to natural beauty

Apart from using make-up, a healthy lifestyle also contributes to one’s beauty, and to one’s physical fitness as well. This includes working out on a regular basis as well as eating healthy food. Doing sports doesn’t necessarily mean that one has to exercise hard every day. Instead, it is already a good start if one goes by foot or bicycle instead of always relying on the car or public transport.

When it comes to food, a diversified nutrition including vitamins, carbohydrates, fibers, mineral nutrients, proteins and micro elements is key to a healthy lifestyle. Not only does a well-balanced nutrition contribute to one’s general fitness, it also helps to keep one’s body in good shape and this way contributes to natural beauty.

I Have an iPhone!

Michelle — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:17:32 +0000

Guess what, guys!? I converted! I FINALLY got an iPhone! Last week I purchased an iPhone 4s from CellC. Regardless of the pathetic service I received, I love this little cutie. Okay, it’s a major fail that I’m holding the phone upside down in the first photo… OH WELL! Ha ha. I did not notice that until I had edited and saved the photo on my PC and I was too lazy to take another one. Judge me.

I’m in love with this phone so oh much. I feel so fancy with it. Thanks to my iPad I already knew what apps and games I’d be downloading so perhaps I’ll do a ‘what’s on my iPhone’ post next week – what do you guys think? I downloaded some cool free and paid apps – yay! With that said, I already know I’m going to be an iPhone case collector – ha ha. I got this phone on Thursday evening and I already have three cases!

No jokes, I will be missing my BlackBerry a lot because it made responding to e-mails so easy but I also need a phone where I don’t want to be on Twitter or Facebook so often – work gets so hectic and I want to come home and relax (I work in social media). Having an iPhone is expensive especially with data so that curbs my desire to tweet all the time – not that I tweet a lot these days. Also, I love the camera on this phone which makes me not need to carry my DSLR everywhere – bonus! That means I can post tons of images and videos and gifs on this blog :D woohoo!