Gerald Sastra/The Cougar
In The Cougar’s weekly anonymous advice column, I talk on Houston bars, ways to look amazing for the summer and my favorite workouts. To submit your questions for future issues, click the “Ask Ashley” button on our home page.
Hey Ashley, what are some cool bars that you like to go to?
Ooo, before I dive into this lovely question, anon, let me make a quick disclaimer. Please drink responsibly and make sure you are legally 21 or older to drink. Okay, now that’s over with, I have a couple bars I like to hit up. There’s one called the Holman Draft Bar in midtown. It’s a nice blend of an indoor and outdoor bar, so there’s something for everybody. I personally think the swing concept they have is really cool, and the drinks are really good and affordable.
I also like McIntyre’s Downtown, which has arcade games, live music and food. This place is perfect for those who want a variety of things to do aside from sitting and drinking. Similar to McIntyre’s Downtown, there is Truck Yard, which is in east downtown. This place doesn’t have arcade games, but it does have a massive ferris wheel that is approximately 10 dollars for two people! And due to its name, Truck Yard has different food trucks constantly serving food. Make sure you try their frozen cocktail drink, Trash Can Punch.
These bars are pretty fun to go to for any occasion such as celebrating somebody’s birthday! Hope this helps.
Ashley, hot girl summer is approaching! What are some summer outfits I can wear?
Omg, I am so excited for the summer anon. Especially with that new Jack Harlow coming out this Friday. My hot girl persona is currently 50 percent defrosted as I write!
The first items you want in your closet this summer are sundresses and maxi dresses. They are so simple to style, and I love wearing them in warm, summer colors like orange, yellow and red.
The next thing you should have are swimsuits. I love a bright, high-cut bikini topped with a complementary sarong or kimono. Some of my favorite swimwear shops are Monday Swimwear, Melissa Simone, Dos Swim and Triangl.
I also like shopping from ASOS and Icon Swim if I’m really on a budget or I need something quickly. Most of these shops have trendy swimwear designs that are definitely in season.
And finally, you need cute shoes. As a fellow shopaholic, fill your closet with sandals, flip flops, strappy heels and more. I like finding my shoes from DSW, ASOS, Public Desire and Nordstrom. However, you’re likely to find trendy shoes on a friendly budget from ASOS and Public Desire.
Wear what you feel comfortable in, and be sure to take a lot of pictures in your cute fits. Be sure to tag me for credit, of course.
Ashley, do you like working out? If so, what do you like to do? I need inspiration.
Hmm, I’m not sure I’m the best to answer this question. But to answer your question, yes, I do enjoy working out. I like doing the HIIT workouts as compared to running on a treadmill or elliptical.
With HIIT, I feel more focused on what I’m doing and I think it’s a lot of fun depending on the intensity. I don’t mind the treadmill and elliptical, it’s just that I get bored easily on it. While still boring, I do find that upping the incline makes the treadmill a little more fun to use.
Although I like doing these activities, I don’t do them often. But that’s mostly due to poor time management and laziness. I think the closest thing to working out I’ve done recently was walking from the University Lofts to TDECU stadium for Frontier Fiesta and back.
So I don’t have a complete workout plan to give you. Be sure to eat healthily by getting a balanced meal of your core macronutrients and drinking a lot of water. I know the girlies say you have to cut a drastic amount of carbs out to lose weight, but y’all it’s a macronutrient. You quite literally need it to survive.
Anyways, consult with a licensed dietitian to see what you need diet-wise. Hope this helps!
