Winter Favorites 2015

Are you cold yet? Are you tired? Do you want someone to shoot you in the face and just end it all? Sounds like you’re ready for some snuggling up. Go get cozy and listen to my winter favorites, won’t you?

1. Grimes. Why am I only now discovering the smooth electronica tunes that Grimes has to offer? This Canadian (I know, I KNOW) gal is really keepin’ my feet tapping and my head nodding with her high vocals and catchy rhythms. She reminds me of a normal version of Die Antwoord. But don’t worry, not too normal. I can’t stop listening to “Oblivion.”

2. The Year of the Goat. Or Sheep. Or Ram. Or who cares? Ever since I was young enough to crack open a fortune cookie, I’ve been entranced by Chinese Horoscopes. I love the animals representing a new lunar year, and in turn, calculating the personality of the lives born within that cycle. Often people question, how can everyone born in the same year have the same characteristics–it doesn’t make sense. Oh but it kind of does. I like to think that the stars helped organize who we are. Lets say everyone born in the year 2015 would have similar behavior, but depending on how they were raised, all turned out to be different. But deep down, in their raw form, their true selves, those characteristics still lie. I think it’s fun to think about, at least. 3. Green Tea Lattes/ Matcha Lattes. It must be the color that gets me. Green tea lattes are a beautiful pale milky green. So much better than drinking brown sludge every morning. Matcha is essentially finely milled green tea. I’m unsure about why it needs it’s own name, especially one like “matcha” but okay. It’s hard for me to explain the flavor of this warm beverage, but imagine a milky, sweetened, green tea delight. 4. The Honolulu Museum of Art. This place is too real. I’d like to assume my husband, my brother, and I are the only people in the history of existence to visit Hawaii and spend a day inside studying works of art. But on the off change you’re just as odd as we are, please stop by this hidden gem. It’s outer appearance is a bit bland, but once you enter the gates, you’ll be met with winding courtyards, twinkle lights, outdoor cafes, and airy galleries. It’s really a magical place that truly swept us away. 5. Roses. Man if I could just shove a rose bud up each of my nostrils, that would be wonderful. I’ve basically fallen in love with anything and everything rose-scented. Some of those items include but are not limited to: Crabtree & Evelyn’s Rosewater Handsoap (lotion, eau de toilet, etc. I WANT IT ALL.) Lush’s Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner, Rose Queen Bath Bomb, and Rose Jam Shower Gel. GIMME. Fresh’s Rose Face Mask and Rose Floral Toner. YASSS. 6. Rifle Paper Co. Every single thing this company produces is darling. I have purchased countless items from them and don’t plan on stopping any time soon. I’ve been drooling over their prints for quite a while as well. They’re so unique yet simple. Fresh, yet charmingly old-fashioned. If anyone wants to order me some personalized stationary with a customized illustration of my face, feel free.  What are some of your favorite things?

Fall Favorites 2014

Isn’t it gross that winter isn’t technically here yet? I love fall though. I really love the gross weather–it’s so cozy and there’s no pressure to go outside or to be active. Recounting my weekend events as sitting in front of the TV or “doing nothing” is suitable and acceptable. Here are some of the things I’ve been loving recently.

San Francisco. Holy crap guys, San Fran is cool. It made such a great impression on me even though I had only three days to experience it’s greatness. I would’ve had four but United cancelled my flight. I was so livid that day, I cannot even express it in words. But yeah, I went to Alcatraz on Halloween, cycled over the Golden Gate Bridge and visited Sausalito, walked around Chinatown, enlarged my calf muscles by hiking up to Lombard Street, and giggled at barking sea lions on the pier. It was all just too much.

Jo Malone Perfume. Like, just stop it with these luxurious scents, Jo. I used to think they were overrated, but I recently decided to take the plunge and I’m oh so happy I did. I walked away with a bottle of English Pear and Freesia along with some sweet sample of Peony and Blush Suede. Heaven.

 Tattly Temporary Tattoos. If you’re like me and can’t commit to inking your skin, but still have respect for those who do, these might interest you. They have fun, silly designs that truly only work in a temporary sense. The one I’m sporting now looks so real that it fooled a coworker.

Songza. For those of you unaware, Canadians are too poor and gross to receive Pandora stations so, in turn, Songza is our replacement. It’s pretty decent though. And by pretty decent, I mean that it has a station called Echoes of Fleetwood Mac that I cannot stop jamming to.

Daddy-O Violet Shampoo. Thanks to Lush, my locks have returned to their golden splendor. I’m totally scared of violet shampoo because it can actually turn your hair violet if you leave it in for too long. However, the Lush employee gave me a huge sample of it and violet hair is kind of in right now, so it was kind of a win/win sitch. And I feel like it actually got some of the brass out of my highlights and lightened them up. 

What have been some of your favorite things this season?

Summer Favorites

Can you believe that summer is already starting to wind down? It feels like it just started! I figured that I might as well compile my favorite things for this season. *Cue “My Favorite Things” music from The Sound of Music*

1. Kim Kardashian: Hollywood app. That was so weird. It’s almost like I could hear the sound of hundreds of people clicking the unfollow button. Hear me out though. I am aware of the grossness that is Kim Kardashian. Her family of narcissists disgusts me as well, don’t worry. BUT I’m a sucker for terrible computer games. Hell, I was raised in the 90’s. It’s really all I know. 

Anyway, the gist of the game is that you’re a nobody, trying to make it in Hollywood. You happen to save Kim’s big butt during an emergency fashion nightmare and you end up climbing the ladder of celeb status thanks to Kim, fashion shoots, flirting, and your many agents. It’s just a fun, brainless way to pass the time. Plus, it gives me that satisfaction of knowing that at least once in my life I’ll have owned a loft in Beverly Hills AND a mansion in Miami at the same time.

2. Weddings. Um hi, weddings are so fun! I haven’t attended many wedding celebrations in my life but I sure do love ’em. How much fun is it to dress up, look at beautiful people, family, friends, etc. and eat delicious food and dance all night? Those are pretty much all my favorite things to do all thrown into one night. Weddings, hell yeah.

3. Haagen-Dazs. There should be an umlaut in there somewhere but I’m far too lazy to look up the key combo for it. This beautiful ice cream brand has been on sale in the grocery store for a couple of weeks now and my husband and I have made sure to take advantage of this good fortune. Some of our favorite flavors have been Pralines and Cream, Caramel Explosion, Strawberry (mine, not his) and Cookie Dough. Literal heaven. 

4. Face Masks. You know how I like to pamper myself. Lately my face has been crying out for love because I’ve reverted back to my teenage self and for some reason have zits. So not cool. But I’ve given my face some extreme TLC by listening to “No Scrubs” and investing in luxurious face masks. Some of which have been Glam Glow’s Super Mud treatment, Lush’s Brazened Honey, and Origin’s Active Charcoal mask. Despite looking like The Creature from the Black Lagoon while sporting said masks, my skin is grateful and in turn, so am I.

5. Curb Your Enthusiasm. Yes I know this show isn’t the newest and doesn’t have the best looking cast per se, but it’s damn funny and shockingly true. My husband and I finally finished all 8 seasons and we’re sad that we reached the end of this Jew-y era (I can say that because I’m 16% Jewish). If you haven’t given this a watch, I highly suggest it.

That’s all folks! What are some of your faves this summer?

Spring Favorites

If you’re a new follower, welcome to my seasonal favorites segment where I talk about the things that are currently bringing me joy this time of year. If you’re an old follower, I know, another stupid favorites post.

1. Sleep. In the past, my slumber meter was always filled to the brim. Now that I work I feel like I can’t get enough. I crave it. It will forever be one of my favorite things, but the past few months have taught me not to take it for granted.

2. Nylon Magazine. If you’ve never picked up a copy of Nylon, I feel bad for you son. I’ve got 99 problems and this magazine doesn’t really solve any of them but it’s still a fun read. The magazine got it’s name because it’s based out of New York and London. NY+LON. They focus on music, fashion, art, and talented people. They also have a men’s version called Nylon Guys. No one is excluded from the greatness that is Nylon.

3. Vivian Maier’s photos. Last month I went to the university theater and watched a documentary called Finding Vivian Maier. I’m sure you’ve heard of it because you’re just so in-the-know, aren’tcha? Anyway, it was amahzing and it really blew me away. In short, it’s about this guy who purchased a trunk at an auction house and it was full of black and white photos and papers that belonged to a Chicagoan woman, Vivian Maier. Her life is essentially traced in the film as the pictures unfold. It’s definitely worth a watch. It stuck with me.

4. Macarons. Not to be confused with coconut macaroons, French macarons give me life. They are the perfect shape and size and the best treat to give yourself when you’re feeling sad. Or happy. Or when you don’t feel anything at all. There is a store near me called Bon Macaron and they have made my life 100 times better. Merci macarons, merci.

5. Laying on the ground. I know you’re probably like, umm okay I’m done with this post. But honestly, when you’re running around all day it feels so nice to go out into the sunshine and lay out on the grass. It’s like the international sign for “I literally quit life” but it makes me feel good so just go with it.

6. Ink Master. Not one bit of my skin is tattooed. For some reason though, I love watching Ink Master. Not much is better than a reality show about tattoo artists being judged by Dave Navarro and company (Chris Nunez and Oliver Peck). SO much drama, so many sweet tats, and so many terrible ones. An extremely entertaining competition.

7. Stella and Dot Jewelry. Have you ever heard of Stella and Dot? It’s a company that sells jewelry online, but more commonly through trunk shows and jewelry parties. I’ve been to two parties and have spent hundreds of dollars on jewelry. Judge away. I cannot help myself. I march up the stairs to the houses telling myself that I’m not buying anything and the second I walk through the door I pull out my wallet. Just take all my money. Take it all.

What are some of your favorite things?

 

Winter Favorites

The temperatures have dropped (unless you live on the southeastern coast of the US) and people are getting in the holiday spirit. We put up our fake tree and decorated it with care. Candles have been lit, cards have been purchased, and gifts were wrapped. The only thing I haven’t done is watch my favorite Christmas movies on repeat. But I have made a list of my favorite things! Unfortunately, I left bright copper kettles and warm wool in mittens off the list.

1. Hot Chocolate. I try to avoid drinking this year round because it would cause me to have the same figure as Santa, but I think I make up for lost time whenever December rolls around. I get mine with no whip cream because that stuff is nast.

2. Disney’s Frozen. Not to be confused with the 2010 film also titled Frozen which is about 3 college students who get stuck on a ski lift and die grizzly deaths. No, not that one. Disney’s Frozen is a cute, Scandinavian tale about sisters who go on a journey of finding themselves and learning about each other along the way. It’s pretty adorbs and it’s got some great tunes!

3. Faux Fur Hats. I thoroughly enjoy making myself look as Russian as possible during the winter. Basically I just fill in my brows, drink tons of vodka (kidding…or am I?) and wear my furry headband/hat from Club Monaco. It’s the best thing ever and I get so many comps (compliments) on it!

4. Christmas Themed Bath Bombs. Okay, I know I have an unhealthy Lush addiction, but they have so many awesome bath products that come out during the Christmas season that I actually can’t control myself. I liked the Father Christmas one the best because it changed colors from a foamy white to a vibrant green. Very entertaining.

5. White hair. For no apparent reason.

6. The Room App. O my G this app is so entertaining. It’s definitely not Christmas themed, but it’ll keep you company even on the coldest nights. It’s a spooky mystery game that involves a lot of problem solving. I completed the app and now patiently awaiting The Room 2 which should be released sometime at the end of this year. Or so they say…

7. Lotion. During the winter, skin tends to dry out and get kind of gross. I moisturize myself quite a bit. The lotion I use isn’t particularly Christmas-y, but it does the trick. Right now I alternate between Philosophy’s Field of Flowers Wildflower lotion and Bath and Body Work’s Pink Chiffon body butter.

8. Philomena. If you get the chance to see a movie with a parent or by yourself, I would totally suggest seeing Philomena. It’s a true story surprisingly written by Steve Coogan starring himself and Judi Dench. It struck a chord with me. The movie itself is kind of sad because it’s about a woman, Philomena, trying to find her son that was taken away from her when she lived in a Catholic laundry nunnery. But there are many sweet and comical moments too which round out the film well.

What are your favorite things this season?

Fall Favorites 2013

I’m kind of obsessed with Autumn. I’m overly obsessed with being cozy and snuggly and the fall is the perfect excuse to put on cozy socks and melt into the covers of my bed. I haven’t been doing favorites posts during the other seasons because I usually hate everything, but the fall just brings out the best in me. Here are some of the things that I’ve been loving lately:

Lighting candles. My town is slightly behind the times and only recently acquired a Bath and Body Works. B&BW is no big thang in the states because they’re at every crap mall across the country. However, since I’ve lived without one for so long, I never realized how much I needed them in my life.

If you didn’t already know, they have deals galore all year long, and they just happen to have the best smelling candles during the fall and winter seasons. I really had to limit myself and only purchase two candles even though I wanted a dozen. I went home with one called Creamy Pumpkin and another called Flannel. I absolutely love Creamy Pumpkin–I burn it almost every chance I get. I also have another, small candle in my bedroom that I got for a birthday present from my mom called Angel Food (by Boulangerie from Anthropologie). It smells so uber sweet when it isn’t lit, but when you light it, the scent mellowly wafts around the room and it’s perfect.

Taking baths. My obsession with Lush bath products has risen to a severe degree. Like, I need to stop. I never used to take baths (maybe once or twice a year) and now I take them trice a week. It’s mostly due to the fact that I’ve had fun bath bombs and bubble baths to play with. Soaking in the tub is just so comfortable and warm after a long day of doing nothing, ya know? There’s a Lush bath bomb called Fizzbanger that smells like apple and cinnamon and has Pop Rocks in it so as to mimic the sound of a crackling fire. Perfect for a fall bath!

Reading. This hasn’t just been particular to the fall time–I’ve been reading non-stop this year and I’ve never been more proud of myself. I’m a slow reader, so the fact that I’ve almost reached my goal of reading 25 books this year is pretty incredible to me. I ignored books for so long in college. It’s nice to be able to get back into them and snuggle up when it’s chilly outside.

Macintosh apples. Oh my g. I forgot how delish Macintosh apples are. I saw some extra shiny ones at the grocery store the other day and ended up purchasing quite a few. I couldn’t stop eating them. They were so soft and buttery. Like, nature’s candy. Macintosh apples were always a favorite of mine as a child. And apples are really filling. So if you’re looking for a good Autumnal diet tip, eat lots of apples!

Chai Tea Lattes. If you don’t want any diet tips, then make sure to drink lots of Chai Tea Lattes from Starbs. I know people get crazy-faced for their Pumpkin Spice Lattes and their Peppermint Lattes in the winter time, but I’m a tried and true Chai Tea Latte fan and you won’t catch me straying. I haven’t yet had a CTL this year only because it’s been really nice out and it didn’t feel appropriate to whip out the spicy clove drink quite yet. But I will. Trust me, I will. Also, I get mine sans foam because foam is sick.

Knee socks. I was so excited to wear my knee socks the other day. Cozy deluxe. I actually wore leg warmers, but they were tucked into boots so you couldn’t tell. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I’m a fan of mini skirts and short dresses. A great way to transition into fall is to pair those outfits with some long socks. And Mary Janes.

Tocca perfumes. I was soooo excited when I discovered these perfumes in a boutique store downtown. They looked familiar, but I couldn’t place where I’d seen them (Sephora, derrr). They have the prettiest floral scents ever and lovely little glass bottles. All of their scents have unique girl’s names which I absolutely love. I was of course drawn to their new scent Lilianna, but they only had it in an $85 bottle and girl, I do not have $85. So I opted for a collection of three miniature bottles for $55. That way I could get to know a few of their scents on a personal basis without feeling super guilty about the money either.

I got the Classic scent trio which included a bottle of Stella, Florence, and Cleopatra. I think Florence is my favorite so far, but I really like them all.

Cleopatra: Grapefruit, Jasmine, Tuberose, Rich Vanilla Musk

Florence: Bergamot, Gardenia, Pear, Soft Woods

Stella: Blood Orange, Freesia, Spicy Lily, Sandalwood

Do you have any favorite things this fall?

Fall Favorites 2012

It’s weird because I’ve been blogging for over a year now and I have another Fall Favorites from last year. When I was writing it, I honestly didn’t think I would make another one. I’ve come full circle. Although when I made last year’s Fall Favorites I wasn’t hated by nearly as many people. Blogging is great!

Smashing Pumpkins– No, not the band. Although the band is amazing. I think I’ve listened to Cherub Rock more than anyone I know but I digress. While walking home from a party my husband and I saw an abandoned pumpkin that was sitting on a fire hydrant. I looked at him and said, “You should smash it” and he did. He walked right into the middle of the street and smashed it. It was the most exciting thing that I’ve witnessed in a while. We bolted afterwards. No one saw it, but you can’t just casually walk away after you smash a pumpkin.

The Shining– I hadn’t seen this classic until about 3 nights ago. It was playing at this university theater so of course it attracted the worst hipster crowd I’ve ever seen. They chuckled at most of the serious parts in the movie which ruined a bit of the suspense for me, but it was still great. Such a perfect setting. The mom in the movie, Wendy, had the best clothes ever and that really made the film worthwhile for me personally. I had already known a lot of what to expect–redrum,  the twins, hereeee’s johnny!, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, etc. But it was still great to see it once and for all so I don’t have to pretend that I’ve seen it anymore.

Chai Lattes, Hot Apple Cider, and Hot Chocolate– Warm drinks are so comforting, dontcha think? Unfortunately these drinks are all pretty sugary and fattening so you have to use them as a meal replacement in order to not get fat. Or just drink them alongside a meal if you don’t mind getting fat like me.

Dexter Season 7– There are so many other new shows that I should be watching, but I can’t help being captivated by Dexter. Seasons 1,2,4,6, and 7 are awesome. Seasons 3 and 5 are my least favorites but that’s just me. And my opinion happens to be the perfect opinion on this topic.

Mario Kart Wii– I am somewhat of a master at Mario Kart N64, particularly the Koopa Troopa Beach course. However, I’ve been playing a bit of Mario Kart Wii just to mix things up a bit and it’s amazing. First of all, the wii-mote plugs into a wheel so it actually does feel like you’re driving. Secondly, there are so many new courses that are fresh to death. The old ones were getting pretttty stale.

Greek Mythology– I’m just brushing up on some of my favorite myths packed into 780 pages of goodness. It’s actually a surprisingly quick read since so much of the book is footnotes. The book itself is called The Greek Myths: Combined Edition by Robert Graves. Check it out if you like being smart and stuff.

Brisk Walks– I’m usually not a fan of cold weather or even cool weather for that matter. I can’t help but to enjoy the crisp temperatures outside. I like when my cheeks get all flushed and bundling up in sweaters and coats. Yeah I could get used to this.

All That Glitters

For some reason the color gold as been present in my life a lot recently. So I figured I should make a tribute to some of my favorite golden things. Because honestly, what else do I really have to do?

Let’s start with gold makeup. I wear gold eyeshadow almost every time I wear makeup. The gold tends to really make my blue eyes pop. Or at least that’s what I tell myself. There’s a little beauty secret from me to you. I’m also a big fan of gold nail polish. For my 23rd birthday my mom sent me a couple of goodies in the mail and one of them was Chanel’s Gold Lamé nail polish. I know it’s pronounced la-may, but do you think that stops me from referring to it as Gold Lame?

Look how lame it is!

I’d have to say that one of my favorite childhood movie moments revolves around something gold as well. Remember how Veruca Salt wanted a goose that laid golden eggs in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? That whole scene was so perfect. Veruca’s prepubescent body, her dad, those huge spray painted eggs, etc. I love when she makes a mess of that room. I was always horrified as a child by that. Thinking, man if I did that my mom would kill me. I remember a while ago when I was asking my dad for something and I said, “But I want it!” and my brother was like, “Alright Veruca.” I did some life re-evaluating after that comment. Side note: you know what’s terrifying? Looking up the cast of Willy Wonka and seeing what they look like now. So depressing.

Hmm let’s see…what else? Oh, there was the gold bracelet that my grandpa got me with my name engraved on it. Except my name was spelled wrong. Minor detail.

One of my husband’s favorite places to eat is Golden Corral. I don’t know if you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting a Golden Corral, but it’s definitely sight for sore eyes. I wouldn’t be surprised if people actually strapped on feed bags and just ate for hours. If you like cheap buffets, you should definitely visit a GC. There was one that was opening by my grandma’s house and when it was still under construction the only letters you could see were “Golden Corr” or something of the like. My grandma was like, “Did you see that they’re building a Golden Carrot by me?”

Remember in the Olympics when the USA got the most gold medals and all the other countries were just dumb? Even though most of the people that got us our gold medals were so gross (Michael Phelps).

I’m having a lot of trouble choosing which song to display because I have three in mind: Band of Gold by Freda Payne, Golden Years by David Bowie, or Sister Golden Hair by America. I’m not the biggest fan of America. They’re too groovy. But I do like that song a lot. And I used to have golden hair. Band of Gold is good but it’s kind of depressing and I looked up a video of Freda Payne “singing” it on Soul Train and she looks like she doesn’t know the words. Okay, I don’t even know why I had to talk myself through this one. David Bowie is obviously the best. Does anyone remember in A Knight’s Tale where they dance to Golden Years? Nope? Just me? Okay. RIP Heath.

1,000 Words

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? I love pictures, I love learning things through pictures. I love looking at different things. Some of these pictures will make you laugh, make you think, impress you, and maybe depress you. You’re welcome.

These Advertisements for Job Searches:

This Notebook:

This Athlete:

Swalha from Istanbul

This Great Waterslide of China…if it was real 😦

These Pictures:

In November of 1970, forty people were photographed at the exact instant after the photographer said, “You have a beautiful face.”

This Joke:

These Shots:

Alan Sailer is a California based photographer that shoots and captures food through high speed explosions with extremely high speed cameras.

This Pool on the State Border:

This Sketch:

This Posture:

This is what humans look like now.

These Ladies:

Summer Favorites

If you don’t already know, I’ve made seasonal lists explaining what my favorite things are. I have one for last Fall, Winter, and Spring. They may be a little out-dated now, but still worth a looksy.

1. Reality Cooking Shows. I usually have no interest in watching people slave over a hot kitchen. Especially when their delicious food isn’t available for me to stuff in my mouth. BUT, I’ve really been into Hell’s Kitchen, Food Network Star, and…um…Top Chef…Canada. They’re all great for different reasons. Hell’s Kitchen is awesome because it’s basically Gordon Ramsay telling the competitors to “piss off”. Food Network Star is good because it’s kind of like Top Chef, where they have creative food challenges, but the competitors are fighting for their own show on Food Network. Which is a crazy big prize. So not only do they have to be good at cookin, but they have to be good lookin too. Just kidding. They have to act natural in front of the camera. But being good looking should also be part of the criteria.

Chef Ramsay doing what he does best.

2. New email accounts. No, I’m not going to share my password with you, but I am going to use this as an explanation of why I’ve been so distant. Around the time that I wrote my 200th post, I changed my email server from AOL to Gmail. YES, I still had AOL after all this time. I swear I was one of the only ones. Why change a good thing? Well, AOL became slow and annoying. I honestly never want to hear “You’ve Got Mail!” ever again. Unfortunately, when I changed my email, I think I messed up my WP subscriptions. I haven’t been getting any emails when someone writes a new post, so I’m sorry if I haven’t been to your blog in a bit–I’m taking a mini vacation.

3. Mini Vacations! It’s been a long time since I’ve been on vaycay. And by long, I mean it’s been about a year. So it’s actually been a normal amount of time. BUT I’ve been planning a fun getaway with my fam. Nothing too crazy or abnormal. I’m keeping it a secret though until I get back because I want it to be a surprise when I write all about it.

4. Roald Dahl’s Collected Short Stories. You guys know how I feel about short stories. Roald Dahl was a master of them. I’m eating up this book–every single story is good. I don’t know how he did it. Some of Roald Dahl’s most popular stories are, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, The Witches, and Fantastic Mr. Fox. Those are all great stories. But the tales in his book make my stomach turn at the end of each one. He had a very dark sense of humor, so naturally I have a huge crush on him. Yes, he’s dead.

5. Super Paper Mario. Some of you may be familiar with the game Super Mario. Other, more experienced gamers may have heard of Paper Mario (N64), but only the coolest gamers (me) have played Super Paper Mario. This is a game for the Wii system. It’s pretty fun because you can change the graphics to go back and forth between 2D and 3D. I would recommend it if you like Mario games. The only downfall is the storyline which is so annoying. There’s so much explanation after you finish each section of the game. Ughh.

Cool graphics, right?

6. Not Watching The Tour de France.