Showing posts with label diary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diary. Show all posts

12 February 2017

How To Conquer Valentine's Day Through Movies

Valentine's Day is what I like to call a day of indulgence. Chocolate, fancy dinners, alcohol - they're all associated with the day of "love". What else should be associated with the day of love? Self love. Self care. Coupled with someone or not, Valentine's Day should definitely be about love: loving and appreciating the one you're with and (not or) loving yourself. And binging on movies is one of the most "self care-y" things I can think of. Along with the above mentioned food and drink combinations, of course. I used to not enjoy Valentine's Day but then I allowed myself to love pink and romance and yeah, self love. And now I use it as an excuse to eat candy, drink rosé, and watch my favorite movies. Here's a list of all of my favorite films that include passion and love and sex and friendship and company. Indulge yourself and watch a few paired with a few drinks.

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Before Sunrise (1995)

Those Sweeping Romances That Will Make Your Heart Burst - Romantic Dramas

1. The English Patient (1996)
2. Atonement (2007)
3. The Edge of Love (2008)
4. Before Sunrise (1995)
5. Before Sunset (2004)
6. Before Midnight (2013)
7. Far From the Madding Crowd (2015)
8. The Way We Were (1973)
9. Carol (2015)
10. Revolutionary Road (2008)

Recommended for Ultimate Viewing Pleasure:
- Snacks/Drinks: Pasta. Literally any kind. It will make your heart a little happier after that gut-wrenching ending from The Way We Were
- Self Care: you're probably going to be crying and letting it all out during at least one of these so slap on a face mask that does the same. Glossier's Galaxy Greens Mask is good as well as Formula 10.0.6's Pores Be Pure Clarifying Mask.

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When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

Romantic Comedies That Fueled Slumber Parties and Can Now Fuel Your Self Love Party - Romantic Comedies

1. Love and Other Disasters (2006)
2. Beaches (1988)
3. Some Like It Hot (1959)
4. Barefoot In the Park (1967)
5. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
6. You've Got Mail (1998)
7. Friends With Kids (2011)
8. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
9. Bachelorette (2012)

Recommended for Ultimate Viewing Pleasure:
- Snacks n Drinks: a pint of Ben & Jerry's (or Jeni's if you're going all out). My favorite from B&J is The Tonight Dough and Wildberry Lavender and Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet from Jeni's.
- Self Care: a face mask that won't break when you're laughing during When Harry Met Sally... (so not a clay base or a sheet mask) - I suggest a good moisturizing mask: Caudalie Moisturizing Mask or Glossier's Moon Mask

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Adore (2013)

Let's Talk About Sex Baby - Erotic Dramas

1. 9 1/2 Weeks (1986)
2. My Mistress (2014)
3. Adore (2013)
4. Nymphomaniac: Part 1, Part 2 (2013)
5. Unfaithful (2002)
6. Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013)
7. Secretary (2002)
8. The Graduate (1967)
9. The Dreamers (2003)

Recommended for Ultimate Viewing Pleasure:
- Snacks n Drinks: a good bottle of red, dark chocolate with sea salt, a fancy-ish dinner.
- Self Care: why the hell not - paint your nails red! The color of lust! Favorites include It's Raining Men by Deborah Lippmann, Pepper by Zoya and Fishnet Stockings by Essie.

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Safe Haven (2013)

Shh...Don't Tell Anyone You've Seen Every Nicholas Sparks Book-to-Movie Adaptation - Guilty Pleasures

1. Safe Haven (2013)
2. The Longest Ride (2015)
3. Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
4. The Best of Me (2014)
5. Serendipity (2001)
6. Two Night Stand (2014)
7. Letters to Juliet (2010)

Recommended for Ultimate Viewing Pleasure:
- Snacks n Drinks: go ahead and do it. Order that greasy take out. It's guilty pleasure time.
- Self Care: while we're going all out, do a hair mask AND a face mask. For hair masks I love Moroccan Oil's Intense Hydrating Mask.

08 January 2017

2016 in Review

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January

Watched: The Revenant, Ex Machina, Age of Adaline, Mad Max: Fury Road, 
Listened to: High Roller by Sugar + the Hi-Lows, Graffiti Hearts by Sugar + the Hi-Lows, Deeper and Deeper by Madonna, Night Swimmers by Foals, Blackstar by David Bowie, We Are We by The Soft Moon, Breathe the Fire by The Soft Moon
Notes: Syd and I went to see Kings of Leon in downtown Nashville and it was an experience. D and I saw Madonna soon after and January was (and always is) full of hockey games in Nashville. Middle Tennessee got hit with a massive dumping of snow and around here, everything shuts down quick. Coming from the north, I went out into the storm anyway thinking roads would be plowed. I ended up getting stuck on 440 but got home safely with great pictures.

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February

Watched: Spring Breakers, Still Alice, Outlander season 1, Merlin
Listened to: Cold Soul by Trevor Moran, Echo by Trevor Moran, Hazey by Glass Animals, Massive Attack's Ritual Spirit, Voyeur by Phantoms
Notes: Obsessing over Outlander season 1 (why did I not think of this concept already?! Time travel, Great Britain, the 1940s, history, tons and tons of romance - all the things I love! Damn you Diana Gabaldon). I was nursing my skin and nails back to health since they hate living in the south. Extremely humid summers make my skin oily and then the quick drop to dry winters messes with my moisture level...which is important to me. I took a required British Literature class and ended up loving it.

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March

Watched: Would You Rather, Before We Go
Listened to: Doing It To Death by The Kills, Neon Indian's Vega Intl. Night School, iT by Christine and the Queens, Red Eyes and Tears by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Notes: I wasn't doing anything particularly exciting in March. Prepping for Europe and April's festivities, wrapping up the semester, visiting Mom, working. The usual.

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April

Watched: 10 Cloverfield Lane, American Beauty, Outlander season 2
Listened to: Golden Light by STRFKR, Summer Sixteen by Drake, All I Want by Bob Moses, Heart of a Dog by The Kills, Beautiful Day Without You by Röyksopp, Running to The Sea by Röyksopp
Notes: April was a good one. I went to Nashville Fashion Week with my friend Rachel and saw one of my favorite designers Amanda Valentine show among a bunch of other crazy talented designers all from Nashville. Kate and Brynn came to visit and to see The Kills and upon then arriving, we went to get an impromptu tattoo: a simple heart for our friendship. We went to record shops, ate at Frothy Monkey, Two Ten Jacks, and got drunk and watched Jack White music videos. I'd do it all again.

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May

Watched: What We Do in the Shadows, Room, Short Term 12
Listened to: Rihanna's ANTI, Siberian Nights by the Kills, Drake's Views, Ocean Drive by Duke Dumont
Notes: Brynn came back down along with Cristy and we went to the pool, got Smoothie King and did summery things. I prepped for Europe and read The Circle by Dave Eggers - ready to see how the film adaptation will turn out. The rest of May was spent with work friends: getting tea, hiking, going to the pool, going to the cinema.

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June

Watched: The Ones Below, The Martian, The Conjuring 2
Listened to: Dark Necessities by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Hype by Drake, Child's Play by Drake, Sing It Back (Boris Musical Mix Edit) by Moloko, The Time Is Now by Moloko
Notes: EUROPE: oh my word. It was beautiful. It's so hard to put it all down into this tiny little paragraph but some highlights: black cabs in London, staying at the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly Circus, shopping at Fortnum and Mason and on Regent Street, eating Nandos!, getting lost in Piccadilly, seeing a play on the West End, seeing all of my favorite paintings from art history classes at the National Gallery, wandering around with Syd in London, RUNNING INTO NOEL FIELDING, going to real British pubs with Syd and drinking beers and having meat pies and burgers, experiencing two classically British rainy days - both at the Tower of London, eating chicken nuggets in the middle of Piccadilly Square at midnight, getting high tea at Harrods, watching ~the best~ British television like the Jeremy Kyle Show and Eurotrash, eating the best damn scone at St. Pancras before Paris, getting lost in the sixth arrondissement, learning about all the freaky designs at Notre Dame, having dinner at a real Parisian café near the Seine, driving up and down Boulevard Saint Germain, walking up and down the Champs-Élysées, getting macarons at Ladurée on the Champs-Élysées, seeing the Eiffel Tower twinkle, seeing Paris from the very top of the Eiffel Tower, visiting Versailles and Monet's home and gardens at Giverny, seeing the Mona Lisa and screaming WHO IS SHE?, gawking at Venus at the Louvre, eating crêpes along the Seine with Syd, visiting Shakespeare and Company, going to a real French pharmacy and getting Caudalie and Bioderma and Embryolisse for like, half the price it is in America, visiting the Catacombs and freaking the hell out, geeking out over how yummy all the food is (it's true what they say).

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July

Watched: The Neon Demon, V/H/S films, Dear Zachary: A Letter to His Son About His Father, The Secret Life of Pets, The Theory of Everything, Happy Valley, Marcella
Listened to: Closer by Kylie Minogue, Neon Demon by Cliff Martinez, Demon Dance by Julian Winding, Fall by The Bug and Copeland, Roses by Abra, Take It To the Top by Crime Cutz, Sick by Donna Missal
Notes: Saw The Neon Demon with a friend and got super drunk afterwards - mainly because the movie was so bizarre and over hyped we needed an outlet, went to the pool (well, broke into a friend's community pool and ended up having it all to myself), got dinner and ice cream with Rachel, watched tons of summer movies and hung out with friends from work.

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August

Watched: Suicide Squad, Lady Chatterly's Lover
Listened to: Massive Attack's The Spoils, Madonna by Drake, Wake Up Alone by Amy Winehouse, He Can Only Hold Her by Amy Winehouse
Notes: Morgan came down to celebrate our 21st birthdays! We went to Cheesecake Factory (duh) and had fancy margaritas and appetizers and ate lots of Nashville foods like Five Daughters, Jenni's, went to a farmer's market, got a birthday cake, and ate Taco Bell and watched Toddlers in Tiaras all day in bed. Syd and I saw Drake and Future towards the end of August and had a blast. Afterwards we had Take Out and wow what a nasty good burger.

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September

Watched: Spotlight
Listened to: Sleater-Kinney's No Cities To Love, Double Dare Ya by Bikini Kill, Modern Girl by Sleater-Kinney, Call The Doctor by Sleater-Kinney
Notes: I flew up to Chicago to go to Riot Fest with the love of my life and what. a. fucking. blast. I never went through an emo or a punk phase. My "rebel" phase was listening to deep house and techno as a 15 year old. I made up for lost time, though, by seeing All Time Low, Pierce the Veil, Morrissey, The (original) Misfits, Frank Iero, The Julie Ruin and Sleater-Kinney. Sleater-Kinney obviously made a big impact on me since it's all I listened to in September. I'd never seen so many punks or weirdos (or Misfits t-shirts) all together in one place and I loved it and needed it.

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October

Watched: Black Mirror season 3
Listened to: Fade by Kanye West, Bullet the Blue Sky by U2, Fade Out Lines (Avener Remix) by The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer, Life's a Bitch by NAS
Notes: I went back to Mom's for my fall break and was stressing out about this semester. The fall semesters are always the worst for me. After Halloween I think a little less optimistically and become 10x more anxious. That being said, I spent Halloween at Rachel's and we handed out candy and her mom made us a cute little picnic and we watched Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown of course.

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November

Watched: rewatched The Fall seasons 1 and 2, The Fall season 3
Listened to: Spectrum by Goldlink, TOGETHER by KAYTRANADA, Hands to Hold by Bob Moses, Mushroom by Can
Notes: Most of November was spent watching The Fall because that show has had me shook since I started watching from the beginning. My friend Mackenzie and I went to Dnce Yrslf Clean in Nashville and my 15 year old self would have been so excited to dance in a club to LCD Soundsystem and Justice.

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December

Watched: The Mindy Project
Listened to: Monument by Röyksopp and Robyn, Bloodflows by SOHN, Dear World, by Nine Inch Nails, Only by Nine Inch Nails, Colours by Calvin Harris, Starboy by The Weeknd, Odyssey by Kayla Briët
Notes: I self diagnosed myself with SAD - seasonal affective disorder - because I truly realize that I get worse in the late fall/early winter months. However, I finished my semester strong, not failing a class I was sure I would, I made a new friend, grew closer with one, and told myself I'd kick my ass into gear in January with doing yoga everyday and slowly integrating whole foods into my diet. If not for my body, for my brain. I cannot function on low food intake and no sleep; it results in a panic attack (the first one in a year). But I got a lot of the muck out of my system in December and am now starting clean for January.

05 January 2017

Renaissance - Winter '17

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So cliche! A rebirth for January! But I'm going to try to do it this time! I'm going to try to kick my ass into gear and get myself cleaner and leaner. To accompany this feeling, I'm gonna listen to songs that are minimal, clean, kinda upbeat, and inspiring.

Renaissance
1. Bloodflows, SOHN, Bloodflows
2. Monument, Röyksopp & Robyn, Do It Again
3. All I Want, Bob Moses, All In All
4. Dear World, Nine Inch Nails, Not The Actual Events
5. Colours, Calvin Harris, I Created Disco
6. Golden Light, STRFKR, Miracle Mile
7. Breathe, Kylie Minogue, Impossible Princess

11 August 2016

Where Did All the Bloggers Go?



No one blogs anymore.

Okay, more specifically, no one writes anything anymore. And even more specifically, not a lot of people keep up with their personal online journals anymore.

Gone are the days where I would log onto one of my favorite blogger's intimate corner of the Internet and read about a topic she so passionately felt about. I used to read about the quality of clothing and how having an acute awareness of it would make your wardrobe all the more better. I'd read up on topics like gardening, home care, beauty, style of course. Topics on film and music. All from a girl in her late teens or early 20s, still in school and writing beautiful pieces during her free time in between classes and homework.

Now we're all just documenting.

Not just documenting, though, we're recording meaningless vignettes. I'm talking about the Snapchat "mail time" hauls where we get a three minute glimpse into all the free shit makeup artists are sent and then never use only to clot in their unopened packages in their bathroom cupboards. I'm talking about the "plant tours" and "what's in my car!" videos on YouTube. I'm talking about the endless (and I mean ENDLESS) Asos/Topshop/BooHoo/Zalando/H&M hauls where girls show off how much they bought (c'mon, that's what we're really watching - a small amount of YouTubers actually style what they purchased in their haul).

Do not get me wrong, I love a good Asos haul. After an eight hour shift at work I really don't want to read a lengthy personal essay (sorry). Some YouTubers I subscribe to are enjoyable to watch in their weekly vlogs, documenting their daily life with their token photographer boyfriend, drinking endless cups of tea and "nipping out to the shops" for some $35 mascara at Superdrug. But it gets old after a while. It gets boring. It gets to be too much when everyone is producing weekly blogs. I start to look for something a little more stimulating. One YouTuber I do enjoy is Sammi Quinn. She regularly vintage shops (almost her entire wardrobe is thrifted) and while she does record Goodwill or Buffalo Exchange hauls, she intricately edits a fun and retro lookbook and styling portion set to a funky 70s jam.

But even then, I miss reading a thoughtfully written excerpt on a cool, personalized blog (not so much a "website" or a personal domain - it feels too monetized). One of my favorite bloggers, Hannah-Rose from Sydney, Australia doesn't even have her blog up anymore for me to reminisce in the archives. I used to come home and get a small rush seeing she had a new post about how a new Sophie Dahl recipe transported her to the English countryside or about the newest British It girl on the cover of Vogue UK wearing an oversized Angora jumper and Wellies makes her feel like it is possible to dress down and still look effortlessly chic. She had such romanticism in her writing that I really, truly miss. Camille Rushaneady from Childhood Flames hasn't posted anything since May and even then, she wiped her backlog of bedroom outfit shots and daily musings and updates on her homemade garden and knitting projects up until 2012. A slew of my favorite style-blogs have cobwebs on them and have been abandoned for Snapchat and Instagram.

When did the migration start and why am I just now noticing? I remember when personal blogs took off in 2008 and 2009. That's when this lil corner of the Internet started (it's had many incarnations but it's always been the same domain). But I don't recall noticing when my favorite writers started dropping off their Blogspot and Wordpress accounts. And why have we started neglecting our online journals? Is it because the audience is lost? I know every loves a good picture book (Instagram) and mindless video (Snap and YouTube) because I love those too. I just wonder where to go for a small, well written, very personal blog.

I think all of those "small, well written, very personalized bloggers" have grown up. I think they've gotten jobs: (Hannah-Rose from Capture the Castle now works at Harpers Bazaar Australia), Garance Doré has her own book published, Leandra Medine from the Man Repeller is a house hold name now. Maybe that's all that happened. Everyone grew up and moved onto the next best things (or next best apps more appropriately). Which is normal. It's nature. But here I am, being nostalgic as hell and taking the time to write out a personal essay. I don't Snapchat, I don't post YouTube videos, I'm active on Instagram but I try not to over-share the boring bits.

To make a long story short, I miss the small and intimate postings from a girl sitting in her room typing on her old MacBook computer about how she dreams of following in the steps of Yves Saint Laurent and his posse and kicking it in Marrakech. Or something like that. I understand not a lot of people like to read anymore, which is why Instagram and Snapchat are so, so addicting (trust me, I get it). But there doesn't seem to be a balance of text and pictures anymore. I'm still over here, in my tiny spot on the web trying to make that balance. And I'm still on the look out for others that do the same.

12 July 2016

Giverny, France - Monet's Home









































What I really liked about Monet's home was how simple it was. It's essentially a rectangle that runs parallel to the rive behind it and the roads on opposite sides. But it has the perfect sized rooms - three bedrooms, a massive dining room (Monet loved hosting dinner parties and being surrounded by friends despite living so far from Paris), a hearty kitchen and a beautiful parlor filled with (mock up) paintings. And the colors! A canary yellow dining room, a Robin's egg blue kitchen with copper pots and pans, touches of muted purples and pinks all accented with turn-of-the-century, dark wood furniture. I got the same feeling I did driving through the French villages and strolling through Monet's gardens as I did wandering through his home: ease, tranquility, and simplicity. It felt calming being in such a small but sustainable home. It had all the essentials and it was oh so quaint. I could live here, I thought. And not to mention the crisp mid-morning breeze that greeted me as I entered each room. Maybe it was Claude himself saying hello.

30 June 2016

Giverny, France - Claude Monet's Gardens

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We devoted an entire day to exploring Giverny and Versailles during my trip to Paris. And I took around 200 pictures and can't seem to narrow down a simple post of Monet's gardens and home so they'll have to be two different posts. And Versailles deserves its own post as well.

I consider myself a city girl through and through. But the streets of Paris are very congested and claustrophobic so Giverny was a breath of fresh air. Literally. The air was crisp and clean and felt like a brand-spanking-new set of white, linen sheets. Giverny is about an hour outside of Paris with no traffic on the A40. The best part: Paris is small so getting out of the city is quick and majority of the drive is spent weaving through the tiny streets in the French countryside.

The most magical about Monet's gardens is that he built it all himself just so he could paint it. He maintained the gardens himself just about right up until he died in the 1920s. We went at a great time because everything was fully in bloom and it smelled incredible. To top it off, there were baby ducklings and their mumma swimming in the lily pond.

Monet's home almost completely changed my mind about living like a city girl. I saw glimpses of myself living in a tiny French house, windows open, me sitting in my garden writing in a vintage notebook, planting flowers, herbs, and vegetables and, most importantly, living anxiety free. I'll still play with that idea in my mind; it's extremely satisfying.

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Stay tuned for a tour of Monet's crib.