It's that time again, folks. That time when we make resolutions for the new year.
Favorite Movies of 2013
With 2013 coming to a close, I share with you my top ten movies of the year.
Best Shows on HuluPlus!
Trophy Wife - (Comedy, season 1: 10 episodes) "They say the third time’s the charm when Kate literally falls into Pete's arms at a karaoke bar . A year later, Kate’s got an insta-family complete with three stepchildren and two ex-wives."
Brooklyn Nine-Nine - (Comedy, season 1: 11 episodes) "An ensemble comedy about what happens when a talented, but carefree, detective gets a new captain with a lot to prove."
The Exes - (Comedy, seasons 1-3: 32 episodes) "A comedy about three divorced men sharing an apartment across the hall from their female divorce attorney, who is also their landlord."
The Good Wife - (Drama, seasons 1-4: 90 episodes) "Alicia Florrick, the political wife whose world is shattered when her husband is caught in a sex and corruption scandal. Forced to support her family, Alicia returns to work at a Chicago law firm headed by Diane Lockhart and Will Gardner, a driven attorney with a passion for justice."
Bob's Burgers - (Comedy/Animation, season 4: 8 episodes) "A third-generation restaurateur, BOB (H. Jon Benjamin, FAMILY GUY, "Archer") runs Bob's Burgers with the help of his wife and their three kids."
Modern Family - (Comedy, season 5: 10 episodes) "Today's American families come in all shapes and sizes. The cookie cutter mold of man + wife + 2.5 kids is a thing of the past, as it becomes quickly apparent in the bird's eye view of ABC's half-hour comedy, which takes an honest and often hilarious look at the composition and complexity of modern family life."
The Mindy Project - (Comedy, season 2: 11 episodes) "Mindy is a skilled OB/GYN navigating the tricky waters of both her personal and professional life."
Parks & Recreation - (Comedy, season 6: 8 episodes) "Leslie Knope takes on the system in Pawnee, IN."
Sleepy Hollow - (Drama, season 1: 8 episodes) "Ichabod Crane awakens 250 years later and works to fulfill his mission in the modern world. He must help the police force and the town bring down the four headless horsemen of the Apocalypse. They must follow clues left by our founding fathers to unlock a century old mystery."
Super Fun Night - (Comedy, season 1: 5 episodes) "Rebel Wilson writes and stars in an outrageous new comedy about what happens when you decide to live life outside your comfort zone. For the last 13 years, three friends have lived a sheltered life. Instead of going out on the weekends, they've had a standing date every Friday night. So while everyone around them is getting married and moving on, all they have is each other and their "Super Fun Night" tradition."
The following are a couple older shows that have been added to HuluPlus that I just love so they're definitely worth mentioning:
3rd Rock from the Sun - (Comedy, seasons 1-6: 139 episodes) "Aliens have landed…in suburbia! To investigate Earth, four inter-planetary explorers are posing as a "normal" American family. But what's normal to us, things like emotions, politics, and zoos, are shockingly alien to them. Through their innocence, irreverence and disarming honesty, we realize they've landed on the most bizarre planet of all - ours!"
Coupling - (British Comedy, seasons 1-4: 28 episodes) "When a group of friends really get to thinking how to get what they want in love, the results are a wild mix of one-night stands, one-lunchtime stands, two-timing and partner-swapping."
Happy Watching!
A Perfect Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve. My favorite day of the year. I even like it better than my birthday. Don't get me wrong, birthdays are fun. After all, it's a special day just for me. But on the other hand, it's a special day JUST for me. I prefer to share the excitement and Christmas is a time when everyone I know is excited and happy. Well, after all of the shopping is done anyway which is why Christmas Eve is perfect. Everyone is still looking forward to the fun of Christmas day but all the stress of shopping and running around from one ridiculously swamped store to another is over. All that's left is to sit back, relax and enjoy time with family and friends. So here I am sitting at home with my family. Everything I need to have a cozy Christmas Eve is right here in front of me!
1. First and foremost, a sparkling Christmas tree
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| Our tree this year! |
2. A comfy blanket
3. It's a Wonderful Life on DVD
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4. My favorite Christmas jammies
5. My new snowman socks (thanks, Meg!)
6. A plate of Christmas cookies
7. A good book before bed
8. A cup of hot chocolate in my Santa mug
9. A roaring fire
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| Toasty! |
10. The only way Christmas would be better is if my little brother could be here but he's stationed in the Azores right now. Hopefully next year!
Merry Christmas, everyone!
16 Best Christmas Cards Ever!
The 16 most hilarious, sweet or otherwise awesome Christmas card photos ever.
✈ Travel Series | London
May 10th-17th, 2013: My parents and I took the train from Paris to London, crossing under the English Channel. According to... well, everyone, London is dark, rainy and miserable most of the time. I guess we just got lucky as it only rained once in the entire week we were there. Otherwise, it was sunny and pleasant. We stayed at the Presidential Apartments in Kensington. It was a nice place, really beautiful apartments. The concierge was extremely helpful too. They got reservations for us and tickets when we needed them. Anytime my brother (Rob) came over or called for us, they let him in or took messages. I can't tell you how many times they stopped us in the lobby to give us another message.
The first thing my parents did when we got to the apartment was head to the pub down the street for dinner but I wanted to wander for a bit. We were staying out in a suburb of London so there wasn't much to see but I was happy just listening to people talk. I love that accent! The next morning, we started with a traditional English breakfast at the pub.
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| Less bread than France but a lot more beans |
After we ate, we took the train into the city. We started with Trafalgar's Square. But they had the inside of the square closed off for some kind of sports related event so we just walked on. Just like we did for Paris, we purchased London Passes ahead of time and with the pass, we got free admission to the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace. We took a tour through the mews which was pretty interesting. We saw the horses the royal family uses for their events. We also saw the carriage used in the royal weddings as well as the coronation carriage which as you know hasn't been used in 60 years.
Interesting fact: the queen only owns one car. Can you guess what it is? It's a Range Rover. A Range Rover! I never would have guessed.
After the mews, we finally got in touch with my brother. He had been busy with work up until this point. He told us he was on his way to our apartment so we went back to meet him. I was so excited. I hadn't seen him in about 4 years so for the first time since his boot camp graduation, the whole family was together again.
The four of us went went back into the city. We stopped in a French restaurant for dinner. It was pretty good but a bit pricy. We walked around the Parliament and Big Ben, then stopped for a drink in a pub before heading home. Rob spent the night with us at the apartment so he could hang out with us the next day. We started that Sunday (Mother's Day!) with a trip to the Tower of London. What a sad place. So much death and torture in its history.
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| Well, that and snazzy cannons |
After the tower, we went to Picadilly Circus. I was in heaven! I couldn't believe the amount of stores on Regent and Oxford Streets. I didn't want to leave! Don't get me wrong, I love my Mag Mile in Chicago but honestly it has nothing on London. Any store you could imagine, Picadilly had it. Any item you could possibly want, it was there.
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| Including whatever is going on here |
Sadly, my brother had to go back to the (Air Force) base that night. He had to be at work the next day and the base is about two hours outside of London so we didn't see him again until Dublin the following weekend.
The next day, the three of us went to Madame Tussaud's. We spent hours looking at the wax sculptures and taking pictures with our favorite "stars". The detail on these sculptures is so good, they almost look real.
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| We thought we'd lost her forever |
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| Not a real person apparently |
The next day we went on a tour of Wimbledon. Our London Pass got us into this tour free of charge. It was kinda cool to walk the grounds where so many tennis greats had won their championship titles. We went to the press room and got to sit in the box. I found the court where Serena won last year.
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| Her score was still up! |
That night we went to Ice Bar London which is the coolest place! No pun intended, it really is awesome. Everything in the bar is made of ice; the tables, the chairs, the cups, everything. You have to wear a heavy leather smock just to go in and there's a time limit. The bartender was telling us even they have to change shifts every hour to keep from freezing. We each got one free drink with admission but we ended up paying for a few extra. It was so cold but so worth it!
The next day we went to see Les Misérables at Queen's Theatre (which happens to be near Picadilly Circus - wink, wink). It was incredible! We also walked around Trafalgar's Square again and went to the National Gallery and the Hard Rock Cafe.
On Thursday, we took a tour of Windsor Abby. I walked the same long hall that Kate Middleton did when she married Prince William and stood at the same alter. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside so I don't have any to show except for these of the outside. How pretty is that?!
At about 2pm, we made our way to the bus station. The concierge at the hotel arranged for us to take a tour of the Warner Brothers Studio lot where the Harry Potter movies were filmed.
It took about an hour to get there by bus. We started in a theatre where the twins from the movies gave us an introduction to the tour. Then we walked through the sets. I even got to try Butterbeer! I couldn't drink much of it though. It's so sweet, I could only stand a few sips. But it was still really tasty! They also give magic lessons there, like how to cast spells, how to properly use a wand and even how to play quidditch (on the ground of course). They had TV screens with members of the crew explaining how they created the characters and designed the sets. It was a very in depth tour. I had a blast! |
| This is what they used to film aerial shots of Hogwarts. |
After a bit more shopping on Regent, we headed back to the apartment. We were leaving the next day for Dublin so we wanted to make sure we got a good night's sleep.
In all, London was incredible! I would definitely go back. Just like Paris, I wouldn't mind living there. There's so much to do and see. The people are great. The food was good though it was better in Paris. Europe just has better food than the UK. It seems like everything the UK is known for is very bland and simple. Europe has so much more flavor. But all in all, I loved London! I can't wait to go back!
More fun photos:
More fun photos:
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| Buckingham Palace |
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| The Coronation Carriage at The Royal Mews |
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| The only faces London shoves in your face more were those of 1Direction. |
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| Hehe... knickers |
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| You sly dog |
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| London = World |
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| Wimbledon Press Room |
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| Les Mis |
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| Harry Potter's house |
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| The story of the week |
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| Rail Virgin |
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| Me and my new house |
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| Shoes made out of chocolate... yes, ladies, it's real. |
Top 5 Subscription Beauty Boxes
Whether it's a beautifully wrapped box on your birthday, a goody bag from a party or a student care package from home, there's something about the surprise of an unexpected gift that's so exciting. It doesn't even matter what's in it, we'll still enjoy the thrill of ripping it open and finding what's inside. This is why subscription sampling boxes have become so popular. What's better than getting a fun surprise in your mailbox every month?
If you're unfamiliar with how they work, I'll break it down for you. Once a month, you're sent a box. The contents of the box vary depending on what type of subscription service you've signed up for. The most common boxes are filled with beauty samples but there are also boxes out there filled with samples of healthy snacks, crafting supplies, homemade jewelry kits and even socks. Yes, socks.
Of course these boxes aren't free but for around $10-25 per month, you're likely to get enough samples and full size products to make that fee more than worth it. There are a lot of choices out there and it can be a little overwhelming. So I tried out a bunch of beauty boxes and listed my five favorites:
1. Glossy Box
What You Get: 5 high end beauty samples
Cost: $21/month
Recent Month's Haul: Killer Queen fragrance from Katy Perry, Monu Illuminating Primer, MeMeMe Cherub's Blush Cheek & Lip Tint, Premae Smoothie Serum
2. Beauty Army
What You Get: 6 beauty samples
Cost: $12/month
Recent Month's Haul: You get to pick your own!
3. Birchbox
What You Get: 4 samples + 1 full size item.
Cost: $10/month
Recent Month's Haul: Color Club Nail Polish in Top Shelf, Ayres Midnight Tango Body Butter, Eyeko Black Magic Mascara, Serious Skincare Glycolic Extreme Renewal, Ahmad London Assorted Teas
4. Beauty Bar Sample Society
What You Get: 5 high end samples + mini mag from Allure magazine
Cost: $15/month
Recent Month's Haul: Borghese Brightening Makeup, Murad Ultimate Moisturizer, Illume Candle, Jane Iredale Lip Balm, Annick Goutal Eau d'Hadrien
5. Julep Maven
What You Get: 2 nail polishes + 1 nail care item
Cost: $19.99/month
Recent Month's Haul: Cherry Pie Red Creme nail color, Desert Sand Microglitter nail color, Sheer Light Pink lip gloss
An extra non-beauty-related favorite, just for you:
What You Get: 5 sample bags of healthy, natural snacks
Cost:$19.95/month
Recent Month's Haul: Everything Bagal Stix, Cherry Berry Bonanza, Banana Bread Granola, Salted Caramel Pretzel Pops, Stix n' Stones
Happy boxing!
'Tis the Season
Last year around this time, I was standing in a Starbucks line waiting to order. When I made it up to the counter, I placed my order for a grande caramel Frappachino. I pulled out my wallet and handed the cashier my credit card. She declined to take it, stating that the drink had already been paid for by the older woman (I would guess around 50) who had ordered before me. I was stunned.
Travel Series | Paris
Luckily for us, Friendly Rentals arranged a driver to pick us up from the airport. As we drove through the city, our driver pointed out the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre. I was so excited to explore a city I've dreamed of visiting for so many years.
Our FR rep met us at the apartment to give us the keys and show us around. The first thing I thought as I walked up the five flights of narrow stairs was how much it reminded me of our apartment in Sicily when I was a kid. It was just so ... European. If you've ever lived in Europe you'll understand what I mean. There's just a certain feel and look the buildings have. You feel it the minute you walk in.
When we finally made it to the sixth floor, we opened the door to see yet another set of stairs straight ahead (sigh), the bedroom to the left and the bathroom next to it. The entryway was a bit cramped and very dark. The bedroom was a decent size though and had two big windows that looked out to the street below and lit the room up nicely. My parents had this room which meant I would sleep upstairs. I hauled my suitcase up there and loved what I saw on the top floor.
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The living room area upstairs. So cute! <3
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The balcony looked out over the courtyard and the other apartment balconies. They were all attached and separated by walls. On the balcony door there is a bigger, heavier door that locks to keep someone from breaking in. Every night I closed that door and every morning when I opened it, a man in the apartment across the courtyard would greet me with a "Bonjour" while he sipped his coffee and watered his plants. It was perfect.
Anyway, after about 19 hours of travel, we were exhausted so we didn't do much that first night. We found a diner near our apartment and had dinner, then walked around the Louvre and looked at all the souvenir shops. The next morning, we picked up our Paris Passes which got us in to all the main attractions for one fee. We could skip lines and get special perks with these cards. After we picked them up, we walked down a walking-only street which was lined with boulangeries (bakeries), fromageries (cheese shops) and cafes. We stopped in Le maison Kayser. I had heard about this place and wanted to pick up some bread but we decided to do it on our way back to the apartment to avoid carrying it around all day so we stopped in a cafe for breakfast instead. We ordered coffee and croissants after which we watched the waiter walk over to Le maison Kayser and pick up the croissants!
After doing a bit of shopping and having a nice lunch on the Champs Élysées, we hopped back on the bus and headed for the Eiffel Tower. Later that night we hit up the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner (HRC shot glasses!). At one point, we stopped for a drink at Le Champs de Mars Cafe near the Tower. I had a Diet Coke. It cost $12! My mom had wine that was about half the price of my soda. Moral of this story: It's cheaper to get drunk in Paris than it is to stay sober. Ha!
The next day we did a wine tasting at a place called O'Château on Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau. We bought two bottles of wine to bring back home. I highly recommend this tasting if you're going to be in Paris. Our wine expert was very nice and informative. After we left, we were walking towards the apartment when, for the first time since I've owned my Ray Bans, I dropped them in the street. The damage wasn't too bad but they got their first scratch that day. I blame the wine.
Earlier that morning we had tried to go to the Bastille Market (the biggest market in Paris) but it was closed due to protests so we went to Norte Dame instead. It was a Sunday so we were able to see the service in the church. The cathedral is absolutely gorgeous on the inside. Because of the service, we weren't allowed to take pictures so I only have a few pictures that I took near the entrance (which didn't disturb the service). They didn't turn out well unfortunately.
A few days of exploring later (including time in the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay and Napolean's Tomb), we switched apartments. We moved to the Adagio Tour Eifel. This one was more like a hotel than the other apartment. There was a concierge and maid service. It was nice but I felt more like a Parisian staying in the other apartment. It felt like I was living in Europe again. Though our view of the Eiffel Tower made up for the hotel vibe of the new place. It was while we were staying there that the story broke on the Ariel Castro kidnappings. It was strange watching the news coverage in a different country. They didn't repeat the story over and over. It was more like "look what happened in America. But anyway, in other news..." which is understandable. Why should they care about it in France, right?
We also checked out the Shakespeare and Company bookstore on rue de la Bûcherie.
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| So did Owen Wilson in Midnight in Paris :) |
We took a boat tour on the Seine and found the second Statue of Liberty. The third one is also located in Paris but we didn't see it. We stopped in a McDonald's to try their macaroons and compare them to Ladurée (which we tried on the Champs Elysées a few days earlier). Ladurée was better in my opinion but the McDonald's ones were pretty good too.
On the way back to the apartment, we picked up wine and different meats and cheeses. Then we hit a bakery to pick up fresh baguettes. I was taking pictures of the breads and this guy who works at a restaurant next door insisted I take his picture too. We carried the baguettes back to the apartment like true Parisians and had a delicious French dinner. We spent our last night in Paris at the Eiffel Tower. We had watched it light up and flash from our apartment the night before and I had to see it up close. It was beautiful. I can't even describe the feeling I had when I watched it. It was almost magical, like a kid watching fireworks at Disney World.
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| Le sigh. |
Wait! I can't believe I forgot to mention this! Throughout the week we spent in Paris, we had dinner in this little neighborhood near Notre Dame a few times. It was another walking-only street (actually a few streets) lined with restaurants.
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| Some cars don't follow rules. |
All in all, Paris is a wonderful place to visit. The people are polite, the food is amazing and the city is beautiful. I'm definitely going back one day. I wouldn't mind living there one day too. You never know, right?!
Of course, I can't leave you without sharing a few more of my favorite shots from this stop on our trip.
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| The bird whisperer and other people of Paris |
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| Carb overload |
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| My mom with our baguettes |
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| Le Louvre |
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| Ladurée sweets. I got diabetes just walking in the door. |
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| The "traditional French breakfast" a.k.a. bread |
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| Purdy. |
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| French Elle and the Eiffel Tower. Because it's awesome. |
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| Silly French people. |
Look for my Adventures in London post next week!
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