My 2015 Resolutions

Last year, in my 2014 resolutions post I speculated that this year would go by slower than previous years because I was working, but that was not the case at all. Crazily enough, the months flew past in a blur, which I was not expecting. I have no doubt that 2015 will sweep by me just as quickly.  

2014 Resolutions
Get my first full-time job (part-time but still) ☑
Set a monthly budget (nope)
Finish my novel (nope, but I wrote an outline)
Wear heels more often ☑
Wear lipstick more often ☑
Take a trip somewhere (Yay Virginia!) ☑
Learn how to use Adobe Photoshop 12 ☑
Feel less pressured by my blog ☑

2014 was a great year overall and I accomplished a lot! One of the main goals was to find a real job and although it's not full-time there's room for it to be in the future, but I'm for now I'm comfortable where things are and I'm enjoying my job immensely. 

Still haven't finished my novel, but I wrote an outline for the last 1/3 and that's a big step because it's made me feel like I now know where the novel is going and where it's going to end. Now I just have to sit my ass down and type the words out. 

I've definitely felt less pressured by my blog the past year and it helped when I was getting used to a new routine and a new job, but now that 2014 is over I want to focus more time making sure my blog posts are the best they can be. 

2015 Resolutions

Exercise more 
I didn't want to put the classic "lose weight." That's too vague.
This seems like a more realistic goal.
I'm aiming to get my ass to the gym at least twice a week.

Finish my novel
I'm going to start bringing a notebook to work and write on my lunch break
in the downstairs kitchen since no one goes there. Little by little I WILL finish this book.

Make more friends & hang out with people more

Perhaps this is a weird goal, but I need more friends. It's not that I don't absolutely love the friends I have (guys I really do love you, promise), but I feel like I need to branch out a little bit. There are a few people I've met recently that I want to turn from acquaintances to friends and a few people at work that I would love to hang out with more. Plus I want to hang out with the friends I do have more. 

What are your 2015 goals?

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Watch | Read | Listen {December 2014}

Happy December! The last month of the year always means there's an amazing movie selection! I kind of feel like I should be living at the movie theater this month. In November I saw Big Hero 6 and Mockingjay and absolutely loved both of them. Did you see Mockingjay? What did you think of it? This month I'll definitely be seeing The Hobbit, Annie, and Into the Woods. What about you?

MOVIES

Wild 

Reese Witherspoon brings Cheryl Strayed's adventure to life by playing a heroin addict that destroyed her marriage. Strayed makes the rash decision to hike more than a thousand miles on the Pacific Crest Trail on her own with no experience. She goes on an incredible journey of hardships and self-discovery. (Watch the trailer.) (December 5)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

The final installment of the Hobbit trilogy arrives! Bilbo's (Martin Freeman) journey takes him to the Lonely Mountain where he must make a dangerous choice alongside the dwarves, elves, and men as Smaug the dragon rains fire down upon them and evil rises up. (Watch the trailer.) Definitely seeing this! (December 17)

Annie 

Annie (Quvenzhane Wallis), the happy and young foster kid who lives with foster mom Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz), is tough enough to make her way on the streets of New York in 2014. Everything changes for her when mayoral candidate Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) takes her in as a campaign move, but her sunny outlook begins to change things. (Watch the trailer.) I want to see this so badly! (December 19)

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

Night guard Larry (Ben Stiller) takes an epic journey around the world to figure out why the magical powers of the Tablet of Ahkmenrah is dying out and to save it before it's gone forever. Also starring Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Patrick Gallagher, Ben Kingsley, and Rebel Wilson. (Watch the trailer.) (December 19)

Into the Woods

It all begins with a family and the witch who tells them what they must do in order to reverse their curse. This humorous and musical movie interweaves the original tale of this family with that of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel. (Watch the trailer.) This looks fantastic! (December 25)

Unbroken

Angelina Jolie brings to life the epic and harrowing tale of Olympian and war hero Louis Zamperini (Jack O'Connell), who survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII only to become a prisoner of war in Japan. This is a true story of what it takes to survive. (Watch the trailer.) (December 25)

Other movies:

• Dying of the Light (Dec. 5)
• Life Partners (Dec. 5)
• She's Beautiful When She's Angry (Dec. 5)
• The Captive (Dec. 12)
• Exodus: Gods and Kings (Dec. 12)
• The Color of Time (Dec. 12)
• The Gambler (Dec. 19)
• Mr. Turner (Dec. 19)
• Song of the Sea (Dec. 19)
• American Sniper (Dec. 25)
• The Interview (Dec. 25)

BOOKS & MUSIC

• The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant -- In the early 1900s, Addie Baum is the daughter to immigrant parents. Addie's life in America means short skirts, movies, and opportunities she never thought of before -- going to college. (December 9)
• Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz -- Days after Holmes and Moriarty's struggle at the Reichenback Falls and fall into the waterfall, Moriarty's death has left a vacancy in the criminal underworld and there's no shortage of people who would like to take his place. Frederick Chase, a detective at Pinkerton Detective Agency, in search of one particular criminal mastermind. (December 9)
• Clean Slate: A Cookbook and Guide by Editors of Martha Stewart Living -- This cookbook focuses on eating clean, whole, unprocessed foods and these delicious and healthy recipes will help you do just that. (December 16)
• We Should Hang Out Sometime by Josh Sunquist -- A true and hilarious story about what happens when a guy tracks down all of the girls he tried to date since middle school and asks: What went wrong? (December 23)
• Make It Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take The Leap. Live On Purpose. by Lara Casey -- The story of how one woman chose to make "it"-- her purpose in life -- happen, and how you can too. (December 30)

She & Him's Classics (Dec. 2) | Smashing Pumpkins' Monuments to an Elegy (Dec. 9)

Charlie XCX's Sucker (Dec. 15)

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Watch | Read | Listen {November 2014}

I always get excited for November because my mom and two close friends (Jackie and Brittany) have birthdays this month, amazing movies always hit the theaters, and of course there's Thanksgiving. Next weekend I might just go to the movies twice or maybe have a double feature because I really want to see both Big Hero 6 and Interstellar, and in a few weeks I'll be seeing Mockingjay: Part 1 with friends. 

For my mom's 60th birthday I'm doing something really special (details coming soon!) and I can't wait for her to see it!

MOVIES

Big Hero 6

This movie is an action-adventure with heart and comedy; it's about robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada who turns his robot friend Baymax into hero when he's thrown into a dangerous plot. This movie looks like so much fun and absolutely adorable. (Watch the trailer.)  (November 7)

Interstellar

Our time on Earth is coming to an end, so a team of space explorers (Mathew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway) undertakes the most important mission in human history: traveling beyond our galaxy to find a new home, so that mankind has a future. This film looks incredible! (Watch the trailer.) (November 7)

Miss Meadows

Sweet and kind Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) is a school teacher who teaches her students that hope and courage are the most important things in life, but underneath her cute exterior is a gun-toting vigilante who rights the wrongs of the world. I'm not a big fan of Kate Holmes, but this movie has a certain charm about it and seems both funny and thrilling. (Watch the trailer.) (November 14)

Mockingjay: Part 1

The worldwide phenomenon returns! After discovering that District 12 was bombed, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) finds out that she's been taken to District 13, which wasn't completely destroyed like President Snow (Donald Sutherland) wanted everyone to believe. Under the leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore), Katniss fights to save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and the entire nation of Panem. Can. Not. Wait! (Watch the trailer.) (November 21)

Horrible Bosses 2

Fed up with having bosses, Nick (Jason Bateman), Dale (Charlie Day), and Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) decide to become their bosses by opening their business, but an investor (Christoph Waltz) pulls the rug out from under them. Desperate, they hatch a horribly misguided plan to kidnap the investor's adult son (Chris Pine) and ransom him. (Watch the trailer.) (November 26)

Other movies coming out:

• The Better Angels (Nov. 7)
• Jessabelle (Nov. 7)
• The Theory of Everything (Nov. 7)
• Always Woodstock (Nov. 14)
• Beside Still Waters (Nov. 14)
• The Circle (Nov. 14)
• Dumb and Dumber To (Nov. 19)
• Hard Sun (Nov. 21)
• Little Hope Was Arson (Nov. 21)
• Reach Me (Nov. 21)
• Antartica (Nov. 28)
• The Immortalists (Nov. 28)

BOOKS & MUSIC

• Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger -- The third and final book in the Finishing School series follows Sophronia as she continues her second year at finishing school. Her weapon of choice is a steel-bladed fan, which come in handy when she and her friends stowaway on a train to bring her classmate Sidheag back to her werewolf pack in Scotland. (November 4)
• The Laws of Murder by Charles Finch -- It's 1876 and Charles Lenox has given up his seat at Parliament to return to his first love: detection. He and three friends start a detective agency, but the first crime he investigates is the murder of his friend, a member of Scotland Yard. (November 11)
• Ed Sheeran: A Visual Journey by Ed Sheeran and Phillip Butah -- The soulful singer from England put together a visual diary with the help of his childhood friend Phillip Butah that is an exclusive, first-person account of his journey to becoming a renowned singer-songwriter. (November 18)
• Girl Online by Zoe Sugg -- Written by Zoella, the British Youtube sensation, this novel is a coming-of-age tale that captures what it's like to grow up and fall in love in the digital age. Penny as GirlOnline blogs about her daily life and her hidden feelings, but is whisked away to New York, where she falls in love with Noah. (November 25)

Calvin Harris' Motion (Nov. 4) | Larkin Poe's Kin (Nov. 4) 

Foo Fighter's Sonic Highway (Nov. 10) | Nickback's No Fixed Address (Nov. 18)

What are you excited for this month?

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Watch | Read | Listen {September 2014}

Hello September! It's the first year that I'm not going back to school and it feels really strange. I feel like I should be buying books and already doing homework. This was also the first summer that I didn't have off, so in a way it feels like I'm still waiting for summer to begin, but it's already over. 

Now that it's September new entertainment is coming out soon! I'll for sure be seeing Hector and the Search for Happiness and The Maze Runner in theaters. Last month, I saw The Giver and found it thought-provoking and wonderful. What did you think?

MOVIES

The Longest Week 

Conrad Valmont (Jason Bateman) is an over-educated, under-employed heir to the Valmont Hotel fortune, but when he's cut off by his soon-to-be divorced parents he's out on the streets of the Upper West Side. His old friend Dylan (Billy Crudrup) takes him in, but Conrad starts to fall for Dylan's girlfirend Beatrice (Olivia Wilde). (September 5)

Dr. Cabbie

An unemployed immigrant doctor (Vinay Virmani) becomes a cab driver and uses his cab to help treat people when he turns his cab into a mobile clinic. (September 19)

Hector and the Search for Happiness

Hector (Simon Pegg) is a psychiatrist who is unhappy with his life and heels he can't offer his patients advice that he himself doesn't understand, so he decides to go on a larger than life adventure to find true happiness. (September 19)

The Maze Runner

Thomas (Dyland O'Brien) wakes up trapped in a massive maze with a group of other boys and has no memory of the outside world. By piecing together the memories of his past, he hopes to unlock the reasons for why they're all there and how to get out. (September 19)

The Box Trolls

This is the tale of the Boxtrolls, monsters who live under the streets of Cheesebridge, who crawl out of the sewers at night to steal the townspeople's children and their cheese. But that's just rumor. In truth, the Boxtrolls are lovable creatures who are raising a human boy as one of their own. (September 26)

Other movies coming out:

• Frontera (Sept. 5)
• Mephis (Sept. 5)
• The Remaining (Sept. 5)
• My Old Lady (Sept. 10)
• The Drop (Sept. 12)
• The Green Prince (Sept. 12)
• The Skeleton Twins (Sept. 12)
• 20,000 Days on Earth (Sept. 17)
• The Guest (Sept. 17)
• Fort Bliss (Sept. 19)
• This is Where I Leave You (Sept. 19)
• Believe Me (Sept. 26)
• Two Night Stand (Sept. 26)

BOOKS & MUSIC

• The Secret Place (Dublin Murders Squad #5) by Tana French -- Detective Stephen Moran has been waiting to get his foot in the door of the Dublin Murder Squad and after getting a photo of a boy murdered in a girl's boarding school with the caption, "I know who murdered him," and now this is his chance. (September 2)
• The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell -- After a terrible fight with her mother, Holly leaves her home and runs away, but she's no ordinary runaway; ever since she was a child she's heard voices and is a psychic. Holly catches the attention of a cabal of dangerous mystics and their enemies. (September 2)
• The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory -- A threat to the volatile King Henry VII's claim to the throne, Margaret Pole, cousin to Elizabeth of York and daughter of George, Duke of Clarence, is married off to the kind Sir Richard Pole. After the Prince of Wales dies and his bride, Katherine, marries his brother, King VII, Margaret is called to court to be Katherine's lady-in-waiting. (September 9)
• The Children's Act by Ian McEwan -- Fiona Maye, a High Court judge in London, throws herself into her work after her husband leaves her after he asks her to consider an open marriage. She takes on a difficult case about a boy whose parents won't give him a life-saving blood transfusion because of their religious beliefs. (September 9)
• Lullabies by Lang Leav -- A sequel to Love & Misadventure, this book of poetry explores the intricacies of love and loss. (September 16)
• Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes -- Detective Gabriella Versado is shocked by a body found in Detroit -- half boy, half deer fused together, but more strange bodies keep cropping up and she needs to figure out who's doing this and why. (September 16)
• Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld -- Darcy Patel has put college on hold to publish her novel. She moves to New York City with no friends, but is taken under the wings of other writers, and over the next year finishes her book and falls in love. (September 23)
• Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham -- A collection of frank and funny essays about Lena Dunham's life written by none other than Lena Dunham herself. (September 30)

Maroon 5's V (Sept. 2) | Counting Crows' Somewhere Under Wonderland (Sept. 2)

The Kook's Listen (Sept. 9) | Chris Brown's X (Sept. 16)

Alt-J's This Is All Yours (Sept. 22)

Happy Labor Day, fellow Americans!

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Five Fall Fashion Trends {2014}

Fall already? It still feels like summer here in New York, but it will be autumn soon. Raise your hand if you're ready for cooler weather and seeing the leaves change color? You can count me in!

There are a bunch of fun trends for fall and they are all so wildly different that you'll all be able to find at least one that works with your style. I myself am looking forward to wearing more prints, pulling out my gray clothing, and looking a little outdoorsy. 

ONE | Prints, Prints, Prints

{Prints}

Do you like wearing prints? Well, you're in luck because prints -- all types of prints -- are big this fall. Stripes, florals, geometric prints, animal prints, etc. Keep wearing your floral summer dresses into the fall by pairing them with a cozy gray sweater or a plaid shirt. Have fun it by wearing florals with stripes, or animal prints with geometric prints. Go crazy!

TWO | Gray Everything

After a summer of bright colors, it's time to get moody. Gray has been really popular lately because it's a cool neutral that works with every clothing style and every color of the rainbow. Wear it with radiant orchid to lighten it up, with a bold print, make it classy with a midi skirt, or have fun by wearing it with a pastel 60s-inspired dress. 

THREE| Midi Skirts

These bold skirts were popular in the spring and summer, and will remain a huge trend. There are so many midi skirt styles out there right now (A-line, pleated, printed, pencil) that you definitely be able to find something that works for you. The longer length is great for the cooler weather approaching. These ladylike skirts work perfectly with a 60s-inspired colorblock top, or wear it with a faux-fur vest, or a printed blouse. 

FOUR | Outdoorsy Chic

Have you always wanted to dress like a mountain man? Then this is the trend for you! All kidding aside, this outdoorsy chic trend is great for fall because it's all about layering and wearing plaid, fleece, faux fur, and woodsy colors (like brown, burgundy, orange, and green). I think it would be interesting to mix this trend with some pastels or dark florals. 

FIVE | Bringing Back the 60's

First the 90's and now the 60's! If you love the mod style, then get ready to wear lots of mini skirts, colorblocking, and fit and flare dresses. But there's a twist: this style may be having a resurgence, but in soft pastel shades that are usually reserved for spring. Wear a pastel mini skirt with a gray sweater if you have a girly style, or a colorblocked dress with a vest to make it a little more outdoorsy. 

Trends still in: boyfriend jeans, sporty, pastels!

Which trends will you be wearing?

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Watch | Read | Listen {August 2014}

How is it August already? I know everyone has been saying that, but it's so true! I hope you've all been having a lovely summer (or winter) and have been doing fun stuff, like watching fun movies and reading wonderful books. In July, I saw Guardians of the Galaxy and it was so awesome that I want to see it again, but I'll refrain and use that money to see The Giver. 

MOVIES

Into the Storm 

The town of Silverton is ravaged by deadly tornadoes and storm trackers predict the worst is yet to come. Most seek shelter, but several storm chasers (Sarah Wayne Callies and Matt Walsh) follow the storm to learn more about it. They decide to help a man (Richard Armitage) who is searching for his son as the storm gets stronger. Honestly, this movie looks insane...insanely good! (August 8)

What If (known as The F Word)

Wallace (Danielle Radcliffe) is a medical school dropout who puts his love life on hold while everyone else around his is finding their loves of their life. Then he meets Chantry (Zoe Kazan), an animator who lives with her boyfriend, and they have an instant connection, but remain friends. Wallace starts to wonder though if maybe the love of his life is his best friend? This movie looks so adorable and I love both Radcliffe and Kazan. (August 8)

The Giver 

This movie based on the well-known novel is about Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), who lives in an ideal but colorless world that thrives on conformity. After he is given the life assignment as the next Receiver of Memory does he start to see things differently, and that their ideal world is not as ideal as he was led to believe. Also starring Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Alexander Skarsgard, and Katie Holmes. Though they clearly changed a lot from the book, this movie still looks amazing! (August 15)

If I Stay 

Mia Hall (Chloe Grace Moretz) thought the hardest decision would be whether to follow her dreams to Julliard or be with the love of her life, Adam (Jamie Blackley), but that all changes when her family is driving home one day. Her life hangs in the balance between life and death, and she must decide whether she wants to stay or not. I haven't read the book, but this movie looks so moving. (August 22)

Jamie Marks is Dead

Fifteen-year-old Jamie Marks' body was found near the river and now his old classmate Adam McCormick is becoming fixated on Jamie's death. Eventually, a bond so deep develops that Adam can now see Jamie's ghost. But the more attached Adam becomes to Jamie and figuring out what happened, the weaker his ties to reality become. This is completely different from what I usually watch, however it seems really interesting. (August 29)

Other movies coming out:

• The Boxcar Children (Aug. 5)
• About Alex (Aug. 8)
• The Hundred-Foot Journey (Aug. 8)
• Ninja Turtles (Aug. 8)
• Found. (Aug. 15)
• Life After Beth (Aug. 15)
• Love is Strange (Aug. 22)
• To Be Takei (Aug. 22)
• As Above/So Below (Aug. 29)
• The Last of Robin Hood (Aug. 29)
• Starred Up (Aug. 29)

BOOKS & MUSIC

• My Drunk Kitchen by Hannah Hart -- One day Hannah Hart decided to make a fake cooking show for her friend back home in California and My Drunk Kitchen was born. This book features recipes, stories, and tips and tricks. (August 12)
• Adultery by Paulo Coehlo -- A woman attempts to overcome her dissatisfaction with life by having a passionate relationship with a man she knew when years ago. (August 19)
• Sweetness #9 by Stephan Eirik Clark -- David Leveraux is a chemist at the leading flavor production house in America, but while testing Sweetness #9, he notices that it causes weight gain and depression, but he does nothing to stop its production. Years later, it's the most popular sweetener and his family has these side effects. (August 19)
• One Kick by Chelsea Cain -- Kick Lannigan is a survivor of child abduction. After six years she was rescued and vowed never to be a victim again, so she learned martial arts, archery, and knife-throwing. When two children goes missing, a man asks if Kick will help find them by using her experiences. (August 19)

Sinead O'Connor's I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss (Aug. 11) | Imogen Heap's Sparks (Aug. 19)

Ariana Grande's My Everything (Aug. 25) 

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Watch | Read | Listen {July 2014}

I can't believe it's July already! For me, June always goes fast because it's my birthday month, but I feel like this year it just whizzed by before I had time to acknowledge it. I was so busy last month that I didn't have time to go to the movies, but I still really want to see How to Train Your Dragon 2, so I think I'll go to an early showing on my own. 

MOVIES

Earth to Echo

Tuck, Munch, and Alex are three friends whose lives are changed forever when they start to receive strange signals on their phones. They team up with a school friend, Emma, to find the source of the signals and discover that it's a small alien stranded on Earth that needs their help. This looks like a great movie to see with kids. (July 2)

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

A growing nation of genetically-evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by the humans that survived the devastating virus. Though they reach peace, it is short-lived and only war will determine who is Earth's dominant species. Starring Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, and Keri Russell. This look so good. (July 11)

Sex Tape 

To liven up their ten year relationship, Jay (Jason Segel) and Annie (Cameron Diaz) decide to film a sex tape of themselves trying out every position from The Joy of Sex book. The only problem is that their video is no longer private and they'll do anything to get it back. (July 18)

Lucy 

Lucy (Scarlet Johansson) is a young woman who is forced to be a drug mule, but when the bag inside her breaks it turns out that the substance inside her is much more dangerous than your average drug. In this action-thriller, Lucy evolves mentally, using more and more of her brain capacity. The premise seems kind of ridiculous, but it also looks like a crazy ride! (July 25)

Other movies coming out:

• Premature (July 2)
• Tammy (July 2)
• Life Itself (July 4)
• A Long Way Down (July 11)
• Road to Paloma (July 11)
• Alive Inside (July 18)
• I Origins (July 18)
• Mood Indigo (July 18)
• Hercules (July 25)
• A Most Wanted Man (July 25)

BOOKS & MUSIC

California: A Novel by Edan Lepucki -- The world Cal and Frida have known are gone; they now live in the wilderness in isolation, but unsure of their ability to raise a child alone, they seek out the nearest settlement, but find it has secrets of their own. (July 8)

The Book of Life (All Souls Trilogy #3) by Deborah Harkness -- In the finale to her bestselling series, witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Mathew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. (July 15)

A Perfect Life: A Novel by Danielle Steel -- Blaise McCarthy, an icon in the world of television news, asked tough questions in the world of politics and managed everything as a single mother, but no one knows that she's kept a secret hidden for years. (July 22)

Swan Point by Sherryl Woods -- Determined to build a new life for her family after her divorce, Adelia Hernandez moves to Swan Point and is promoted to manager of a fashionable boutique, but it's here that she meets Gabe Franklin. (July 29)

Shadows in the Vineyard: The True Story of the Plot to Poison the World's Greatest Wine by Maxillion Potter -- In January 2010, Aubert de Villaine, the owner of the tiny vineyard that produces the most expensive wines in the world, received an anonymous note threatening to poison his wines unless he paid one million euros. Villaine thought it was a joke, but that was a fatal mistake. (July 29) 

Crosby, Stills & Nash's CSNY (July 8) | Sia's 1000 Forms of Fear (July 8)

John Haitt's Terms of My Surrender (July 15) | Jason Mraz's Yes! (July 15)

5 Seconds of Summer's 5 Seconds of Summer (July 22) | Kierra Sheard's Graceland (July 22)

What are you looking forward to?

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Favorite Things

{Westchester Magazine, Payless shoes, Alex and Ani key bangle, Alex and Ani feather bangle, 

Cover Girl Smoochies in #Luv U, Fossil watch {similar, similar}, Realtree perfume, 

Field Notes, Hurricane iLive Bluetooth speaker. 

First off, thanks to Avra for the key bangle, Naomi for the Field Notes, my step-mom Janet for the wireless speakers, my dad for the watch, and the rest of my family for money that will go towards buying a DSLR camera! You guys are the best!

Secondly, my name is in print! I opened the latest Westchester Magazine and saw my name next to Social Media Coordinator! You can see a picture of it here. 

This Cover Girl Smoochies tinted lip balm is plain wonderful! It's actually not super sheer, but not super bold either. It's the perfect medium and is really moisturizing. I've been wearing it everyday for two weeks so far. 

A few fun links:

♥ These pictures with real animals are stunning!

♥ I love this shop idea: Your Fan Club from Scathingly Brilliant. Basically, you can find a cute pin to every kind of club imaginable. I would love to get the Kindness Fan Club pin!

♥ If strangers talked to everybody like they talk to writers. This is hilarious!

♥ I've been reading The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet and I love it! It gives you a "behind the scenes" look into the web series. 

♥ NYC's most interesting hidden landmarks! 

♥ YES! Harry Potter astrology! The Cancer Hufflepuff is pretty spot on for me. 

♥ "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit is my new favorite song. 

♥ Sponsor love:

• Foreign Geek is my newest sponsor! She's a globetrotting expatriate! So cool, right? Her photos of Angor Wat, and Kyoto and Koyasan make me want to pack my bags this instant. 
• Bookworms in Dresses recently had two lists posts that I really loved: Things that make Jess feel grown up and her #SummerBloggerChallenge list. 

♥ Swap friends: Owls & Monsters, The Curly Casualista, Disowned Clothing, Mommy by the Sea, Blog Behind the Look, My Life as a Teacup, Starry Eyes + Coffee Cups, & Novel Style. 

♥ Fashion loves: this pretty teal dress, these pretty and professional sandals, this bow back top, a bright yellow blazer, a pretty floral top, this American flag scarf, and this orange bikini. 

Have a superfab weekend, friends!

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Watch | Read | Listen {June 2014}

There are so many big blockbuster movies, amazing books, and wonderful albums coming out this month. It was so hard picking only a few that I want to see, read, and listen to. The one thing I'm most excited about is The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet because it's a book based on The Lizzie Bennet Dairies, and I've raved about this web series to everyone I know. I pre-ordered this book in February and I can't wait to actually hold it!

MOVIES

Edge of Tomorrow

Based on the novel All You Need is Kill, this movie takes place in a future in which an alien race has come to Earth, but none of our military can beat them. Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he's thrown into essentially a suicide mission, but for some reason he finds himself stuck in a time loop. He starts the day over whenever he dies, but gets help from the only one who understands -- Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt). I read the book, so I'm curious to see how they've translated it to the screen. (June 6)

The Fault in Our Stars 

Based on the bestselling novel, this film is about Hazel (Shailene Woodley), a cancer patient who falls for Gus (Ansel Elgort), a young man in her support group. This story takes us on unforgettable journey. This movie looks so amazing! I'll be sure to bring tissues. (June 6)

How to Train Your Dragon 2 

The sequel to How to Train Your Dragon continues Hiccup's (Jay Baruchel) journey with his dragon Toothless. The Vikings and the dragons have been successfully united, but when they discover a whole cave of wild dragons and a mysterious Dragon Rider, a battle for peace begins. (June 13)

The Signal 

Three MIT college students who like hacking go on a road trip and find themselves drawn to an isolated area after they follow another hacker. Suddenly everything goes dark and one of the students, Nick (Brenton Thwaites) finds himself in a waking nightmare. I'm not really sure how to describe this science fiction thriller, but it looks oddly intriguing. Watch the trailer. (June 13)

Other movies coming out:

• Anna (June 6)
• Burt's Buzz (June 6)
• The Case Against 8 (June 6)
• 22 Jump Street (June 13)
• Jersey Boys (June 20)
• Third Person (June 20)
• The Internet's Own Boy (June 27)
• Jackpot (June 27)
• Transformers: Age of Extinction (June 27)

BOOKS & MUSIC

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King -- In a mega-stakes, high-suspense race against time, three of the most unlikely and winning heroes Stephen King has ever created try to stop a lone killer from blowing up thousands. (June 3)

The Hurricane Sisters by Dorothea Benton Frank -- Deep in the heart of the magical Lowcountry, a sultry land of ancient magic, glorious sunsets, and soothing coastal breezes, three generations of strong women wrestle with the expectations of family while struggling to understand their complicated relationships with each other. (June 3)

Midnight in Europe by Alan Furst -- Paris, 1938. As the shadow of war darkens Europe, democratic forces on the Continent struggle against fascism and communism, while in Spain the war has already begun. This is a suspenseful and romantic story of spies and secret operatives in Paris and New York, in Warsaw and Odessa, on the eve of World War II. (June 3)

Hard Choices by Hilary Clinton -- Hillary Rodham Clinton’s inside account of the crises, choices, and challenges she faced during her four years as America’s 67th Secretary of State, and how those experiences drive her view of the future. (June 10)

The Ruin & Rising by Leigh Bardugo -- The capital has fallen. The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne. Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army. (June 17)

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert -- An enthralling story of love, adventure and discovery. Spanning much of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the novel follows the fortunes of the extraordinary Whittaker family as led by the enterprising Henry Whittaker—a poor-born Englishman who makes a great fortune in the South American quinine trade. (June 24)

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Bernie Su -- A modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice based on the Emmy Award-winning phenomenon, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. There is a great deal that goes into making a video blog. Lizzie Bennet should know, having become a YouTube sensation over the course of her year-long video diary project. (June 24)

Miranda Lampbert's Plantinum (June 3) | Lucy Hale's Road Between (June 3)

Passenger's Whisper (June 10) | Tesla's Simplicity (June 10)

Ed Sheeran's X (June 23)

Which of these will you be watching, reading, or listening to?

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