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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Photo A Day Challenge {June 2013}

After taking a few months off from Fat Mum Slim's Photo A Day Challenge because of school, I decided to get back into it since it's so enjoyable. It's challenging in the best way; it makes me think about the subject or object in question, the composition, the angles, the colors or lack of it, etc. Some were easier than others of course, and some turned out pretty mediocre, but that's all part of the fun. 

  1. B is for...{Ben/brother} // 2. A moment {at the MoMA} // 3. On my table {a half-read book}

 4. After dark // 5. Environment {flowers} // 6. Transport {Helicopter inside the MoMA}

7. Bright {the Rain Room} // 8. Animal {Princess} // 9. From down low {corner of Lexington & 57th} 

 10. You! // 11. Something funny {weird chair at the MoMA} // 12. 11 o'clock {running errands}

13. Kitchen {teapot} // 14. Texture {brick, wood, metal} // 15. From above 

16. Family {my brothers and I} // 17. Centered {a statue at the Met} // 18. Street {Upper East Side}

19. Currently reading {City of Bones} // 20. Cute // 21. Lunchtime

22. Enjoying life {seeing Man of Steel} // 23. Last {as NOT the last time I'll be eating Ben & Jerry's ice cream with Magic Shell!} // 24. Negative space

25. Sharp {knife} // 26. Empty {Who ate my Chinese food?} // 27. Into the sun

28. Red {lipstick} // 29. In my bag // 30. Handwriting

How did you do with the photo a day challenge?
Will you be doing it in July?

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Birthday Wishlist

My birthday is this Saturday! Yay! I'll be turning 24! I guess that means I'm almost due for a quarter-life crisis. Good thing I'm about to finish graduate school in December and need to find a full-time job. I have my crisis lined up and ready! 

{Click here for item info}

My birthday wishlist:

♥ Topshop Embroidered Dress -- Love the color & the sweet embroidery

♥ Canon EOS Rebel T3i Camera  -- Camera of my dreams!

♥ Write That Shit Down Notepad -- Because I need to write down everything or it's forgotten

♥ Crystal Statement Necklace -- So pretty!

♥ H&M Denim Jacket -- I want a denim jacket so bad

♥ Bonlook Sunglasses -- I love Bonlook's sunglasses

♥ Topshop Aztec Print Satchel -- How cool is that print?!

♥ Open Heart Stud Earrings -- Subtle and delicate

♥ Bite Creme Lipstick -- Love this super creamy lipstick!

Happy Monday!

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Movies I Want To See (June 2013)

Last month I saw The Great Gatsby and Star Trek Into Darkness and they were both amazing in different ways! In my opinion, the Baz Luhrman's Gatsby film perfectly transitioned the book to the big screen. It was a great mix of Hollywood and indie with Luhrman's own flair for the dramatic. 

Star Trek had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! It had all that I loved about the first movie (the humor, drama, amazing action sequences, the feeling that this is a mismatched group of people coming together, and the funny bromance between Kirk and Spock) and made it even better. The ending was left slightly open, so I'm hoping there will be a third.

Much Ado About Nothing

Shakespeare's classic comedy is given a contemporary spin by Joss Whedon, who filmed this in just 12 days using the original text. The story of sparring lovers, Beatrice and Benedick, shows the dark, sexy, and absurd game that is love. Starring Nathan Fillion, Alexis Denisof, Amy Acker, Fran Kranz, Sean Maher, and Clark Gregg. (June 7)

This Is The End

This outrageous comedy follows six friends trapped in a house after a series of strange, catastrophic events devastate Los Angeles. As the world unravels outside and cabin fever sets in, their friendships are tested and they're forced to leave the house to face their fate. Starring James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogan, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, and Michael Cera. This movie looks ridiculous, but also hilarious. (June 12)

Man of Steel 

Directed by Zack Snyder, this is an updated, contemporary story of the boy who was transported to Earth from Krypton and adopted by loving parents, but who feels alienated because of his unique super powers. Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) struggles to find his place in the world, but becomes a hero in order to save the planet he loves. This movie looks like it has a lot of heart as well as action. (June 14)

Monsters University 

Taking place before the events of the first movie, Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan can't stand each other. This movie shows how this unlikely pair overcame their differences and became the best of friends. I'm not ashamed to say that I'm looking forward to this prequel to Monsters, Inc, and it's coming out a day before my birthday. *wink wink nudge nudge*  (June 21)

Byzantium

Two mysterious women seek refuge in a run-down coastal resort. Clara (Gemma Arterton) meets a lonely man who provides shelter in his guesthouse, Byzantium. Schoolgirl Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan) befriends Frank (Caleb Landry Jones) and tells him their secret: they were born 200 years ago and survive on human blood. As their secret spreads, their past catches up with them. I'm usually not into horror, but this film seems interesting. (June 28)

Other movies coming out in June:

• Syrup (June 7)
• The Internship (June 7)
• Tiger Eyes (June 7)
• The Bling Ring (June 14)
• The Guillotines (June 14)
• Maniac (June 21)
• The Attack (June 21)
• World War Z (June 21)
• Redemption (June 28)
• The Heat (June 28)
• White House Down (June 28)

What movies do you want to see this month?

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(via 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5)

Photo A Day Challenge (June)

I loved participating in Chantelle's Photo A Day Challege and can't believe I didn't try it sooner! Every day was a different prompt (like "morning" or "from a high angle"). For me, what made it fun and challenging was the same thing -- coming up with a something to take a picture of and how I should take the picture. For the "time" prompt, should I simply go with taking a picture of a clock, or should I be more creative? Should I take a close up so it's more artistic?

I love the variety in what you could do. After clicking #photoadayjune on Twitter, I saw that everyone made the daily prompt their own and no two pictures were alike.

Sidenote: I use Snapseed (the best photo app ever!) on all my pictures to enhance them or to simply make them look cool.

1. Morning 2. Empty

3. On my plate 4. Close-up (of my 1990 Acura Integra)

 5. Sign (yes, that's in my kitchen) 6. Hat

7. Drink 8. Six o'clock

 9. Your view today 10. Best bit of your weekend

11. Door 12. From a low angle

Movies I Want to See (June 2012)

I'm so excited for June! Not only is it my birthday month (I turn 23 on June 22), but it's unofficially summer and so many good movies are hitting theatres. I wish I had enough money to spend on going to the theatre every weekend, sometimes more than once a weekend. *sigh* If only.

Snow White & The Huntsman

In case you need a refresher: When Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) finds out that Snow White (Kristen Stewart), her stepdaughter, will one day rule the kingdom, the Queen is determined to consume Snow's heart so that she will be immortal and therefore rule forever. The Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) is sent to kill Snow after she escapes into the Dark Forest, but Snow White soon starts a revolution, with the help of some new friends, to kill the Queen. (June1)

Lola Versus

Greta Gerwig plays Lola, who is dumped by her fiance three weeks before their wedding. As a newly-single woman she tries to find her place in the world with the help of her friends Henry (Hamish Linklater) and Alice (Zoe Lister-Jones). This looks like a fun summer movie about life in your late twenties. (June 8)

Watch the trailer here.

Prometheus

A prequel to the Alien series in which a group of explorers in the late 21st century discover a clue to the origins of the human race on Earth. A star map linking unconnected cultures of our past leads them on a journey as they follow the map and encounter a threat to humanity's existence. Starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, and Logan Marshall-Green. It looks terrifying but also very interesting.  (June 8)

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Based on the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith (who also wrote Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), this is the untold story of President Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) as a vampire hunter in the 19th century. It's a completely ridiculous idea that totally works. (June 22)

Brave

Merida, a headstrong teenager in the Scottish highlands, has been fighting to control her life and her destiny all her life. She would rather be an archer and swordfighter than a lady, but when her family becomes cursed Merida must undo the spell before it's too late. Kelly Macdonald voices Merida. This is definitely the movie I'm seeing on my birthday! (June 22)

Ted

The first raunchy film of the summer, this film follows John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), a grown man, and Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), a teddy bear come to life from a childhood wish. But Ted gets in the way of John embracing adulthood and the woman he loves (Mila Kunis). (June 19)

Other films coming out in June:

• Safety Not Guaranteed (June 8)
• Rock of Ages (June 15)
• Beasts of the Southern Wild (June 27)
• Magic Mike (June 29)

Which movies are you excited to see this month?

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(Posters via Collider, Collider, FilmoFilia, FilmoFilia, Collider, & Collider)