Tag Archives: television

mid-week round-up

yellow flowers

What are y’all up to this week? We scooped up our dear friends Carrie and Ganer from the airport yesterday evening and are so excited to have them staying with us for the rest of the week! I really hope the weather holds so we can show off the finer points of Miami (read: beach, pools, tropical gardens). Either way, I know anything we do will be ten times more fun with those two in tow! Hope you have a great week, and here are some links for your enjoyment…

How fun would it be to go on vacations in this tiny camper?

I’d love to take The Productivity Planner for a test drive.

Can you pass the Southern Slang Challenge?

Jamie Oliver’s 10 Food Revolution recipes.

A fine-dining empire in the wild, wild west.

Bourbon has feminine roots but is still considered a man’s industry.

How Blac Chyna beat the Kardashians at their own game.

A false bottom in a mug held a Holocaust victim’s treasure for more than 70 years.

Men are sabotaging  online reviews of TV shows aimed at women.

The secret poems found on Boston’s streets.

A female chief breaks up 850 child marriages in Malawi.

Compete. Empower.

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What are you watching?

nurse jackie gif

Hey guys! What have you been watching lately? We’re about to start the final season of Nurse Jackie. The first season initially made me wary. (Is this show just trying to be Weeds? Why watch a hospital drama that only delves deeply into one character?) But somewhere in the midst of the second season I found myself hooked. Turns out, the show is wildly addicting, veers off the Weeds formula fairly quickly, and has many lovable characters. Zoey (pictured above in the bunny scrubs) is my spirit animal.

Edie Falco stars as Nurse Jackie, a skilled nurse with a penchant for pills. She lies, steals, and bamboozles. She hurts her loved ones. But you end up rooting for her anyways.

The show is witty, smart and unpredictable. Anyway, the whole series is streaming on Netflix, and I’d highly recommend it.

nurse jackie gif 2

Now share what YOU are watching in the comments below! xoxo 

For the love of DOWNTON!

downton insta 1

downton insta 2

I recently plowed through 5 seasons of Downton Abbey and am still feeling the after-effects of the obsession. I’d seen the first few seasons before but once Chet agreed to watching it, I was all in for the long haul. Now I’m just trying to decide if I should go ahead and spring for the DVD set of season 6 or save it for a rainy day! Anyways, if you’re feeling similarly Downton-Obsessed with nowhere to turn, I’ve rounded up a few items you may want to add to your To Do list (especially if you’ve just watched the series finale and don’t want to say goodbye so soon!)…

Start talking like the Dowager Countess by studying these 39 Best Quotes.

Throw a Downton Abbey themed party complete with tea party printables  and Lady Mary Cocktails.

There are plenty of books out there to fill the Downton Abbey-size hole in your heart. Check out 14 Books to Read If You Love Downton Abbey and Ten Books To Survive Downton Abbey Withdrawal if you need a few ideas.

Finally, bring some upstairs and downstairs fare to your kitchen table by cooking up a few recipes from The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook.

Ok, now you have some ideas to help you follow this great advice…

stop whining and find something to do

As for me…the final season awaits! And whenever I decide to watch it, you best believe I’m gonna display one of these on the door.

mid-week round-up

blue flower

What’s everyone up to this week? My sister and her friend came for a visit over the weekend, and we had a great time exploring the huge park in my neighborhood and eating the yummiest Cuban food. On Sunday we went to The Deering Estate where Katie participated in a table reading of a brand new script written by an up and coming playwright. It was so good! Wishing you all a beautiful spring day, and now on to the links…

Top chef turned cafeteria lady.

Never underestimate the power of a woman — or 100.

Real female actors reading real casting calls.

Picasso’s multi-billion dollar empire.

What happens when you dress like Lorelai Gilmore for a week?

A St. Patrick’s Day feast you can fix up in a single skillet.

How Braille won the war of the dots.

Mail used to come with a side of MEOW.

Was Chipotle the victim of corporate sabotage? (Someone should make a documentary!)

Speaking of cool posters, you can now download 2,000 turn-of-the-century posters courtesy of the New York Public Library!

To men I love, about men who scare me.

I’m feeling a pair of these for spring! What do you think?

P.S. ICYMI – Thoughts on tackling unfinished projects and a Cincinnati chili recipe!

February favorites.

february favorites

With the turning of the calendar page from February to March, it’s time to bundle together the best products, places, media and everything in between from the last month. Here are 9 things I found myself loving in February…

1. Tom Bihn backpack

I was floored when I opened this early Valentine’s Day present from Chet. I just couldn’t get over the adorable pattern and perfect pocket placement. I’ve been wearing it around the whole month and it does NOT disappoint. You can read my full review of the bag and see some pictures of me sporting it in the wild HERE. I can not thank my thoughtful dude enough for this spectacular present. We have many day-trips and ultra-light adventures ahead of us. And we shall be so wonderfully well-equipped!

2. Downton Abbey

While I had previously seen most of the first three seasons of this show, I convinced Chet to watch it from the beginning with me. We just started the 5th season and I never want it to end! In case you’ve been living under a rock, the British drama follows the lives of the Crawley family and all its servants as they go about their business, upstairs and down, in the large country manor estate known as Downton Abbey. The show begins with the 1912 sinking of the Titanic but now in season 5 we’re all the way up to 1923. It’s quite fun to track the actual historic events that play out alongside the fictional lives of the Crawleys. Bonus to our nightly viewing? Chet does a bang-up impersonation of Mr. Carson, the Crawleys’ beloved butler, and will often chime in with his own commentary.

3. WKU forensics alums

In February, I traveled to Bowling Green, KY to spend some time with the current WKU Forensics Team and a small group of alums. We had a great weekend coaching speech and catching up. This team was such a big part of my life for 7 years that I love any excuse to step back into that world for a few hours. I saw some amazingly passionate, intelligent, and inspiring speeches and even played a few rounds of flip cup. (When with your college pals in a college town…..amirite?)

4. He Named Me Malala

I was selected this month by 21st Century Fox to receive an advanced screening copy of the documentary, He Named Me Malala. I pretty much cried through the whole film and really hope lots of people tuned in to watch the TV premiere. It was a profoundly impactful film made by filmmaker Davis Guggenheim exploring the life of Malala Yousafzai before and after her attack at the hands of Taliban. You can read more about the film HERE.

5. Save-the-Date cards

Initially, I wasn’t too on board with the whole idea of sending Save-the-Date cards. Wouldn’t it just be easier to hop on the internet to spread the word about our selected date and send out invitations later? But then again…I LOVE sending and receiving mail and I just couldn’t let the opportunity to send some mailbox cheer pass me by. I ended up designing them myself with the free photo editing site PicMonkey. I’m REALLY happy with how they turned out and think using PicMonkey and printing them on cardstock was a wonderful budget-friendly option. I’d be happy to post a tutorial about how I whipped them up if you’re interested!

6. My notebook

I snagged this notebook from Target when Chet and I were in Lafayette for Christmas. While I’m a huge fan of Moleskines and the Baron Fig Confidante, I’d sort of come to the conclusion that I wanted a hard-back spiral-bound for my day-to-day, planner-ish notebook. I like to have my To-Do list out all day and while other notebooks claim to “lay flat” they don’t always do so, or they do but they take up too much desk space. I also like to dedicate a whole page per day which can seem a bit wasteful when using a higher end notebook. I started this notebook, along with a new notebook system, on January 1st and it’s been really helpful and easy to stick to. I use a modified version of the Bullet Journal system. I prioritize daily spreads over anything else and I don’t index but I implement a lot of the other strategies. When this one is all used up I think I’ll continue to stick to this type of notebook!

7. Shakespeare’s First Folio

The book that made the bard made it’s way to Florida International University this month! Chet and I got dressed up and attended the opening of the first folio exhibit at The Frost Art Museum. It was amazing to see so much Shakespeare programming and hype occur at the university and in Miami while the book was on display. We loved taking a peek inside but only wished we could hold it in our hands and flip through the pages. Think of all that history!

8. New living room couch

Arriving into our humble abode just in the nick of time to make this favorite’s list is our new couch! We headed out early last Saturday morning to beat the crowds at Ikea and came home with all sorts of goodies. I’ve had my eye on a grey couch for some time now and I think we chose a great one! We poked around online to find a few contenders before heading into the thick of things but then ended up going with this one instead! It is super comfy and a great place to lounge with the sliding glass doors pushed open for a cool breeze. (Don’t mind the wrinkles in the photo above. It was only just born when I snapped that pic!)

9. Rooibos Chai Tea

My mom is always hooking me up with fair trade goodies and in February I was loving this chai tea she sent. I love brewing up a mug when the weather is a bit dreary or for an evening treat when there’s no dessert in the house. It’s just the right level of spicy and sweet with delicious notes of vanilla. YUM!

 

mid-week round-up

weather vane

Wednesday again! What are y’all up to? Chet and I got dressed up and went to The Frost Museum on Saturday night for the opening of the Shakespeare’s First Folio exhibit. It’s always fun to have a reason to get cute AND geek out simultaneously. Haha! The book was open to the “To be or not to be” page of Hamlet which was definitely a nice choice. There’s just something so wrong about a book behind glass though. I wanted to flick through it so bad! Wouldn’t it be amazing to feel all that history at your finger-tips? I’m headed to Bowling Green, KY on Friday and I’m looking forward to giving some friends a squeeze. But what should I pack?! Half a year in Miami and I’ve already forgotten how to Winter. In the name of packing procrastination, let’s wander around the internet…

Bill Maher, Charlie Sheen, and modern day snake oil.

Why are men missing from the Zika Virus warnings?

A video game that mixes animation and magical realism to tell the story of a family’s profound loss.

A rape case which highlights differences in legal cultures and the colonial dynamic in the nineteenth century.

Broadly documents the fight to end revenge porn.

Leslie Knope + Ann Perkins = BFF

A yummy Valentine’s treat.

Thoughts on Gilmore Girls.

Remy Charlip and the problems of dance notation.

Financial advisor for millennials.

I totally want to stay at this Icelandic hostel.

Lessons from the longest study on happiness.

Binge-Worthy TV Shows

FARGO YR 1

Emmy Nominations Snubs Surprises

master of none

man in the high castle

making a murderer

Do you binge watch TV shows? Or do you tune in live each week to catch your favorite programs on cable? I’m definitely more the former. I love getting to watch an episode or two (or three…or four….) of the same show each day. It is just so satisfying to click “next” when you run head first into a cliffhanger. But on the flip side, after totally immersing yourself in another world, it sucks just a bit more when you suddenly find you’ve come to the end of a series. (Have you seen this Portlandia sketch?)

The first time I really remember binge watching was when I was home for the summer after my sophomore year of college. My sister and mom were on a trip through Europe, I was baby-sitting in the mornings and cashiering later in the day. When I came home each day, exhausted, to an empty house, there was nothing better than pounding through episodes of Gilmore Girls on DVD. The next year, my room-mates had several seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. When I wasn’t spending the weekend at a speech tournament, I could curl up with my laptop and episode after episode of hospital drama.

After that Netflix really started to catch on and the rest is binge watching history!

Chet and I actually started to hang out regularly when a group of our friends was binge watching Mad Men every night. (There was one day I literally don’t think we saw the sun because we watched so many episodes.)

But even during a stint without Netflix, or internet for that matter, I managed to watch 8 seasons of McLeod’s Daughters by checking it out, disc by disc, from the public library. Unfortunately, that was more of a solo venture as it can be a bit tough to convince people to commit to an Australian soap opera about female ranchers.

Lately, our forays into TV viewing have been knocking it out of the park! If you’re looking for some binge-worthy shows, I would highly recommend the last few we’ve watched, including;

Fargo,

The Americans,

Master of None,

Man in the High Castle, and

Making a Murderer.

What have YOU been binge watching lately? Have you seen any of the shows listed above? What did you think? Comment below! 

mid-week round-up

old antique store

How’s your week faring so far? We got back from a lovely trip to New Orleans on Monday (you can read details HERE), and I’m already missing my sweet friends and the lovely Autumn breeze. It was so much fun! Now it’s back to the grind. I’ve got a hefty work assignment to conquer and I need to eat ALL of the vegetables to balance out the rich foods I indulged in. Haha! Enjoy your week, bundle up if it’s chilly where you are, and have a look at this week’s internet goodies…

Make your way to the nearest Trader Joe’s and cook up this easy, hearty soup.

Improve your well-being with positive affirmations.

Victims of domestic violence find healing from gardening.

You’ll never hear Reese Witherspoon uttering this question.

An updated version of Alanis Morisette’s Ironic.

Dinner this week? 

Sometimes your couch neighbor is more entertaining than what’s on the TV screen.

The real reason for Windows games.

Would you dumpster dive?

Four families struggling to stay together.

A touching story about sisters.

This would look so pretty sprouting a lovely, green plant on my balcony.

 

October favorites.

October favorites

With the turning of the calendar page from October to November, it’s time to bundle together the best products, places, media and everything in between from the last month. Here are 9 things I found myself loving in October…

1. Logitech speakers

My home workspace got even MORE swag this month with the addition of a set of white speakers to flank my monitor. I saw them featured in someone else’s computer set-up online and knew they would be perfect sitting atop my desk! Luckily, Chet was able to do a little Internet digging to track them down and gave them to me as a birthday present. I totally forgot to include them in my gift haul! Probably because they were plugged in and I’ve already grown so accustomed to having them as part of my computer. Their sound quality is fantastic and they match the rest of my desk so well!

2. Sharpie pens

I’ve loved the glory of the Sharpie pen for quite some time but I grew to love them even stronger this past month. Working from home means I’ve got to keep a running “To Do” list with all my tasks for the day. I wouldn’t get anything done otherwise. It’s all about the list! And it’s way more fun in colorful Sharpie pens. Some days I can even go full cray-cray and color code! I’ve also been working my way through a self-paced class on blogging for business and these pens are perfect for taking notes and brainstorming sessions.

3. Bamboo toothbrushes

In an effort to look for little replacements I could make to cut down on my use of plastic, I ordered this set of bamboo toothbrushes. Since you’re supposed to switch out your toothbrush every three months, I’ll be good to go for a whole year! And each toothbrush in the set is cleverly stamped with three months to make sure you don’t forget! So far I’m a fan and actually like them more than many plastic counterparts I’ve tried.

4. Homestead Bayfront Park

So, I keep bringing this park/beach up on the blog but I can’t help it! It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite places in the world! We visited twice this month (for my birthday and just this past weekend on Halloween, as well) and both times were so rejuvenating and fun. You can lay by the beach, swim in the atoll pool, watch the boats leave the marina, fish, enjoy a picnic, have dinner and drinks at La Playa Grill, or just wander about the park taking in the gorgeous views. If you drop down to Miami for a visit we promise to take you here! On our Halloween excursion to Homestead we also checked out Biscayne National Park (which is right next door to the Bayfront Park) and took a beautiful walk with views of downtown Miami in the distance across the water.

5. The Martian

This movie is definitely a must-see! In the midst of a Mars mission, a bad storm causes an astronaut crew to pack it in early and head home to Earth. However, one crew member is presumed dead and left behind. But he actually survived (!) and now he must get by with meager supplies, his own scientific-smarts and the help of a team of scientists at NASA millions of miles away. In the leading role Matt Damon is ridiculous and lovable and all the other characters are pitch perfect as well. The plot is, of course, gripping as is the case with most space exploration movies. It’s based on a bestselling hard sci-fi novel but the movie adaptation was definitely created with the masses in mind. I’m sure you’ll love it even if you aren’t a die hard science fiction fan.

6. Ring dish

I just can’t get over how cute this little dish is! This was a birthday present from Chet’s mom and it’s the sweetest little place to keep my jewelry and bobby pins at the end of the day. Polka dots? White and gold? French phrasing? I think I’m in love! This has taken up permanent residence on my dresser.

7. SubZero ice cream

Can we TALK about this ice cream for a second? OH MY WORD is it good! I thought I was spoiled in Lexington living so close to the fro-yo shop Orange Leaf but having SubZero up the street has it beat. The concept for this ice cream shop was pitched on the show Shark Tank and I’m so glad someone was like “Um, yeah. Of COURSE I’ll back this!” Basically your ice cream starts out in liquid form. You get to select your milk (you can even choose lactose free or almond–which is awesome for those of us whose tummies aren’t as accepting of dairy), flavors and mix-ins and then everything is mixed and frozen right in front of you with the help of dry ice. The result? The creamiest, richest ice cream you’ll ever taste! I recommend Nutella flavor. Yum!

8. Fargo

I recently put out a call on Facebook for binge-worthy TV recommendations. While we got a lot of great suggestions we decided to give Fargo a go. Well, just a few weeks later and now I’m jonesing for that second season. This show is SO. GOOD. The plot of the show is different from the movie while still capturing that Coen Brothers vibe of dark-funny-weird. It’s the first show in quite some time that really made me want to watch more than two episodes a night. Keep hittin’ that next button, please!

9. Moscow Mule cup

After months and months of wistfully picking up every Moscow Mule mug found in every store EVER, Chet said “enough is enough with all those copper-induced googly eyes!” and bought me one of my very own! Is he not the best at picking out presents?! *swoon* My cocktail of choice is gin and ginger ale which isn’t exactly a Moscow Mule but still feels very right served in a copper cup. Bonus, drinks stay super cold in this cup which is kind of a necessity when you live at the veeeeery Southern tip of the good ol’ U.S. of A.

mid-week round-up

lady at beach

What are you up to, my loves? This past weekend Chet and I explored Coconut Grove. The temperature felt quite mild due to it’s proximity to the water but the humidity was still as gnarly and tropical as ever! Chet vlogged the whole adventure if you’d like to take a look HERE. Yesterday was a really productive day for me job-wise and I hope that work flow continues the rest of the week. I think this was due in large part to Chet fixing our internet which had been super spotty and annoying for the last week. Finally, we watched the movie Faults last night. Have you seen it? I love anything about cults so I was a huge fan. Have a great week, guys! And here’s a little reading material…

An adorable storage container cabin.

The secret to a perfectly fried egg.

What’s going on beyond the crop?

My gut reaction to refugees being housed on the grounds of former concentration camp, Dachau, was horror, but now I’m not sure. Thoughts?

Don’t waste it, plate it!

An unlikely debate round.

This historian couple loved the Victorian Era so much they decided to live in it.

The changes one middle school classroom has made since implementing Common Core.  Sounds awesome to me but I know Common Core has been quite divisive.

OMG. Wedding goals.

Jimmy Carter on the kiss cam (!) at a recent Braves game.

Is nursing a talent? HECK YES!

Why is reality TV experiencing a boom in blurred genitalia?