January started off on a really good note. My goals were well outlined and I had a jump on a lot of the things I had planned for early 2020. While the month was still great, I closed it out stressing about taxes and getting a bad case of the common cold and major dehydration. I missed a couple of blog posts that I had planned, but I’ll be filtering them in during the month of February so there will hopefully be some surprise content days. I’m also in the middle of editing a big YouTube video all about graduate school and being a Ph.D. student. This post is going to be covering all my monthly favorites, a review of things I read and watched, and some other fun tidbits from the month of January. Let’s do it!
My Monthly Favorites
Avocado Toast
If you watched my Work Week In My Life vlog from early January, then you know I had a mini photoshoot with my avocado toast. This is by far my favorite breakfast when I am feeling super hungry in the morning. But, it has to be done right. A ripe avocado, TJ’s toasted Ezekiel bread, a generous serving of Everything But The Bagel seasoning, and of course, topped with a fried egg seasoned with pepper and a smidge of sea salt. I also had a small love affair with avocadoes, in general, using them to top off salads and nachos with a bit of healthy fat.
Gel Nails
I’m not usually a gal who loves getting her nails done. After my trip to Jamaica, I have been loving the look of polished nails. It’s probably because I love the look of a deep winter shade. It’s one of the easiest ways to look effortlessly put together. I’m looking to cut the costs of bi-weekly nail appointments and maybe trying some at-home kits like Impress or KISS.
Iced Oat Milk Lattes
I think I need to take back everything I said about oat milk. I’m sorry for the slander that left these lips. Like many things I’ve come to love as an adult, it’s truly an acquired taste. I prefer oat milk in my espresso drinks and still favor cream or almond milk in my iced coffee and cold brew. I’m really trying to lower my environmental impact when it comes to food and that starts with food waste, beef consumption, and high resource chugging milk/milk alternatives.
H&M Longline Camel Coat
I don’t leave the house most days without my camel coat. It was definitely the best purchase I made this winter and I know that I’ll have it for years. It’s a rich brown and isn’t too much of the brassy and sometimes cheap khaki camel that you see. I styled it five ways in my 50 Winter Outfits YouTube video that I posted a couple of weeks ago. Everyone should have a camel coat.
Prep: The Cookbook
One of my big goals for 2020 is to cook more. Learning how to do the most basic of culinary tasks is a huge thing that I never really considered before. I can make a pretty stellar omelet and a banging one-pot pasta. I’m currently working my way through understanding how to mix and match different spices. It’s already taking my dishes to the next level. I’d like to thank HelloFresh for getting me comfortable with mincing garlic and peeling carrots. Now, I don’t even flinch when recipes and cookbooks call for these things. I love that the Prep cookbook starts teaching you assuming that you know literally nothing. 11/10 would recommend it.
A Trip to The City of Brotherly Love
I love traveling and seeing new cities. Learning about the history of places and experiencing different ways of living the day to day is so exhilarating. I started off my tour of the Northeastern metro hubs by visiting a friend in Philly. There’s so much to love about the city and it really does remind me of a smaller NYC.
I love a rich historical culture and of course, Philadelphia has so much of that. We saw the Liberty Bell, took a tour of Independence Hall, and walked the streets of the historic centers of town. Philly cheesesteaks and cookie dough stuffed french toast were just a few of the delectable items on my food roster. I might write a whole blog post on a quick weekend trip to Philly after I’ve been back a few times, but for now here are some of my favorite spots to check out!
- Ants Pants Cafe
- The Bakeshop on Twentieth
- Ultimo Coffee
- Love Park
- Philadelphia City Hall
- Liberty Bell Center
- Independence Hall
- Green Eggs Cafe
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
Features Review
I think it’s pretty obvious that I love a good film and I try to see a lot of them. Award show season is in full swing and I have thoughts about the nominations and pending winners. Drop a line in the comments if you have THOUGHTS too.
Uncut Gems
2.5/5. I really really really really really wanted to love this movie. The ending was freaking brilliant, but I felt like I was on edge during the entire two-hour period. Adam Sandler had one of the best performances of his life, but everyone else in the film felt random although I love them and their work individually [Lakeit & Idina]. Kevin Garnett randomly had a huge role in the progression in the story which didn’t feel weird at all. I don’t know what it was about this film, but I kept thinking about it for days after.
Just Mercy
5/5. Films that have something to say from start to finish are my kryptonite. Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx were stellar. This film had so many nuggets to dig into for discussion and I severely missed my sounding board for conversations on race and The Southern Black experience. I have added the book of the same name to my list of must-reads because I’m sure it’s probably even better in the movie. There were so many profound scenes and storylines in this film and I just hope that you’ll go out and see it or rent it when it’s released for purchase.
1917
4.5/5. I said this in my mini-Instagram review, but I seriously had no interest in seeing this film. Zero. But, I read up on some of the technical aspects of how this film was made and was… intrigued. Again, I am not afraid to say when I am wrong. This was one of the most brilliant films from a cinematography lens. It should sweep that category for sure at every awards show. The one-shot roll style strengthens the otherwise lackluster plot for a war film that I’d actually see in theaters again.
Bad Boys for Life
3.5/5. This is such a classic franchise and I really didn’t want to be disappointed. And, I wasn’t. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence bounce off each other so well and the story was extremely entertaining. They managed to work in elements of the first films while also using film advancements to complement the acting and story. I also loved the inclusion of younger cast members Charles Melton, Vanessa Hudgens, and Alexander Ludwig. Such a fun movie.
Parasite
4/5. This movie was so thoughtful. The characters were so well written. It was a rather serious storyline but felt fresh and light. One of those movies where you find it hard to place blame on any of the characters. Glad to see this movie doing so well in the mainstream theaters. Also, #normalizesubtitles. One of the few films that I’ve seen actually take on a discussion of classism without making it a joke.
The Rhythm Section
3/5. A movie I really wanted to enjoy more. But, I felt like, fundamentally, the story had huge gaps. It just didn’t make sense. I am tempted to read the book to see if I can better fill in gaps that were probably there to save time. I thought Blake Lively was good and this role was unlike anything I’ve seen her do before[however, the accent… GIRL]. My critique of this movie is so harsh because the premise has been done before and has been done better [see ABC’s Revenge].
Book of the Month
What Alice Forgot by Lianne Moriarty
4.5/5. That’s probably a really high score but I haven’t read for fun in such a long time and this novel was able to hold my attention so easily. I loved the story and it gave me a ton to think about when it comes to where I see myself in 5, 10, 15 years [blog post coming soon]. It was a really well-crafted story about change, re-centering, relationships, family, and memories. I definitely recommend this book for someone who’s coming off a reading hiatus. The fun Australian lingo is also always a treat trying to decipher.
I also watched a bunch of television Sex Education Season 2 (10/10) and Love Island are just two of the highlights.
Okay, so that’s a wrap on my monthly January Favorites and Movie Reviews. Is there anything else you would like me to cover in these? I feel like I wasn’t really drawn to many products this month so my favorites are limited. I should find some more fun things to rave about in the coming months.
That’s a wrap on January. Keep on keepin’ on.
photography x Laurel Creative
