(Slightly Late) September 2017 Favorites

Better late than never I guess. This month has been hectic and weird and everything I imagined it to be and more. I kind of hate doing these posts since I hate talking about products in such a tacky materialistic way but here we are. Cool.

+Music

-Feel like this section's only real use is to update on what Harry has done recently. ANYWAYS, I actually saw him last week at Radio City (tickets couresty of my friend's aunt who works for Columbia). The entire show was incredible- super minimal and Harry has become a perfect balance of Jagger and boyband. His recent Spotify session recording of "Girl Crush" is also noteworthy.

+Beauty

-NuMe's Octowand is kind of the greatest thing to happen to my hair recently (ok maybe my new Farrah Fawcett-esque haircut was better but you get the point). When I say I didn't know how to curl hair before this, I really meant there was nothing my hair was working with to get that Goy Curl I've always dreamed of. (Also everyone ever has made the joke about them looking like dildos. It's not funny anymore.)

-This isn't new but I think it's weird I've never talked about it here with it being my holy grail. Do yourself a favor and start using witch hazel. My red toned skin has never been more even or clean. Seriously.

+Television/Film

-I just got super into Community but also recently finished the latest season of Criminal Mind's on Netflix (my 8th grade self would be so disappointed to find out I was this late). I hate to say it was only because I wanted to see my true love, Matthew Gray Gubler, go to prison. Good stuff.

-I actually turned 18 last week and spent my last night as a "kid" watching Amelie and vomiting from eating too many raisinettes. I really do love Amelie. And raisinettes.

+Books

-I went to one of those 24 hour spas the other night and left my treasured copy of Ham and Rye on a couch I'd fallen asleep on. I really do miss it but also think it was a sign of some sort- really good book anyways. 

-Also after months, I've finally finished House of Leaves by Mark Z Danieleski and it was incredible. Still haunts me. Please read it. 

That's all I have to say. I really hate telling people to buy things but also have no other place to manifest my love in the tangible.

-Annie 

if it's just between us (+some favorites)

Things have been okay lately and I mean that in an indifferent manner. I haven't been in love with much but have been dying for the validation that others love me and found myself trapped this week hoping some guy thought I was intelligent because a small, yet ever so present, part of me longs for the word  "brilliant" to come out of a man's mouth in reference to me.

from a picnic in Tompkins with How Fitting old-timer, John

some misc things I'm into these days:
-Lorde's Melodrama, I used to be hardcore against the singer but think I've hit the perfect point in which every word that comes out that woman's mouth seems aimed at me. "Liability" is a lot for me but undoubtedly the greatest. Thank you Lorde for this one.
-Difficult People is also a hit at the moment for me. I'm always drawn to surreal and bizarre depictions of the narcissistic with shots of New York I can recognize. Billy Eichner you've done it again.
-Lavender incense deserves a real shoutout for helping me ease into my summer sleeping schedule/I've been trying this self curing technique for my chronic anxiety in which I continuously say "I'm not anxious" whenever I smell lavender in hopes that the scent of lavender will instantly cease my spiraling. As bizarre as it sounds, it's working surprisingly well.

-I kind of fell in love with Charli XCX's video for "Boys"??? It satisfied not only my emo phase (Brendon Urie laying amongst rose petals and Oli Sykes being his usual dapper self is enough to see the video) but that weird in between pastel goth "buy me candy floss and call me baby girl" period I had in sophomore year. Overall really good time and I'm unsure if it was commenting on the boy obsessed stereotype that is pushed on teenage girls but I thoroughly appreciated it regardless.
-My latest subway book has been Available by Matteson Perry- I don't think I've genuinely enjoyed reading something this much since Jessi Klein's You'll Grow Out of It. I actually originally heard of it through NPR's Modern Love podcast (something I *highly* rec) in which an excerpt of manic pixie dream girls was read- Perry is just so entertaining and I almost too much enjoy hearing of other's experiences in romance.
-Podcasts! Podcasts have resurfaced as my favorite thing (my ultimate dream of ending up as marketing director of NPR is yet to die) and I'd heavily recommend How I Built This (the Rent the Runway ep is a personal favorite, listening to Jenn Hyman speak about sexual harassment as a woman in power is incredible), This American Life  (a classic- the one on middle school continues to be my absolute favorite but they just recently did one on summer camp that I listened to on the way to a date and felt painful nostalgia for), and Mortified (this one is a little more lowbrow but very entertaining, I especially liked "Mortified Interrupted" in which in the second act, a man talks about how he convinced himself he was a writer/comedian/actor/musician when he'd done none of these things).

-I'm not going to pretend I like Neck Deep again but I was really feeling their video for "In Bloom". Nothing gets me like random artsy objects alongside pastel colors- it all reminded me of a concept for a Dazed or Wonderland editorial. I'd also be lying if I said I didn't vibe with the lyrics, I sometimes think I make up problems for myself to connect with moody pop punk but that whole "we're never going to put the pieces back together if you won't let me get better" bit got me on a weird level because I don't even understand how that situation connects to my life in any way, shape, or form. I blame it on my excessive empathy due to being an anxious-avoident lover.
-very vintage How Fitting but I made a playlist summing up my music taste over the past couple weeks- a lot of french pop and Jake Bugg. I think I'm just reliving another odd in between phase of mine.
 

-Annie 

Wrap Up (April 2017)

April has kind of been an up and down in which I have hardly been productive yet still kind of feel good. It's complicated I guess. By the way, I kind of feel like a tacky kitschy YouTuber by going back to monthly favorites but that's how the "I-Need-More-#relatable-Content" cookie crumbles.

+Television

Documentary Now: Season 2

I didn't have much to say (don't you fucking dare talk to me about 13 Reasons Why. It's a shitshow. It's stupid. I don't want to talk about it further. I feel drained.) about television this month aside from Documentary Now Season 2 coming to Netflix. Though I'd have to say season one was my personal favorite, this installment had its moments. For anyone new to watching Doc Now, you have to start with s2 episode three, a parody of Swimming in Cambodia, in which Bill Hader literally just talks about having to move from one apartment to another for twenty one minutes. It's such a ridiculous and surreal ordeal, the two main components for the best DN "documentaries". On the topic of this show, I've watched "The Eye Doesn't Lie" at least four times this month and I'd highly rec it to literally anyone, it's up there with the best episodes of anything I've seen. Very general but extremely worthwhile.

+Music

Harry Styles

I have way too much to say about this and will most likely write an entire essay (expect that on WC soon) because I could spill my heart out on this one. I'd like to start off by saying "Sign of the Times" is the power ballad 2017 needed desperately. I'm fully aware that I'm incredibly bias since I practically live up Harry Styles' ass but I truly stand by it; his lyrics are simple and slightly Bowie-eque, it provides everything a mainstream power ballad needs in having easily singable moments with a swift change in tempo, and he is just such a gorgeous man. Also can we talk about how he really looked like a Father John Misty type on SNL? And his female drummer/keyboardist? Hands down the wildest and most impressive rebranding I've seen in a minute.

actual (slight problematic but not really) love of my life.

All Day: Speeding

Ok so since I want to say for about a year now (??) I've been lowkey in love with this white Australian rapper (you may know him from that weird interlude in "for him" where he goes, "I'm about to bring emo back if you leave my home, I'd Panic! At The Disco and you'd rather watch a tv show... if not you should be familiar with it because it's the cringiest musical endeavor and I live for it). Like I can't even say he's all that objectively good but something about his persona really gets me hype so I've just kind of gotten accustomed to running with it (love can be blind as well deaf). Anyways, his new album is actually a pretty decent bop (I found it really good for when I'm writing because I can tune it out at points). Along with that, his latest photoshoots and videos are admittedly interesting and reflect back well onto his style. Am I in love with the Australian Eminem? Will boys with hair longer than mine wearing thrifted sweaters eventually ruin my life? Who knows.

April Playlist

I've curated about twenty songs that kind of sums up the funk I've been in the past thirty days. Sort of depressing sort of surreal.
 Sidenote: one of my favorite songs on here is Regina Spektor's (I've been getting quite back into her obviously) "Man of a Thousand Faces"- the line, "Smiles at the moon like he knows her" just really sticks out to me for some reason.
Anyways, if you're interested, my emo set of songs is located here.

+Food 

BAOHAUS

This cult, slight Instagram trap, fast food restaurant has won my heart for the month. I don't have much to say on the topic because food is food but I'd really encourage you to check it out since it's fairly cheap (for NYC) and actually decent unlike most other "trendy" places in the city (I'm looking @ u By Chloe). 

Also relevant to this topic, Trader Joe's coffee mochi  is really fucking good. I ate an entire package of them last week. Really fucking good. Also vegan. 

+Books 

Just Kids: Patti Smith 

Yet another thing I have far too much to say on. For the abridged version, after reading this autobiography of essentially Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe's love story, as cliche as it sounds, my perspective has shifted. At least in the way I view Robert and my own approaches towards art. It's just one of those books that stay with you long after you're done reading. I can't recommend this enough- even to someone uninterested or unfamiliar with both. 

(also on the topic, I've been trying to pull a Rosie and read at least 16 books a month. A bit of a reach but I'm really going for it- let's see how this goes.)

+Misc. Links

Soko: I'm At Peace When I'm in Danger
I've been getting really back to my middle school roots of my obsession with Soko. For starters, I just find this such a calming video to watch but also she's so beautifully spoken and the editing done, skipping conversation through conversation, just ties together every little unique bit of this woman.

Healing Crystals To Cope With Depression
Really simple and straightforward article on how to harness healing powers of crystals (pretty obvious that I've been getting into that lately). I just appreciate how easy to read and "user-friendly" the writing is- would totally rec Energy Muse for anyone starting to get into mindfulness and crystals.

Finding Your Soulmate By Finding Yourself
I think I watched this when I was maybe in my freshman year but on a binge watch of Stylelikeu (which I could write an entire article about- think modern, more casual tedtalks- they're incredible) I discovered this gem yet again. Amy Van Doran first off is such a force to be reckoned with like I genuinely find her to be the coolest, but also her points on what finding love entails and just listening to her talk about her childhood is fascinating.

WHY IM A LONER 
Whenever Hitomi Mochizuki speaks gold comes out. The entirety of these twenty two minutes are so raw and conversational, I'm so drawn to the way Hitomi records herself. I can't recommend watching the full video enough.

why you should read more (a lot more)
As if I haven't plugged her enough, Rosie Leizrowice is a writer I'm constantly mesmerized by. Every single one of her blog posts are easy and straightforward reads that somehow also pack these huge messages.

Hope May brings you everything and more,

Annie 

Best of Fashion in 2015 Awards

  I feel as about obligated as every other blogger around this time to create a "2015 favorites" of some sort and obviously as you can tell by this wonderful banner I created for myself, (I hate this phase where I have to make everything ironic or sarcastic I'm sorry) I have created the ultimate How Fitting awards ceremony for my personal favorite fashion icons/inspirations of 2015:

OK this is not yet another excuse for me to discuss my love, Harry Styles, but he honestly was one of my biggest style inspirations this year- he took a very vintage and 70s angle this year and oh my don't even get me started on his hair. Overall, I'm head over heels for the loose patterned button downs and (usually ripped) jeans he's been sporting over 2015. 

Also, if we're going to be on the topic of One Direction (or former) members, I'd like to give a shoutout to Zayn Malik for looking extremely high fashion this year- his red carpet looks have been killing it. 

Though her gorgeous outfits and looks are definitely not what Amandla Stenberg should be most recognized for this year, (look up any of the social justice arguments she's made), she was killing it in the red carpet and casual look game, her prom photo being one of my favorite instagram posts of 2015. She's got this awesome unique and elegant aura to her and just looked exquisite, probably one of my favorite people overall 2015. 

Speaking of Jaden Smith, I've been in love with his recent androgynous looks and immediately thought of him when writing this up. He's completely got the tee shirt dress down and how to style it along with how to accessorize all black outfits; his looks have been so interesting and my recent favorite person to look out for on the red carpet. 

I think we all saw this one coming. How could I not write up a fashion favorites and not include my biggest inspiration possible, Tavi Gevinson? Though she's been killing the game since 2009, her style has really developed over the years and her 2015 looks were much more mature and still interesting as always. She's been wearing a lot of mock and high turtlenecks recently which are a perfect compliment for her body type and looks just gorgeous oh my. 

Happy new years!

Summer 2015: A Summation in Albums

   Summer is always when I discover my new favorite artist (ex: Lights circa 2013) or album (Danger Days circa 2012). Maybe it's with the excessive free time I get but I'm always hooked on someone new by the end of the season and this year was no exception with a pretty wide array of albums.

♥American Candy (The Maine)
key song: "Diet Soda Society"
I'd heard a couple songs off this one (meaning "English Girls") before the summer started but hadn't really listened to it in full or on complete repeat. I've never been a giant The Maine fan (I'd only seen them at Warped 2014 and maybe knew a couple songs) so the entire album wasn't a huge priority but I'm so so so happy I actually got around to it. Though they lack in lyrical development, the songs are incredibly catchy and easy to be used as background music while writing (something I can just kind of sing along to without paying much attention). The vocals are also extremely well done (I find it interesting the album is called American Candy when there's kind of a British twang to everything). 

♥How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (Florence + The Machine)
key song: "Hiding"
I took way too long to get around to listening to this one. Florence is one of my favorite singers but when the album came out, I skimmed through it without really going through everything as it deserves. Her vocal progression is pretty much the same, if not calmer, but the songs are a lot darker. A common theme of HBHBHB is danger I'd noticed and I appreciate how her voice puts that across- she sounds a lot more intense and almost frightening at points. All together, yet another good Florence + The Machine album (can you ever go wrong with her?)

♥Mayday Parade (self titled album)
key song: "No Heroes Allowed"
This is such emo trash oh god. Overall, I don't think any band (other My Chemical Romance) can hold a candle to the amount of emo in these songs- is there any type of enjoyable, feel good, Mayday Parade song? Pretty good track list though- about everything is catchy once you get past the incredibly dark pieces, it's fun to kind of zone out and sing to (there's a common theme here I think).

♥Cavalier Youth (You Me At Six)
key Song: "Room To Breathe"
Though I considered You Me At Six to be my second favorite band in 2012 (I found this out in an ancient artifact called "Ann's 7th Grade Journal"), I'd never actually heard their latest album (which had come out in 2014) and I wasn't sure what to expect. Sinners Never Sleep was already so good it really can't be beat and though Cavalier Youth really can't stand to it, in a way, I could call the album the darker older brother of SNS. The tracks are pretty heavy and though vocals really haven't changed, it's not exactly a bad thing. In truth, Josh isn't the greatest vocalist but he makes up for it in the emotion within his voice. It was the best it could be after Sinners Never Sleep.

♥Throne (Bring Me The Horizon)
key song: "Happy Song"
This can't even count as an EP but the two new songs Bring Me The Horizon released this summer were exceptional. With BMTH, I'm either in love (ex: Sempiternal) or think it's shit (ex: Suicide Season) and as good as "Drown" was, I didn't have much faith in these two new singles but after listening, I can't be more excited for the new album. When hearing this with Sam, we both commented on how damaged Oli's voice is- which oddly enough, is my favorite part. It's rough and scratchy-ness adds texture to the tracks. Though "Throne" sounds incredibly like something you'd hear in an emo hair dye tutorial, I'm surprisingly into it. Also, BabyMetal. You can't go wrong with them. Ever.

♥Rooms of the House (La Dispute)
key song: "Hudsonville, MI 1956"
Never listened to much of La Dispute. I've skimmed through Somewhere At The Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair (typical) but really hadn't given them much of a chance. The thing with La Dispute is that about everything sounds the same (fast paced guitar, scared talking, then a breakdown full of breathing) but I mean, I'm into it. The album is well done and tells a really clear story which is always a bonus for me. As I said early, though the vocals are about always the same, I'm really in love with the strange style.

♥Consider This (Tonight Alive)
key song: "5 Years"
Two words: Jenna McDougall. Extremely strong vocals beyond belief and Tonight Alive before signing to Fearless. Pretty self explanatory. I mean my best friend is practically Jenna so how can I not be absolutely in love with this EP?

♥New Politics (self titled, Vikings, and "West End Kids")
I've been somewhat big on New Politics since around the end of eighth grade- I even saw them live. This summer, I just got listening to their first album along with the newer songs and sneak peek of Vikings. Fun stuff. As absolutely great as Bad Girl in Harlem was, I'm extremely excited for something that sounds marginally different.

Things I ♥: Hair Masques

*completely unsponsored (I'm too unpopular for this kind of sponsorship)*

   Over the past couple months, the health of my hair has changed dramatically. Though my hair definitely was damaged beforehand, after going through multiple bleaching processes (don't even mention that one time I bleached it three times in one day), the state of my locks is definitely not awesome. Ever since I began home dyeing this year, I have created a pretty great Rolodex of DIY hair masques and cheap treatments (mainly from Ricky's) to help split ends and dry hair.

-DIY: putting your entire kitchen on your head
Though most of the treatment packets I buy are under $3, I sometimes become incredibly cheap (and also too lazy to make a Ricky's run), resulting in mixing about everything in the fridge together and putting it on top of my head. OK so yeah you could just grab everything and do that but items I recommend are: milk, eggs (just one yolk), honey, banana, vegetable oil, coconut milk, and mayo (I can't deal with the smell/consistency/existence of mayonnaise so that one is never an option for me). For semi-permanent dyed hair, I would recommend leaving out any oily products since it will fade the color- a few days before re-dyeing I will add the oils back in. Making and applying this masque is also crazy easy- simply mix everything you want into a bowl, section off your hair, and spread evenly.
Cost: Free! (unless you buy your own groceries...)
Time: 20 min.- whenever (I usually do it for 40 min but I have a friend who will leave it for hours)

-Not Your Mothers: Intensive Hair Unit Renewal Treatment
Not Your Mother's is one of my favorite brands ever for hair (their dry hair shampoo and anti- split end conditioner is the greatest) so when Sam and I found packets of their hair repair treatment I had to try it. The first time I used one, I'd just done a bleach bath and though it didn't feel marginally better, it was definitely good for just bleached. The application is simple (wash hair, massage with product, wait 3 min) my split ends were also pretty minimal afterwards and I could actually touch my hair without wanting to cringe!
Cost:
8 oz bottle- $8
1 packet (it took me 2 to cover my head)- $2
Time: 3-6 minutes

-Hask Keratin Protein Smoothing Deep Conditioner 
I'd gone back to Ricky's a couple weeks later to grab a couple more Not Your Mother's packets and since it was a different location, they sadly didn't have them in stock so the next best thing was to try one of these. I've used this product twice now and it's super easy and quick to use (wash hair, leave in for 10-20 min, wash). I haven't risked blow drying afterwards but once my hair is completely dry, it feel so crazy soft and adds shine.
Cost: $3
Time: 10 min (I leave it for 20 just to make sure)

Things I ♥: Adore Hair Dye

"baby blue", "pink rose", "violet gem", "ruby red"

*completely un-sponsored (but hey Adore, if you want to give me free dye, that'd be cool too)*
   Currently, the only dye I ever use is Adore. Though the color selection is not nearly as expansive as brands such as Manic Panic, I'm huge on long lasting colors and this dye is perfect (this may not apply to others since my hair creates basically no oils, so I only wash my hair once a week). I've only used around five colors (if you don't count mixing) on myself but have dyed other's hair with other shades ("Orange Blaze", "Purple Rage", "Hot Pink", etc) and not only do the colors come out about as bright as Manic Panic and Crazy Color but will last around 3X longer- it's wonderful. Also, being a broke, unemployed, teenager, price is a pretty big turning point for me. This shit is $5 (half as much as Arctic Fox, Manic Panic, etc). $5. And, about one and a half bottles will cover my entire head- have you seen how much hair I have??

♥Ruby Red/Truly Red

I've never seen either of these reds alone but have mixed around a half a bottle of "Truly Red" with around a quarter of "Ruby Red" to create a more Ash Costello deep shade like what she's got now instead of the orangey color she had earlier. Overall, the color came out well and I was happy with it for about a week until I took a shower and it slightly faded (OK I did wash it with shampoo and warm water by accident)

 and that was the downfall of all my red hair dreams. The problem with this color on hair is that red not only clashes with about EVERYTHING but also turns a gross brass-y color and is quick to fade due to the pigments. :(((((

♥Violet Gem

My next color was this lovely shade! I had to Color Oops and bleach over this one and I was really impressed on how it took to one of my infamous bleach jobs. It was slightly patchy due to a not so well done mixing with a dash of "Pink Rose" but I was super crazy happy with this one- I'm actually thinking of going back to this color once my current one fades out. 

(right) my hair after 3 weeks, (left) 2 weeks

this color I took A+ care of; once a week washing, no shampoo, putting my hair under the bathtub spout (coldest water possible). This one really didn't want to come out- I had to scrub with Ajax, wash religiously with Head and Shoulders, and even resort to a bleach bath for it to be dyed over.

♥Pink Rose/Baby Blue

These two I used for the same hair "phase" 

I've never done blue hair before so this one was pretty exciting- since I wanted this one to be a bit more pastel, I have been washing it with shampoo and regular temperature water. I've had it for two weeks now and the blue has turned teal in some spots and kind of mint colored (I'm so excited over that) whereas the pink has gotten a little less bright but still has barely faded.

(right) just done, (left) 2 weeks

The thing that I absolutely love about Adore is that not only do their colors last forever, but once they do fade, instead of murky tones and greys, I've experienced and seen only nice pastels. Overall, Adore is lovely.

current favorite music & tv & things (+update)

Wow it's been awhile since I've done one of these so my advice is to keep expectations low because I'm no good at this.

♥The Sex Pistols+ Sid and Nancy
I got into the Sex Pistols when I was around thirteen and since then developed an infatuation with Sid and Nancy's relationship which is horribly tacky because I hate it when people romanticize them (spoiler alert: Sid ends up killing Nancy- unless your "goals" are to be stabbed inside of a hotel room, please stop posting on your twitter about them). It's not the actual relationship that gets me so interested it's Deborah Spungen's (Nancy's mom) book, And I Don't Want to Live This Life, that is extremely gorgeous and twisted and endlessly fascinating to me because before reading this, Nancy was incredibly 2 dimensional and almost stock character-eque to me whereas seeing things from a mother's point of view really brings life for Nancy and makes you feel for her on a different level. Back to the topic of the Sex Pistols, I found Never Mind the Bollocks in my dad's CD collection and it's all I've been listening to lately. 

♥Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos 
Though my main genre in music is punk and pop punk, I have been in love with this indie band. They're constantly using strange percussions and the lyrics are so weird and wonderful- I also did a cover of "Broadribble is Burning" (nice going Ann, covering their biggest hit)



♥30 Rock + Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Over February, I got really into old episodes of Saturday Night Live and rekindled my love for Tina Fey since reading Bossy Pants and had a sudden need to watch her show. Long story short, I want to be Jenna Maroney when I grow up. Once that was finished within the span of a good three weeks, I moved onto her co-written show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt which is about a woman's life in New York City after being rescued from the bunker she was held captive in for fifteen years. It has Jenna and  D'Fwan from 30 Rock and the catchy theme song is enough to watch it. I finished this one within two days and have a mixture of pride and shame for it. 

♥Love Sick: A Smoldering Look at Love, Lust, and Marriage 
I picked this book up at Housing Works in SoHo originally as a birthday gift for Fee who I was seeing later that night but that didn't work out too well since I fell in love with it. The artwork is so retro and unique. Needless to say, this book didn't get to Fiona. 

*That other part of the post where I talk about myself*

I put this little tidbit in because it isn't How Fitting if there isn't a part where I share pictures of myself to prove I'm cute and have friends, right? 

On March 22, me and my emo squad had a vigil for our lord and saviors, My Chemical Romance. At this point, I'm not even being ironic and that worries me slightly (it was all fun and games until I developed an me group). Anyways, we got fries at the diner and cried to Gerard Way's voice and Harper gave me bangs so I look like a proper scene queen. 

(left to right) Harper, Jules, Sam, Madison (my super duper cool girlfriend), and Frank Iero?

We then had a birthday celebration for Jules and my girlfriend, Madison, last Saturday and watched Panic! At The Disco music videos on her TV and went to the park and bought energy drinks (I know- I hate myself) and sat on top of bridges and Sam and I kept saying "dare me to jump off this Jersey bridge" and when you begin quoting Pierce The Veil conversationally, something is really wrong. 

Jules, a piece of shit, Sam, Madison, Harper

I'm sorry I'm complete trash and can't wait to talk about my emo phase (it's not a phase mom) when I'm older. 

September Favorites

Wow I guess I just totally forgot it was October or something like that but I never made a favorites list of September- welcome to How Fitting guys; in which Ann can't even remember what month it is.
♥Gossip Girl

I don't know if I've told you guys this but have the most embarrassing love for Gossip Girl. I don't even think it's the show that I have such a passion for- just the mystery of Gossip Girl and therefor I have watched five whole seasons (I have one more to go!) just to figure out who this person is. I believe this is getting a little unhealthy though- I began freaking out when all my friends looked up the identity of Gossip Girl and hung it over my head for the rest of the night.

♥Dan and Phil Games

  A couple weeks ago, YouTube sensations, Dan and Phil, made a gaming channel that has become one of my favorite gaming places on the internet- I especially like their Sims videos since I am quite the fan of that series.

♥As It Is

   OK I have been pretty obsessed with british band, As It Is, for months now but they recently got signed to one of my favorite record labels, Fearless Records, which is completely mental! Lead singer, Patty Walters, made a video here that I would completely recommend you watching. They are also the first UK band to even join the record label which is impressive enough in itself. 

♥Leather

   I was recently rummaging through my mom's closet when I found I full on treasure trove of leather jackets- they can make about any one of my outfits look badass and I feel an endless amount of power wearing leather.

♥Also this glorious video
It just addresses everything that is messed up about Sam Pepper's "social experiment" in the best way possible 

I'm sorry for how awful this post must have been but I did want to bring up the five things in here so I hope you have a happy October and maybe I won't forget what month it is next time.

August Favorites

Welcome to September! Last month gave me a whole lot of time to become obsessed with some of the lovely things I am about to show you

♥Lush
Lush is a YouTube couple vlog channel created by Matthew Lush and Nick Laws in which three times a week, they video blog their day. Though what they do isn't always the most interesting (they mainly just go to Starbucks and Veggie Grill), I find it fascinating that they have been doing this since day one (their first vlog is Matthew asking Nick to be his boyfriend) and though watching their 165 video playlist of every single video they have ever made wasn't the most productive thing to do, I love that you really see their relationship progress from the two being kind of awkward around each other to moving into an apartment together.

♥Feminist Apparel
I found this clothing site's instagram a couple weeks ago and have been obsessed with their shop ever since! Feminist Apparel mainly makes graphic tees (from all different artists) with cute (and usually sarcastic) phrases about feminism. My all time favorites are the "Cats Against Catcalls", "Girls Just Want To Have Fundamental rights" , and the "Misogyny Kills" tees.

♥Trxye

I have been loving australian vlogger, Troye Sivan's, videos for about a year now and when he announced his first real EP, I was over the moon. Trxye really displayed him as this grown man instead of the cute teenager on the internet and my god can he sing. My favorites off the EP are "Fun" and "Gasoline".  The "Happy Little Pill" music video was also gorgeous and I would recommend you 100% watching it.

♥Rose Wholesale
With school just around the corner and me having cleaned out basically everything from my wardrobe, Rose Wholesale was a perfect place for school shopping. Their stuff is super cheap, adorable, and surprisingly well made. 

♥Criminal Minds
OK this is obviously not a new obsession (that is made clear by the entire tag on this blog just made for the show) but it was recently added to Netflix so I feel the need to tell you about it. I'm talking all nine seasons which is awesome since season ten is in two months and why not spend all my time re watching everything just to get ready for it? Anyways, if you are yet to see Criminal Minds, I would seriously recommend it because it has to be not only my favorite crime show (I love love love anything crime related on TV) but just so incredible; not to mention a certain man is on it (cough cough Matthew Gray Gubler)

♥NYC Prep
I just discovered this one a couple days ago when my older cousin suggested it (we both have a love for shitty television) and I have to say, this is one of the funniest shows I have ever seen. NYC Prep is a reality show following a group of privileged upper east side teenagers and their adventures through prep school. The entire cast and what they do is so ridiculous that the only way you can really watch this show is ironically; some gems include when the Chuck Bass character, PC, decided he was bi and one of the girls goes onto saying "I usually think being bisexual is lame but when PC does it, it's hot." or the time that PC finally did come out but instead of sitting his friends and family and breaking the news like a normal person, he hosts a "coming out party". I think what I'm trying to say is that PC's coming out is about the only actual interesting thing that happens in the show. 

Happy September!

July Favorites

   One of my favorite months of the year have come to an end and like most, I'm getting pretty anxious for the end of summer coming around but instead of focusing on that, I'm here to talk about my favorites this month:
♥I Just Hate Everything.com
I found this blog while looking up pictures of Glee's couple, Blaine and Kurt (don't ask why) and instantly fell in love. They mainly discuss television shows from "American Horror Story" to "Ravenswood" and are super hilarious, putting the post into three sections: why I hate it, why it's worth watching (in which they just make fun of it more), and a summary of the episode. I will also have to add that their reviews of "Glee" are the best I have ever read.

♥Ellie Jayden
I have been following this Irish beauty on her YouTube channel for a couple months now and have recently started reading her blog which I have to say is fantastic. She has an awesome and unique sense of style  and really meaningful things to say- she's definitely one of my new favorite bloggers.

♥Kingsfoil
I found out about this Pennsylvania based band when I bought tickets to see them, Rookie Of The Year, and Say We Can Fly at a show at the Knitting Factory (I wanted to see Braden Barry OK?) and since I was going to be sitting through one of their sets to see Say We Can Fly, it seemed like a good idea to at least check out some of their music. I had quite the obsession with their album, A Beating Heart Is A Bleeding Heart, for awhile and then went onto their other music which is so amazing. Needless to say, I'm over the moon to see them on Monday.

♥Kim Kardashion: Hollywood Life

This one was pretty obvious choice for a favorite. Though the game is mainly tapping things for money, stars, and level ups, there is something there that is addictive. I mean it first starts off with becoming an A lister. For me it was a need and I wouldn't stop until that happened but once you complete that, you need to be #1 which is a journey within itself. Throughout the game, you have to deal with your needy manager, Simon, go to photo shoots, appearances at clubs, walk the runway, and buy fancy homes all over the world. At the moment, my goal is to buy a purse in every color. As you can tell, this game is a good use of my time. 

♥Prêt A Manager
Over the past few weeks, I have been spending most my time at this sandwich shop (mainly the one on 27th and 7th) and have fallen in love with their meatball wraps. Pret is a chain throughout New York City (or at least thats only where I've seen it) and their whole thing is making fresh, healthy, food. I would have to admit that I've spent way more time than I should have there.


♥Felt Floppy Hats
I was on vacation at the beach this week and since I have dyed hair that I wanted to keep dark, I needed a hat to wear in the sun. At Forever21, they had a whole assortment of them for ten bucks and let me tell you, they go with about everything. 

♥Orange Is The New Black
Though I've been watching the Netflix series for a couple months now (I finished season two last month), I just recently picked up the biography it was based on and fell in love. Though I'm not a huge fan of Piper on the show, I really do appreciate her in the novel and think it is extremely well written. 

♥Laverne Cox
Speaking of Orange Is The New Black, I am absolutely in love with the actress of Sophia, Laverne Cox, and how amazing a role model she is. I especially love her interview on "CBS This Morning" where she corrected Gayle King's trans terminology. All in all, I think she is an extremely intelligent woman who I have been looking up to very much

Have a happy August!

My All Time Favorite Books

Hey guys! I realize this isn't a music post but I was all too excited about this post that I didn't want to hold it off. As you all may know, I am a huge lover of reading and here are my favorite books ever:

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Rapture Practice (Aaron Hartzler)
   When I first bought this book, I finished it in a single day it was so good! This memoir follows Aaron and how he rebels against his extremely conservative christian family. Rapture Practice is so endlessly interesting, funny, and at times, depressing. I also really loved it for how relatable Aaron is. Though most teenagers situations aren't as extreme as his, many readers could connect to the feeling that the adults around you don't understand and disagreement with the beliefs your parents have.

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The Vast Fields Of Ordinary (Nick Burd)
   I read this one last summer and what I loved most about the entire novel is how well portrayed all the characters were. The Vast Fields Of Ordinary  follows the Summer before Dade Hamilton goes off to college and the problems he deals with before he leaves including an affair his dad confesses to have had, coming out to his parents, and trying to leave an abusive guy. Though the book only takes place over a few weeks, it plays out so well and the characters are A+.

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Girls To The Front- The True Story Of The Riot Grrl Revolution (Sara Marcus)   I have fallen in love with the rock section at Barnes and Noble and all the biographies and novels about bands such as Pink Floyd (I was SO tempted to buy about three books on them) and The Rolling Stones but when I found a novel all about Riot Grrrl I knew this was a must read. I am a huge fan of the entire revolution (I have to thank Rookie for that) and the fact there is an entire book covering Riot Grrrl made me beyond happy. I ended up finishing it in one night and not only is the topic fascinating, but it is so well written and Sara Marcus not only covers the basics of the entire music revolution but really gets in depth. Even if you aren't a huge fan of the feminist punk movement (or don't even know what it is), I guarantee it will make you interested.

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Will Grayson, Will Grayson (John Green and David Levithan)
   At this point, I have gotten over my huge love for John Green books (I am of course a GIANT fan of Vlogbrothers and a nerdfighter I just believe though his books are very well written, have become overrated and don't like them as much as I used to), I still have a certain love for Will Grayson, Will Grayson just by how strange and unique it is from anything I have ever read. The novel follows two boys named Will Grayson (it is really complicated in the beginning if you can't tell them apart) and how different their lives are until they end up meeting up accidentally. It is so beautifully done and I would recommend it 100%.

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Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock (Matthew Quick)
   Yet another book I read in a matter of hours! I was pretty skeptical on reading it because a couple months beforehand, I had finished The Silver Linings Playbook (also written by Matthew Quick) and hated it but when I found this novel in Barnes and Noble and read the synopsis, I was too interested to reject it. The story follows Leonard Peacock, a teenager who has been abandoned by almost off the people in his life including his mom, dad, and best friend, Asher Beal. He has fallen into a depression and a state of mind that there is no reason to live. Therefor, makes the decision to kill himself and Asher on his birthday. But before committing the murder suicide, gives presents out to the few people that matter to him. As you get further and further, you delve into Leonard's past and the real reason he feels Asher Beal must die. The plot rages and character development of Leonard is phenomenal. One thing I would suggest for reading this book though is to highlight and take notes while reading. I do this normally whenever I read but it was especially important in Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock since some things are said very subtle and you really need to read carefully to catch important pieces.

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Somebody Up There Hates You (Hollis Seamon)
   At first, I couldn't stand this book due to how annoying I felt the main character, Richie, is but as I read further, I fell in love. What I love so much about Somebody Up There Hates You is the character development most importantly in Richie but also throughout more minor characters like his mother and uncle. You can really see how much these people's thoughts on death, their surroundings, and themselves change as the book ends and I find that to be super important. The novel follows a teenager diagnosed with cancer named Richie and his life in a hospice. Throughout the book, he deals with problems such as trying to comfort his single mother who will soon be alone (after he dies), having a relationship an adventurous girl named Sylvie (who also lives in the hospice), and really just trying to figure out his feelings on his soon coming death. The plot is extremely interesting and really keeps you guessing what will happen next.

March Favorites

Hey babes! Here are some of my favorite things from last month (warning: most of it has to do with the one and only, Matthew Gray Gubler.)
Websites
One of my favorite websites from March would have to be Hello Giggles. I really like how it is set up and has an extremely wide variety of comedy and the people who write and make videos on it.
Books
I have been trying to get around to reading This Star Won't Go Out for awhile now and couldn't be more happy that I finally did last month. The biography follows Ester Grace Earl, a girl diagnosed with cancer. Not only is she such a memorable and beautiful person, but I really loved the unique perspective you really see. It's heartbreaking and rather interesting to see things through the eyes of a young teen with a terrible disease and how she copes. Another thing that made me fall in love was how the book was put together. All 431 pages are made up of photographs, interviews, diary entires, and letters which really gave the reader a look into the life of this girl. This novel is beautiful, heart wrenching, and just so well written.
-From this point on, the post went down into a rant about things I love having to do with Matthew Gray Gubler. I am very sorry.-

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Music
Do audio books count as music? Lets go with it. In 2013, my husband Matthew Gray Gubler, recorded himself reading two Edgar Allen Poe classics, Annabel Lee and The Tell Tale Heart. I recently listened to them over again and I have just realized how absolutely perfect they are. Gubler being an actor, does a fantastic job at reading with a voice and really keeping the listener engaged. I think he did especially well in Tell Tale Heart for he really did sound psychotic to the point where I was even a bit scared. Even if you aren't a fan of Poe, I guarantee you will love these recordings.
Videos 
I believe the value of this blog just goes up whenever I talk about Matthew. I am not usually one to laugh out loud at something I see on TV or on the Internet so when I began watching "Matthew Gray Gubler The Unauthorized Documentary". I have spent the past ten minutes trying to figure out how to describe this web series to you but I don't think there is a way to with doing it any justice. To sum up my feelings towards it, this mockumentary was probably one of the funniest things I have seen lately. If you are super rad and interested in checking it out, you can click here!
Happy April!