Hello 2020!
I’m a sucker for “favorites.” I enjoy sharing mine & hearing about yours. As we launch the New Year, as many people do, I figured I’d share a few of my own favorites from the past year. Links to everything mentioned is included below.
Share your own favorites in the comments!
Book: Forty Autumns by Nina Willner
This is an amazing true story written by the daughter of a young woman who escaped East Berlin & lived separated from her family for forty years.
Album: Lover by Taylor Swift
My favorite new album of the year was Lover by Taylor Swift. The hype & fan frenzy leading up to its release was fun to follow. If you’re not ready to commit to listening to the entire album, I’d recommend Cornelia Street, Death by a Thousand Cuts, Afterglow, & It’s Nice to Have a Friend.
New Song: Be Nice by Black Eyed Peas
Songland is a new reality television competition show that focuses on songwriting. This song, written by Adam Friedman for will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas was literally in Tyler’s & my head ALL summer long. It's a song that's silly & makes us both laugh.
Vocal Performance: Newgrange by Celtic Woman (soloist: Mairéad Carlin)
Wowza! Listen & enjoy a soprano that soars in the stratosphere.
TV Show: Restaurant: Impossible on Food Network
Tyler & I “discovered” Restaurant: Impossible while staying in a hotel. We use streaming services for all our content, so it’s always fun to discover something new while having access to live TV. We are now renting it via YouTube. Somewhat staged, this reality TV show is highly entertaining as the dynamic, bombastic Chef Robert Irvine flips a failing restaurant in 48 hours.
Movie: Knives Out
I loved this movie because it was a true original. I couldn’t predict the ending, it wasn’t a sequel & it wasn’t a remake. That’s unusual these days!
Gadget: Ember Mug
This is a self-heating mug that has bluetooth connectivity to an app on my iPhone. I can control the exact temp of my coffee in this mug & it never cools on me. As a coffee drinker who just likes to sip on it all morning long, this was the best birthday gift Tyler could’ve found for me!
Every-Day-Item: Diane Bobby Pins
Thanks to a recommendation from my hairdresser, I decided to try “professional” bobby pins. Let me tell you, it was life changing! I now confidently where buns & updos without fear of it all slipping out within 5 minutes. The best part is that they are actually cheaper than the standard sheet I used to pick up at Walgreens. Major win!