Culture
Going to enjoy a lazy Friday night since I have a pretty packed weekend of work and family things. What are weekend plans?
Reading: An Ode to 90s Kids Birthdays by Samantha Matt
Watching: The Mid-2000s CBS sitcom Life in Pieces
Listening: I’m currently listening to Rochelle Jordan’s newest album, Through the Wall
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What’s on your travel bucket list for the upcoming year? Having grown up in Southern California, I’m a little embarrassed to admit I haven’t spent that much time north of Los Angeles. Driving the one along the coast to San Francisco to visit my brother has been one of my favorite trips in the last ten years. Next year, I’d love to see more of the Northern California coast line and one place I really want to visit is the Santa Cruz area.
If you haven’t added the Channel Islands’ Painted Cave to the top of your list for whenever you visit California, do so now. Even though I’ve never been, the Channel Islands have a special place in my heart. Island of the Blue Dolphin by Scott O’Dell was one of my favorite books growing up, I cannot tell you how many times I’ve read that book. It’s also the home of my husband’s indigenous roots. The Channel Islands’ Painted Cave is one of the largest sea caves on the planet. Very few people have ventured all the way into the grotto’s deepest chamber. So if your interested, excursions of the cave are available through Channel Islands Expeditions.
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Monthly recommendations on what to read, watch and listen too.
Read: Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein
A spin on the classic Parent Trap plot, I absolutely loved this book. A coming of age novel set at an idyllic lake in Maine where half sisters Vivian and Lucy have to grapple with coming to terms about each other’s existence, the death of their father and the person he was to each of them while also finding themselves and what they mean to each other.
Watch: Campfire Tales
A horror anthology film I just stumbled across and liked way more than I thought I would. Starring James Marsden, Amy Smart, Ron Livingston, Cristina Taylor, Campfire Tales is very much a blend of Are You Afraid of the Dark meets Urban Legends from the 90s. A blend of a few classic urban legends and others I’m not as familiar with. Calling all millennials, this movie is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. A few honorable mentions include Gilda, the 1946 film noir starring Rita Hayworth. a four star movie in my opinion and in the classic 80s, Return of the Living Dead. Both movies are streaming on Tubi.
Listen: The Box Podcast
Remember the horror fiction podcasts that came out between 2015-2018? There so many excellent series - The Black Tapes, The White Vault, The Bridge, Darkest Night, Archive 81, Magnus Archives and The Box. I’m feeling a little nostalgic to visit those stories again. I started the The Box when it first came out almost ten years ago but never finished it. Unfortunately, The entire catalog of episodes is missing on both, Apple and Spotify (and most other podcast streaming services). If you’re looking for the full archive, here’s a link to Reddit.
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Despite growing up in Southern California (and loving it), I was born to be an East Coast girl. Fall is my favorite season, colors and floral arrangements that include orange, burnt yellows and burgundy make me giddy, New England Leaf Peeping has been on my bucket list since I was like ten years old, I prefer fall fashion to any other season, soup is a main food group in my diet and I’m a sucker for an excellent Midwest/east coast boarding school movie. Ready to sink into your covers with popcorn and a cozy boarding school movie (and one all girls college film), here’s a list of some of my favorites.
All I Wanna Do (aka - The Hairy Bird, Strike)
The Emperor’s Club
Mona Lisa Smile
Dead Poet Society
Private School
Early 2000s fashion is having a moment and I’m not sure how I feel about it but If you’re craving the low rise jeans or missing layering three lacy tank tops, like specifically from 2006, these were some of the staple items I brought with me when I moved back to Indiana for college.
A pair of Seven, Citizen of Humanity and Rock and Republic jeans.
Um, obviously my navy Juicy sweat set.
A pair of UGGS, I wasn’t really into this trend but they were kind of a necessity for Indiana weather.
Being from Southern California, I absolutely brought my C&C tanks and Junk Food Little Miss shirts.
A pair of Havaianas because they were a California staple sandal but also a necessity for showers.
A small Kate Spade or Juicy Purse.
And a Vera Bradley wristlet.
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It’s 2006 in South Bend, Indiana, your dad and sister have spent the last two hours trying to assemble a fan from Target while you’re bringing up suitcase number three filled with your favorite pair of seven jeans, all your C&C tanks and newly ordered block healed boots because you’re going to college in a town that actually gets all four seasons. Welcome to Saint Mary’s College, a small and very old all girls catholic college that also sits across the street from Notre Dame.
This year’s nostalgia posts are dedicated to my first year in college, 2006. Facebook just allowed non-ivy college students to create accounts, Paris, Lindsay and Lauren Conrad were the IT girls and Grey’s Anatomy, The Hills and Psych were the most popular shows. It was also the early days of social media so you had to upload your college parties photos from an an actual camera to Facebook and make sure to post your hot girl Friday night walk over to ND. Also, Youtube was weird as hell!
So what were essentials in a 2006 dorm room? Let’s do a mini deep dive.
A mini fridge for late night snacks and drinks. (I did not have a mini fridge until my junior year of college)
A collage of fashion girlies that included: Edie Sedgewick, MK&A, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Audrey Hepburn, etc.
A tv with a DVD player because streaming was not a thing. And obviously DVD sets of your fav shows.
You absolutely needed a Felicity Porter approved backpack.
A camera because phones with cameras were not a thing yet.
Cute bedding was a must. Shabby Chic had just collaborated with Target on a new bedding line so you know my mom and I were there as soon as that dropped.
Vera Bradley was a staple at SMC. The bookstore was covered in book bags, duffle bags, purses, etc., you name it, they had it. Headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, I now understand the chokehold this brand had on Midwest girls. The Black and Pink Ribbon purse was my first VB purchase. Also, you needed one of their many cute ID/card holders.
I am so enjoying staying in on Friday nights right now. Getting a good night’s sleep is my main priority at the moment. The state of the country for the last hundred days has been overwhelming and exhausting to say the least, I’m also worrying if I’m going to have a job for much longer. So Friday Nights as of late has been early to bed and re-watching tv favorites like New Girl, Younger and The Mindy Project for the thousandth time and indulging myself in a little online shopping.
Friday Night Internet Searches include:
Wanting to book a weekend stay at this dreamy L.A. hotel.
Perusing Etsy and eBay for Old Gourmet Magazine Issues.
This brass, wall mounted vase for the kitchen.
I’m always hunting for a good pair of tortoise shell sunnies.
And ordering One Golden Summer, Wild Dark Shore, and How to Sleep at Night.
Monthly recommendations on what to read, watch and listen too.
Read: Lucifer at the Starlite by Kim Addonizio
2025 is the year of reading dark girl poetry - Kim Addonzio, Olivia Gatwood, and Daphne Gottlieb.
Watch: UNREAL (currently streaming on Netflix)
Have you watched UnREAL? I liked this show way more than I should have. Lifetime’s UnREAL is set backstage at a reality show that is so obviously mimicking The Bachelor/Bachelorette Franchise and it is wild. Created by Bachelor writer, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, the show tackles the dark side of being on set of reality shows. Winner of the 2015 Peabody award, this show is kind of insane but Shiri Appleby and Constance Zimmer are perfection in their roles.
Listen (We Can Do Hard Things)
I’ve always been really hard on myself, I think most people are. According to my husband, I’m insanely critical of myself whether it’s about work or me dealing with my body issues, mental state, etc. So I’m trying to work on being nicer to myself and giving myself more grace. I started following Glennon Doyle’s hit podcast, We Can Do Hard Things years ago, like the year it came out but have never listened to it until now. I find myself crying through some episodes, shaking my head in agreement on topics that have been discussed on the show but it makes me feel sane and not so alone.