As I type this post, it is 39 degrees outside on a Saturday afternoon. It is now 2:10 and it is expected to get even colder as the night falls. The sun has barely shown its face all day, and my house has no central heating, so I am hunkered down in bed under blankets, wearing my fleeciest socks and pajamas. Two minutes ago my cat Tigger was ensconced under my arm, but he has since fled to the kitchen in search of food. I may join him in a second to make some hot chocolate. This drink has been my saving grace all week! I love how it warms me both inside and out. I love how the marshmallows (for what is hot chocolate without marshmallows) float to the top and stick to my lips when I take a sip.----------------------------------------------------------------------
Recently I bought some new lipstick from Sephora. I love trying on new shades, seeing how this color brightens my face or how that color makes my mouth look bigger. Makeup can have a very transforming effect on a woman -- I remember seeing a made-for-TV film a couple years ago starring Sarah Chalke (from "Scrubs") in which she played a cancer patient. I can't remember the name of the movie, but I can remember this one scene where she's at her lowest ebb, having lost both her hair and her strength. Then she puts on some lipstick, and it's a bright red shade, and instantly both her look and her outlook on life change. I will never forget that.----------------------------------------------------------------------
Normally I am the type of girl to wear sensible shoes in neutral shades -- the majority of my shoes come in only three colors: black, brown, and gray. Occasionally I will buy a white or blue pair, but that is rare. Something happened to me the other day that made me rethink my shoe-buying habits. I was browsing the shoes in Target when I came across these brightly colored shoes. Reader, it was love at first sight. I don't care if you think they are ugly -- I love them. I didn't have the nerve (nor the cash) at the time to get them, but I made a promise to myself: when I get paid this next Friday, I'm going back to Target to buy those shoes. The promise goes further: I promise to wear more colorful shoes in the future. Like lipstick, they can not only brighten up an outfit but your outlook on life as well. :)----------------------------------------------------------------------
When "500 Days of Summer" came out in the theaters, I knew instantly I would love it. Unfortunately I didn't get around to seeing it until last week, but my original hypothesis was correct -- I fricking lurve this movie. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes me love this movie so much. It's the fact that it tries so hard not to be a love story when all along that it's exactly what it is. It's the music, for I am a huge fan of the Smiths and yes, even of Ringo Starr. It's the clothing, especially Zooey Deschanel's adorable dresses and hair accessories (not to mention those bangs!). It's the witty dialogue, how it feels larger than life and exactly the way I wish I could talk in public, if only I were brave enough. It's the editing, it's the music, it's the acting. It's everything.----------------------------------------------------------------------
I tend to gravitate towards quirky singers -- Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Bjork, Imogen Heap, and P.J. Harvey all spring to mind. I recently discovered a new (well, new to me) singer that just might be quirkier than that entire bunch combined. Her name is Regina Spektor and she is, in a word, wonderful. She's most famous for her album Fidelity, but I think I like her most recent one, Far, even better. It has this really great song, "Folding Chair." In this song you can tell just how much fun she has singing. To her it's not just a talent or a job, it's a fun past time. And the fact that she's so darn good at it just makes it even better. She also happens to be on the most excellent soundtrack for "500 Days of Summer" with my second favorite song of hers, "Hero." So check that out, too, if you get a chance.----------------------------------------------------------------------
What are YOUR favorites this month?
All content on this site is the sole property of Ana Cristina Simon, unless otherwise stated, and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
