Get out your cutest umbrella — March is about to spring us into April, and those showers are almost here!
Welcome to my March 2017 Wrap-Up!
I’ll let you all in on a little secret…this blog is still a work in progress. I’m actively discovering the topics I enjoy writing about and the style in which I want to talk to you. Therefore, I’ve been doing a lot of research on other bloggers and their features hoping that it will inspire my own direction.
Most bloggers write the inevitable monthly wrap-up post detailing the progress of their personal goals and what they are looking forward to accomplishing next month. These articles can be great and are often an entertaining way to help us get to know them better. However, sometimes I find these types of posts to be a little boring dry. I know, please don’t hate me for being honest.
While I would love you all to get to know me through my writing, I also want to do so in a way that provides some sort of value to you. Therefore, I’d like to make my monthly wrap-ups a fun list of things I have discovered (a.k.a. “finds”) over the previous month. This way you can get an inside look at the things I love and get excited about, as well as (hopefully) discover something new for yourself. What are your thoughts on this idea? Please let me know your feedback in the comments below!
March 2017 Finds #1
With so many of my shows airing their final seasons this year (which doesn’t even include the ones who simply don’t get renewed!), I’ve gone into panic mode and am searching for new shows to fill out my emptying roster. To those who know me well, I’m sure you’re thinking, “YOU DON’T NEED ANY MORE SHOWS!” And my response to that would be “Lies. Of course, I need more shows.”
I’ve seen promotional photos of ITV’s Victoria here and there while surfing online since it originally aired in the UK last fall. I loved the movie The Young Victoria, so I was looking forward to watching the revamped series on PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre, which chronicles the early days of Queen Victoria’s reign. To be honest, I had no idea what I was expecting. However, the production of this show blew my freaking mind. The set is absolutely stunning, and the costumes are gorgeous. The scored music is hauntingly beautiful. Once upon a time, I wanted to be a music supervisor, and now I’m obsessed with TV and film scores. If all of those pieces weren’t enough, Jenna Coleman, Tom Hughes, and Rufus Sewell are perfectly cast in the main roles.
I am now completely obsessed with this show and have watched it at least three complete times through. Here’s the caveat — if you watch the show (and you should!), you either need to find it airing on PBS or buy the full UK-versions of the episodes on Amazon Streaming Video. Unfortunately, the US DVD’s have unnecessary edits and scene cuts in them according to the reviews. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on a moment of perfection! It’s worth it, I swear.
If a British period drama is not really your style, then NBC’s Trial & Error is my other TV find this month. It is a mockumentary (à la The Office and Parks & Recreation) that follows a New York lawyer to the south to defend a man accused of killing his wife. It sounds very dark and has several callbacks to The Staircase, but it’s actually a light-hearted comedy. My roommate and I think it’s fantastic and enjoy every second.
March 2017 Finds #2
A week or two ago, my roommate showed me what has become my favorite makeup tutorial video of all time. Since then, the Australian vlogger Tanya Hennessy is also now one of my absolute favorite Internet personalities.
She is truly all of us at our real and honest cores. Her topics span from “things people say” to what it’s like not being 18 anymore. Each one is funnier than the last in my personal, non-biased opinion. “Things Not to Say to Single People” is probably my favorite so far:
Some of my other favorites include:
- “When your sister/bestie steals your stuff“
- “Ways you know you’re a hot mess“
- “Things I should know how to do as an adult but don’t…“
March 2017 Finds #3
I’ve previously written about starting a bullet journal, so I wanted to share with you some additional inspiration that I happened across the other day on Instagram. If you are into the minimalist style of #bujo, then you may not find this particularly helpful. However, those of you who like to get a little more creative with your weekly layouts will find Jen’s (@journalbydesign) Instagram posts magical. In fact, my weekly spread this week (featured on my personal Instagram page) was inspired by one of her layouts.
March 2017 Finds #4
If you are anything like me, food is a huge deal. I love it and have very little self-control when it comes to delicious dishes. My recipe recommendation this month comes from Delish. I happened across their recipe for Cheeseburger Dip on Facebook and immediately sent it to my roommate. It’s a running joke in my apartment that all of our Facebook Messenger messages are just recipes, but I digress.
Full disclosure: While I’m sure the recipe as it stands is excellent, we didn’t follow it completely. I used ground turkey instead of beef because I don’t eat red meat as a rule. I also adjusted some of the other ingredients depending on what we had on hand. It turned out EXCELLENT, so I’m certain that you could do just about anything to it and have the dip turn out just fine.
March 2017 Finds #5
Up until this year, I was a stubborn alcohol drinker who refused to drink beer or wine because I found them both unpalatable. Occasionally, however, I would delicately sip a glass of white wine to be polite, but I certainly didn’t enjoy it. This left me with expensive mixed drinks as my only option and labeled me as the odd girl out at parties. All of those little sips must have built up my tolerance, however, and I have found myself actually enjoying wine. Yay! I’m finally part of the club.
Weirdly enough, I’ve found that I prefer red wine. I discovered Cupcake Vineyards’ Black Forest red blend the other day and bought it on a whim. I loved it! For all those wine drinkers out there who know how to describe wine (which is decidedly not me!), here’s the official description:
A dark, decadent red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Verdot and Petite Sirah…Aged on American and French oak for over a year to support the dark berry fruit while adding a chocolate texture and delicious mouthfeel. (Cupcake Vineyards, 2015)
As for the rest of us, let’s all admire the gorgeous bottle together. Ready? OOOOO!
I hope that you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed these finds! I’d love to hear your thoughts on my version of monthly wrap-ups and if you try these recommendations. Please comment below with your feedback and/or comments!
Updated June 2017: Jen’s Instagram profile has been changed to @journalbydesign.