The Top 20 Stylish Movies of all Time

Let's be honest, when it comes to clothing style, its the silver screen that we collectively look to for inspiration. I myself have been heavily influenced by the greats revealing their style genius for all of the world to see while glittering upon the movie screen. Both of my prom dresses were influenced by Grace Kelly in two of her three Hitchcock films, "Rear Window" and "To Catch a Thief." I was so inspired by Faye Dunaway's character in "The Thomas Crown Affair," that I started to wear plum eye shadow for a good period of time, including my senior pictures. As a whole, my own style evolved from the screen goddesses of yester-year. Do you own a little black dress in your closet, because if you do,  (if not then you absolutely need to go get one!) you can thank Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast At Tiffany's" for that. For all of you gents out there, how about the ever popular grey suit? That goes to Cary Grant in North By Northwest. Styles and trends were born with the fabulous actors gracing the silver screen and will continue to do so for as long as fashion and movies are around. Below is a list I created of the top stylish movies of all time. Note, not fashion, but style. The two are different beyond measure. Yves Saint Laurent said it best, "fashion fades, style is eternal."

Listed are number 20 all the way through number 1, which is a movie that not only has great style, but also some of the best actors that have ever lived, not to mention the best director. Be inspired and enjoy!

20. The Godfather Part II (1974)

Yes, there were three Godfather movies, but this one shines above the rest with the stunning three piece suits and ascots worn by Al Pacino.

19. Designing Woman (1957)

Lauren Bacall really delights in this comedy as a high society clothing designer with her chic 1950s clothing and her dreamy feminine apartment with white trimmings in gold and splashes of pastel color throughout. Helen Rose created the costumes for the movie with Lauren going through 30 clothing changes, all perfectly coordinated of course.

18. A Single Man (2009)

Tom Ford, famous menswear designer, directed this stylish movie and created looks for the characters with the help of Arianne Phillips. Quint essential 1960s silhouettes, and that pink cigarette, take the audience back to the swinging decade.

18. American Gigalo (1980)

Two words, Giorgio Armani. He was just starting out at the time and was chosen to do the wardrobe for the movie. Trench coats and the chic business casual attire set the pace for the 1980s mens look.

16. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

The film, filled with the likes of Chanel, Calvin Klein, and Yigal Azrouel, splashed onto the big screen showing the audience the inner workings of a high fashion magazine while dazzling the eye with contemporary and classic styles all the employees wore. Mostly Chanel by the way, which, needs no further reasoning.

15. Clueless (1995)

No film had a bigger impact on 90s teen styles more than Clueless. Knee socks, simple spaghetti strapped dresses, and white collarless shirts became the cool style to have.

14. Casablanca (1942)

Orry Kelly created the costumes for the film. Let's just say white jackets come to mind when thinking of this movie. Humphrey in his white dinner jacket and Ingrid Bergman in her white skirt suit.

13. The Awful Truth (1937)

As soon as Irene Dunne enters through the door with her white fur coat engulfing her petite frame, you simply cannot take your eyes off of her. Robert Kollach created the perfect picture of 1930s glamour style from silky evening gowns with nipped in waists to topcoats and tux's.

12. The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Adrian Adolph Greenberg created the glamour and goddess, independence and self-possession style themes throughout the movie. The highlight is a floor-length white silk gown with Art Deco inspired gold sequin beading across the sleeves and bodice. The embellishment recalls Greek key motifs, a visual reference to the untouchable goddess theme that underpins Tracy’s character. The sleek silhouette draws from popular 30’s styles, with a nipped-in waist and tapered sleeves with extended, fitted cuffs. Understated and sophisticated, the dress exudes aristocratic old money and modern independence.

11. Dr. No (1962)

The first Bond film to launch the franchise, Sean Connery's James Bond embraced his signature brand of sportswear in a palette of pale blues and navy, as well as his black tuxedo. Costume designer Tessa Welborn created the look which still is carried out today.

10. North by Northwest (1959)

An interesting note to this movie is the input both stars, Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, had in picking out their wardrobe. Hitch disliked the costumes MGM picked out for Saint, so he took her to Bergdorf Goodmans for a shopping spree. Grant had direct input  with Kilgour in London, to specially create the silver-gray, slim-cut, ventless suit he is seen to wear mostly in the film. The suit which GQ rated as the best suit in film history.

9. Sex and the City (2008)

Patricia Field, who also worked on the tv show, mixed high fashion with low in creative ways, instructed us that an outfit starts with the shoes, and that flower pins are really cool. Two labels that lead the pack in the movie, none other than Manolo Blahnik and Chanel.

8. Breakfast At Tiffany's (1961)

Audrey Hepburn wore the little black dress and the rest, as they say, is history.

7. Skyfall (2012)

Tom Ford's suits were front and center in the 50th anniversary movie of the Bond franchise. Jany Temime wanted to create a slightly different feel for Bond in the cut of the suit and the way they fit Daniel Craigs body, but also have the same look since it is such an iconic character.

6. The Great Gatsby (2013)

Catherine Martin worked along side the likes of Prada and Brooks Brothers and put the Great in Gatsby. She won the 2014 Academy Award for her work in the film. 1920s glitz and glamour, vibrant and full of energy, feathers and diamonds, tailored suits and tuxes, all make up the feel of excess for the style. Tiffany & Co supplied the never ending jewels.

5. The Women (1939)

A movie about men and fashion, with no men in sight. Adrian Adolph Greenberg created the look for each woman in the film, even going as far as to have a fashion show sequence in color apart from the rest of the black and white film. Smart tailored suits, country chic, frills and bows, and gaudy gowns make up the look for this classic.

4. Funny Face (1957)

Audrey Hepburn. Need I say more? Costume designers Edith Head and Hubert de Givenchy were Academy Award nominated for their work which featured monochromatic ensembles paired with striking Parisian gowns.

3. Vertigo (1958)

Edith Head created one of her most talked about looks for this movie, the white full length coat Kim Novak wears. The clothes represent each characters identity, specifically Judy/Madeleine. Judy wears the sophisticated frocks, while Madeleine, her "other half" wears unflattering pieces. Scottie's obsession in recreating Judy, makes Madeleine change her entire look and wardrobe to appear as Judy. The famous gray suit, though Kim was against it, represents modesty and Hitchcock was insistent about having it in the movie.

2. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)

Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway shine on celluloid with debonair 3 piece Gatsby-esque suits and sexy skirt suit outfits, mini dresses, and incredible hats. Why do we not wear hats anymore?? Theadora Van Runkle created more than 29 costume changes for the leads, giving them each a distinct look they would carry with them for the rest of their lives.

1. Rear Window (1954)

Costume designer Edith Head and Grace Kelly make for one dynamic duo in this masterpiece of suspense and style. Grace's elegant 1950s wardrobe is timeless and effortlessly chic inspiring countless numbers of celebrities today. With her pearl necklaces, and "straight off the Paris plane," her style is of class and wealth. The black, deep v neck dress, with white frothy chiffon, is arguably one of the most famous of the 50s decade. Her other looks of a black chiffon dress, celery green skirt suit with a silky halter top, exquisite silk negligee, printed day dress with a nipped waist, and her final mens wear inspired watermelon colored shirt, jeans, and Gene Kelly type loafers, complete one of the most perfect and elegant wardrobes in film history.

Photo credit: IMDB.com

Easy Cooking

Dill Potatoes

A few weeks ago I came across this delicious recipe while looking for ways to use some dill in my cooking. Every year Justin and I plant a vegetable garden in our back yard. I thought it would be nice to include an herb and why not some dill? My famous chicken noodle soup recipe uses this, as do our home made pickles. The things is, we now have TONS of dill! So on my search went for some more ways to include dill in my cooking. It's also quite nice in salads by the way. This new dinner was a huge hit with my husband who requested that I keep this as a go to. First off you'll need the following ingredients:

• 2 lbs of baby red potatoes, cut into quarters
• 1 tsp of salt for the water
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• Garlic Salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp of dill chopped
• 1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese shredded

Directions:

1. Fill a large pot with cut potatoes and add warm water until there is ½" of water above the top of the potatoes. Stir in 1 tsp salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook red potatoes at a light boil for about 10-12 min in salted water or until you can smoothly pierce potatoes with a fork. Remove from heat and drain well.
2. In a large pan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbsp butter. Transfer potatoes to the buttery skillet then sprinkle with garlic salt to taste. Toss potatoes to coat them in butter and sprinkle again with garlic salt. Let potatoes sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes then turn them and let sit another 2-3 minutes.
3. Once potatoes are starting to turn golden on the second side, turn them and sprinkle generously with fresh dill and top with shredded Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and let the potatoes sit in the hot skillet to let the cheese melt a bit then serve.

Sarah's Senior Photos

I had an absolute blast photographing Sarah for her senior photos. Can anyone say model?? With the help of my friend Alison, I was able to capture so many great looks. The weather turned out to be great and the back drop of a Penn State campus and its surroundings were perfect. Congratulations Sarah on your senior year!

Shop Your Own Closet

Budget Babe

I think it would be safe to say most women love to go shopping. There's something about getting a new item that gives a little thrill. While I'm all for that and enjoy it to no end, I want to challenge you to do something that most probably have never thought of, shop your own closet. With the economy the way it is, all of us could benefit from saving an extra penny here and there for the future. As you can see from the picture to the left, my closet is pretty jam packed as it it. Mind you, this is just my Spring and Summer wardrobe. I have to admit, when I took the challenge myself to peruse through my own closet, I found some items I had forgotten even existed. Finding these "new items" was pretty exciting and felt good, just like a shopping trip would. So for the next week challenge yourself to shop your own closet and be amazed at what you might find.

Beauty Basic

The Braided Bun

Once the dog days of summer finally hit I always find myself inevitably pulling my hair up and off of my face to keep cool. Rather than hap haphazardly doing this, I prefer to keep a styled look whether it be the classic ballerina bun, top knot, classic pony, sock bun, vintage roll up and so on. Today I wanted to show you the braided bun, another way to keep your hair effortlessly stylish.

I first pulled my hair into a classic pony and secured with a hair tie while leaving the top half of my hair out and secured with a pin until ready. Braid the pony and tie with another hair tie. Start twisting the braided pony into a bun and secure with pins. Take the top half of hair left out and wrap that around the base of the bun to hide the elastic tie. Pin the hair underneath the bun. Simple, chic, and lets you stay cool in the warm summer sun.

Brooching the subject

Hair Brooch

This star burst brooch is a replica of one Jackie Kennedy had. I got the idea of using it after seeing some of her own pictures with a brooch in her hair at some of the famous Kennedy White House state dinners. It's a unique idea to try and why not??

Here, Jackie wears a sun burst brooch in her coiffed hair. Image source:  https://onlyjewels.wordpress.com/tag/jackie-kennedy/.

Crazy for Coconuts

Coconut Oil

One of the biggest health and beauty crazes of 2014 is coconut oil. The best kind to use is pure, unrefined, cold pressed, organic extra virgin. This can easily be found at any grocery store for around $7-10. What's all the fuss about you ask? Well, after conducting a 2 month test, I'll let you in on all the goodies this yummy oil has to offer.

Cooking:

To start off, coconut oil is a healthy alternative for butter and fats in the diet. You can use it to saute vegetables, roast kale or sweet potatoes, add into smoothies or oatmeal (which I do every morning), use it in baked goods, and even over popcorn. Not to mention it tastes great too, just like a coconut, go figure. I use this oil as much as I can in my cooking or baking. If I juice some vegetables or fruit I mix some in, if I make a smoothie the oil goes in. Any more when I bake up some treats, this is the oil I use or when I need to coat some veggies for sauteing or roasting, you guessed it, coconut oil.

Beauty:

This light weight oil, jam packed with vitamin E, can be used on your skin or hair. I like to add some oil, heated so that it turns into a liquid state, into my hair before I take a shower for about 1 hour. Then I shampoo it out and continue with my normal conditioning. Also, sometimes I put the oil on after my shower, while my hair is still damp, as to moisturize the ends and keep them shiny. Only a little bit is needed though or the hair looks too greasy and no one likes that. As a body moisturizer, I put this on after my shower, within 3 minutes of getting out so as not to loose any of the moisture from the shower. It does smell faintly of coconuts, which I like, but that does fade after a little while if you are one who does like the scent as much.

Oil Pulling:

The reason why most people are becoming aware of coconut oil is because of a morning ritual technique called oil pulling. Before brushing or flossing, you take a spoon full of the oil, swish it in your mouth for 20 minutes like a mouth wash, spit it out preferably into a trash can as to not block up your drain, rinse your mouth with salt water, and then continue on with flossing and brushing as you regularly would. What happens within those 20 minutes really is quite remarkable. The oil literally pulls out all of the bacteria from inside the mouth and creates a clean environment. Your breath smells fresher over time, your teeth become whiter, and the bacteria becomes non existent. I do this about 3 times a week for the full 20 minutes. When I'm traveling I take it down a notch to about 10 minutes. One thing to remember is not to swallow any of the oil while swishing. In doing that, you basically swallow the bacteria back into the body.

Health:

This do it all oil not only helps hair stay shiny, skin stay moisturized, eases cooking and baking, but it is also extremely good for you as well. Where has this magic oil been all of my life!?  Health benefits include, helps in easing digestion, improves bone health, healing damaged tissue and infections, treats pancreatitis and Alzheimer's disease, rich in lauric acid that helps maintain blood sugar and cholesterol, prevents diseases affecting the liver and kidney, prevents and effectively cures candida, and strengthens the immune system.

Delicious Delight

Lemon Butter Chicken

One thing I'm always looking out for is a meal that has few ingredients and tastes delicious. Enter the lemon butter chicken recipe. This takes only 6 simple ingredients to make and only about 30 minutes to cook. As a girl who is always busy, this comes in as a winner.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour  (I used gluten free)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
• 1/3 cup of butter
• 2 lemons, sliced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

1. Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound lightly to about 1/4 thick. Remove plastic wrap. In a bowl, combine the flour and sea salt. Coat the chicken breasts with flour mixture. Sprinkle chicken with lemon pepper
2. In a large skillet cook the chicken breasts in the hot butter, half at a time, over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on each side or until brown. Remove chicken from skillet. Add lemon slices to skillet; cook for about 2-3 minutes  or until lightly browned, turning once.  Return all of the chicken to the skillet, overlapping chicken breasts slightly. Drizzle lemon juice over the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes more or until pan juices are slightly reduced. Serve chicken, lemon slices, and pan juices over rice or quinoa if desired.

Mellow Yellow

Perfectly Paired

As you already know, I am a sucker for anything remotely nautical looking and this outfit fits right into that category. The creamy yellow top with lace detailing at the collar is from Lauren Conrad's line at Kohls as well as the blue and white stripped circle skirt. Both are light weight and the perfect summer pairs. To cap off the look, no pun intended, I wore my white vintage hat and blue and white shoes from Modcloth. The gold earrings and bracelet are from the Jackie Kennedy collection. I could wear this look all summer and never tire of it.

Madison Gemma

I was so thrilled to be able to photograph this little angel. How gorgeous is she?!? I was able to capture some photos outside before heading indoors. Also, being able to incorporate some state trooper items into the photographs really lent a personal touch for the family. It was a great day and I cannot wait to see this little girl grow up.

Summer Time Stripes

Beach Wear Approved

This quit essential summer outfit from Modcloth has it all. Seersucker, nautical stripes, and blue and green coloring all bring to mind an easy breezy beautiful summer day. I bought this dress last year for my families annual trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and I could not be more pleased with it. I added on a cream colored belt to cinch in my waist (always important to do!), a summery white hat, and of course wedges for walking around the boardwalk and not falling through the slats. Heels have their place, and I adore them dearly, but they are not appropriate for walking on a boardwalk, unless you want to fall through of course.

This shows the dolphin ring I have on. It was my mother's and possibly even bought down in Rehoboth Beach. She loved dolphins and would always be so excited to see them jumping in the air. It's the perfect compliment to any beach or summery outfit.

Ballerina Ball

Ballerina Fairy Tale

“Coco Chanel was always doing things with ballet, so it is a tradition clashing fashion and ballet”

— Carine Roitfeld

This had to be one of my favorite outfits to photograph. I felt like a ballerina and fairy princess all rolled into one. Believe me, there were many twirling moments that occurred. I kept my hair up in a big loose ballerina bun accented by a pearl headband. The glittery gold shoes are another recent addition to my collection. I fell in love with the Enzo Angiolini brand since they fit so well and look stylish, while also being comfortable to walk in. Jewelry wise I wanted to keep it simple. My usual necklace and bracelet (the necklace a gift from Justin and the tennis bracelet from my mom) with pink earrings and an additional pink rhinestone bracelet. The dress was a gift from Justin for my most recent birthday.

Here is a close up of the shoes from a photo I took on Memorial Day

America the Beautiful

Happy 4th of July!

Pretty Healthy

Quinoa pasta with kale and garlic

One of my favorites lunches to make contains some of the best ingredients for you and its easy to make. I stumbled upon this recipe while I was thinking of better ways to eat kale. We all know the leafy green is amazingly good for you, but tastes very bitter, which can be a turn off to some. I thought about sauteing the kale with olive oil and garlic, and lets be honest, garlic tastes incredibly amazing with pretty much everything, and then thought about putting some chicken stock in with it. Complete genius! I could not get over how well all of the ingredients blended together while also taking away the bitter taste of the kale. After making this lunch for a couple of weeks, I saw a box of quinoa pasta while I was out with my dad. This made a great lunch dish even better and still kept  everything healthy.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale, trimmed off of the stem
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 cup of quinoa pasta
• 1/2 cup of chicken stock
• A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

Directions:

Cook the pasta in a large pot according to the package instructions. Once done, set aside and wait for the kale to be finished. While the pasta is cooking, heat the evoo in a medium sized pot. Trim the kale leaves off of the stem. Make sure to wash the leaves and pat dry. Once the oil is ready, take the chopped garlic and place into the pot, making sure to stir frequently for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then take the 1/2 cup of chicken stock and pour into the pot with the garlic. Let the mixture come to a boil and then reduce to a low temperature. Place the kale into the pot, with the lid on, for about 5 minutes. Once the five minutes are up, take the lid off and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Once finished, take the pasta and place on a plate with the kale and garlic on top.

Casual Chic

The Kate Middleton

For anyone who knows me, it is no secret how much I admire Kate Middleton. The effect she has had on fashion is undeniable and I could not agree more that her style will leave a lasting mark for generations to come. After her successful trip down under with husband William and their adorable baby boy George, she is back in England doing what she does best. A recent outing with George had Kate wearing her quint essential casual outfit. The Kate Middleton outfit is classic, simple, and forever chic. To break it down, a stripped top, blue blazer, skinny jeans, and either wedges or boat shoes, though typically she wears wedges with the outfit. These are staple items that every woman should already have in her closet. Not to mention how great they are for summer with the nautical theme!

To keep with the great Kate, I wore my replica engagement ring and matching earring set. The ring was first given to Diana by Prince Charles. After her untimely death, William got the ring, and eventually presented it to Kate while proposing. I also have on a light house pin my mother had, which perfectly blends the nautical theme together. 

styleite.com

Travel Log

NYC and Beyond

To say this past weekend was exceptional would be putting it lightly. I not only had the extreme pleasure of visiting one of the most exciting cities on the earth, but I had the great opportunity to see one of my favorite musicals, The Phantom of the Opera, while also visiting with family, enjoying beautiful weather, visiting tranquil forests, and even taking in a movie at the end of the weekend to round out some wonderful memories. Justin's father came to visit us and had his first trip to New York City. We all decided to drive into the city rather than take the train, and that my friends was an adventure all in itself. Driving in New York can be a little intense, but thrilling none the less.

Once we arrived and parked the car, the decision was to have some lunch to hold us over while watching the play. We ate at Smith's near the Majestic Theater. Timing is everything and boy did we have the timing down pat. Finishing our lunch and with twenty minutes to go, we headed over to the Majestic, which was only about three minutes away, got some trinkets, and headed to our seats. What an incredible view we all had! Sitting in the front row of the third level balcony, we could see the stage perfectly and my oh my the chandelier, what a perfect view to watch it rise in the beginning and come crashing down at the end of the first act. When the lights went down and the orchestra's music filled the theater with the chandelier rising high above, I must admit I got a bit teary eyed, a feeling of awe coming over me that I was really there experiencing The Phantom live right before my eyes.

The cast did such a fantastic job and the stage sets and designs were simply out of this world. A truly breathtaking experience. I could not contain my excitement during or after the show had ended. Once the show had ended, we decided to take Justin's dad to Times Square so he could see what New York City was all about. Afterwards, we walked around a bit more, taking in the sites and gorgeous weather. Feeling a bit hungry, and with Don Giavani's restaurant in site, we ate al fresco and dined on some lovely Italian cuisine. Around 6:30 seemed to be a good time to leave, seeing as how we would have to fight traffic and unwind on the two hour drive home once actually leaving the Lincoln Tunnel. All in all, a marvelous day spent in New York City with so many memories to cherish.

Friday was more of a relaxing day. Justin and I took his dad to Ricketts Glen State park, up to where Justin's new job is, a quick stop at Bowman's creek to scout out some fishing spots, a quite dinner on our front porch followed by some summery drinks, and lastly some catching up conversation. Saturday we all headed over to Harvey's Lake to have breakfast with my dad. Afterwards, we all took a family photo by the lake and bid Garry a safe trip home, while my dad went to a picnic with the boy scouts, Justin went fishing, and I relaxed and caught up on some chores around the house. Sunday was breakfast with my dad and watching the new 22 Jump Street up at Cinemark, my most favorite movie theater.

Some Interesting facts about The Phantom of the Opera:

• Widely considered one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most accomplished scores.
• One of the show's most spectacular set pieces is the replica of the Paris Opera House chandelier, nine feet wide and made of 6,000 beads. It weighs one ton and the original took four weeks to make, being built by five people alone.
• The falling of the chandelier is based upon a real incident at the Paris Opera House in 1896 where a falling counterweight killed a 56-year-old concierge. It was her one and only visit to the opera.
• The Phantom's latex makeup originally took three hours to make, now it is reduced to two hours.
• Since opening at the Majestic theater in 1988, Phantom has since played to over 130 million people across 27 countries and won more than 50 major awards.
• The original cast recording is the biggest selling cast recording of all time, with more than 40 million copies sold.
• In 2004 the musical was captured on the silver screen starring Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, and Patrick Wilson. It was nominated for three Oscars.
• In 2006, the show broke the record for the longest running Broadway musical, surpassing  the 7,485 performances achieved by Cats.
• The largest grossing musical in Broadway history.
• The Phantom of The Opera is a global phenomenon, its $5.6 billion box office (to date as of last year) far outstanding blockbuster films, makes it the most successful entertainment venture of all time
• The New York City production celebrated its 25th anniversary January 2013, This feat, unprecedented in Broadway history, reaffirms the musical's iconic status, proving the classic tale's enduring popularity for audiences all over the world.

The only thing I do regret about the NYC part of our excursion is not having my camera with me. Blast! Justin did not think it would be safe to bring it to the theater seeing as how we did not know their policy with such big cameras. I did have my iphone, though it has horrid quality with indoor pictures, they are still memories none the less. So please excuse some of the quality with the iphone pictures, but do enjoy the beautiful theater settings and sky scarpers of the big apple.

Demure Dame

Basic Black

Ah, vintage clothing. Vintage anything really. This outfit of basic black and pearls could be taken right out of the 1950s. I love wearing my vintage hats out in public. I always get compliments and people saying how refreshing it is to see something so different from the norm. One woman told me that everyone looks so similar these days and that, though vintage, my look seems new and invigorating. I could not help but think of the famous phrase, everything old is new again. I could not agree more.

The hair style was really quite east to make. First gather your hair into a low pony tail. Then, take the tail and make a hole right above the elastic band for the tail to go through. Keep repeating the process until you have the desired length and twist into the sides of your hair. Finally, roll up the remainder of the tail and pin into the hair.

“I like old movies, screwball comedies, vintage clothes, and basically I’m an old-fashioned girl. ”

— Zooey Deschanel

Good Reads

Summer Edition

I always have a beautiful vision of relaxing in the summer sun with a warm breeze blowing, the birds chirping, and a cool beverage in my one hand with a fascinating book in my other. Whether in my backyard, by the sea, or poolside, a summer read should give the opportunity to sit back and relax for a little while.  I always  find myself becoming busier during the warmer months, so knowing I can have a few moments to take a breather and become immersed into another world seems to good to resist.

Some books on my reading list are as follows:

• These Few Precious Days by Christopher Andrews. This book tells of the final year of John and Jackie Kennedy before the assassination occurred. Being the huge Kennedy fan that I am, this climbed to the top of my list as a must read. Rare, behind-the-scenes moments, detailing their tender and complex love story like never seen before.
• Marilyn Monroe The Finals Years by Keith Badman. Detailing the last two years of her life, while setting the record straight on all of the rumors that continue to surround America's biggest movie star there ever was.
• Cutting Teeth by Julia Fierro. A group of 30 somethings meet at a beach house over a summer weekend. This book was named one of the "30 must reads of 2014" by the Huffington Post. Sounds good to me!
• Gone Girl By Gillian Flynn. I've been wanting to read this for a while after hearing so many good things about it. Especially now that the book is set to hit theaters towards the end of the year, I want to read up on it before actually seeing the movie.
• Insurgent by Veronica Roth. Book number two in the Divergent series, this sequel picks up with Tris who must continue to fight for the ones she loves and deal with the oncoming war ahead. After seeing the movie "Divergent" in theaters, I instantly liked the story and knew this series would become something big similar to The Hunger Games.

Simple Pleasures

Tea Time and Macarons

Mornings have always been one of my favorite times of the day. The fresh new clean feeling, the endless amount of possibilities that could occur, and the grateful sense of knowing I have made it another day. One morning activity I quite adore is to sit back, while after having my breakfast, to take a moment to enjoy a simple pleasure of mine, tea and macaron cookies. Albeit, this is not an everyday occurrence, but that makes it more special when it does. These little darlings became popular in France and soon made their way state side. While I cannot get the little cookie locally, only bigger cities seem to have them in Pennsylvania, I treasure the ones I do have the chance to acquire. Light and airy with either a creme or jelly center, macarons have become a new favorite of mine, not to mention how pretty they look! I also like to get my little sweet treat out of the way in the morning so I have the rest of the day to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to make up for it. Remember, moderation is key.

Birthday Bliss

Happy 24th Birthday Michael!

Today is my brothers 24th birthday and I could not be more excited to celebrate it with him. He and I are pictured above in May of 1992 with a dandelion bouquet we picked out. Since it is a Thursday, and "throwback' Thursday's are so popular, I thought it would be nice to post a picture of us from back in the day. I chose this picture because it represents how close my brother and I are, but also because it is pretty darn cute! We grew up as best friends and still remain that way today. I could not have asked for a better brother than Michael. He's always there whenever you need him and shows his generosity when you least expect it. After our mom passed, I feel that we grew even closer with a silent understanding that life is short and to enjoy as many moments as you can together. Our plans for today are low key, and if you know my brother, that fits in perfectly with him. Browsing around town looking for a truck he could purchase, dinner at the casino, trying our hand with lady luck, and enjoying some lovely libations.  So glasses raised to my little brother, cheers and many more to come! Happy Birthday.