Fashionista

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There are just ten days left until Christmas, and somehow, I've barely put a dent in my holiday movie watch list, haven't baked a single cookie, and - surprise, surprise - haven't gotten much of a start on my shopping. Is it just me, or has 2018 been an insanely busy, non-stop year?

I've been a little overwhelmed with the seemingly rapid arrival of this Christmas countdown, but on the flip side, it's kind of the most exciting part of the season: homes are fully decorated, everyone is listening to holiday music without judgment, and presents are starting to show up in stockings and under trees. Ten days might not sound like enough time to knock out the rest of my annual holiday bucket list, but I'm always up for a challenge. ;)

For those of you as behind on the festivities as I am, here's a Holiday Bucket List, just in time to savor the precious last bits of the season:

Partially adapted from my 2017 Holiday Traditions Post


1. Pick out and decorate a real Christmas tree -  (Ironically, my family got this done very early)

2. Decorate your home - (Inside, outside, holiday village ... you get me) 

3. Visit the most decorated homes in your area - (Fun tip: if you have a pick-up truck, decorate the open back with holiday lights, add comfy padding to sit on, play holiday music and bring hot chocolate to-go, and sit in the back while you [safely] cruise around the neighborhood).

4. Host - or attend - an ugly sweater/holiday party - (Complete with a make-your-own hot cocoa bar, cookie decorating and a holiday playlist)

5. Bake some festive treats

6. Decorate a Gingerbread House - (Better yet: participate in a competition)

7. Take a fun holiday Christmas card photo - (Bonus points if you actually mail it)

8.  Spend an entire morning (or night) watching holiday movies in Christmas pajamas - (Check out my 2017 favorite holiday films list - missing a few!)

9. Go ice skating - (Indoor rinks count! #FloridaProblems)

10. Listen to some carol singers ... or throw back some wine and sing the carols yourself ;)

11. Visit a holiday-themed park, carnival, store or bar - (Some of my favorites: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas at Magic Kingdom, The Christmas Palace, Frosty's)

12. Go watch a holiday show, whether at a local school or on Broadway

13. Volunteer at a local shelter, hospital or senior center - (Many are still seeking help with holiday events; stay tuned for an upcoming post on groups to help this holiday season)

14. Make a DIY wreath, ornament or Christmas decoration

and last, but not least ...

15. Watch the Christmas Day parade while unwrapping presents on Christmas morning - (In your holiday pajamas, of course)

Anything else I should add to this list? Feel free to share your Holiday Bucket List items in the comments below. Stay tuned for a few more holiday posts, including a last-minute gift guide and a look at my home during the holidays. :)

Image via NBC

Ahh, December. There's nothing quite like this month. It's synonymous with joy, child-like excitement, nostalgia, generosity and love. Holiday cheer is officially in full effect, and I'm completely on board.

In the spirit of the season, I'll share several Christmas and holiday-specific posts over the course of the next couple weeks; in the meantime, I wanted to kick the festivities off by sharing some of the things I'm currently loving and looking forward to.

P.S. You might see a few of these in a future Gift Guide post ... ;) Stay tuned!
John Legend is the most recent artist to join my ever-growing line-up of holiday music with the debut of his new album, A Legendary Christmas. After spending several days mentally kicking myself for missing his Miami tour stop, I was able to enjoy his music - and some laughs - during the NBC special, A Legendary Christmas with John and Chrissy. A sweet and comedic take on the cheesy sitcoms of the 80s and early 90s, the show centered around John and Chrissy's fictional Christmas party, attended by their real-life families and a diverse group of famous friends. Equal parts funny, festive and feel-good, it will definitely get you in the holiday spirit. Plus, John's dreamy voice doesn't disappoint when he performs several songs from the new album.

Most of us have an aspirational best friend deriving from a favorite TV series or film, yes? I could probably pick out a wishful bestie from just about all of my favorite shows and movies ... but Midge Maisel takes the cake. I binged the first season of Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as soon as I heard the show and leading actress were nominated for Emmy's and boy, did I get hopelessly hooked. This "dramedy" follows Midge Maisel, a young, Jewish, New York City 1950's housewife and mother who unexpectedly - and quite suddenly - goes from domestic diva to single, stand-up comedian. The cast is spectacular, as are the music, fashion and storyline. It's a show that will have you cheering for the protagonist - and wanting to ask her out for coffee, stat. Season 2 just premiered, so start binging!


Dirty John - I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be watching Bravo (I hate reality T.V.) but the moment it was announced that the Dirty John podcast was being adapted into a show on the network, I knew I'd be tuning in. For those of you who haven't listened to Dirty John, you now have homework to do. The podcast follows the true story of John Meehan - a man who was nothing he claimed to be - and the family he nearly destroyed. I admittedly have a tough time following serious podcasts, but this one left me longing for lengthier commutes. The show, produced by Connie Britton (who also stars as Meehan's love interest) is doing a pretty impressive job of capturing the shocking real-life story.

(On a somewhat similar note: did anyone catch the first look at Zac Efron as Ted Bundy in the upcoming film, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile? I don't know how I feel about Troy Bolton playing a serial killer, but he sure does look the part!).

Manifest - the pilot episode of this sci-fi drama left me in tears and head-to-toe goosebumps. I almost passed the show up, thinking it was going to be some corny rip-off of Lost. My assumptions were far from correct. So far, the storyline is captivating, tragic and suspenseful - and the series just went on a break until January, so now is your chance to catch up on the first few episodes.

Schitt's Creek - mark my words: there's no bad day a Schitt's Creek binge can't fix. This comedy about a New York family that goes from billion-dollar lifestyle to motel-town survival is painfully hilarious (seriously, I'm talking laughs that leave you aching). You'll wonder how you ever lived before knowing the Rose family. Consider it required watching.
I spent part of Sunday night laughing in my bed (and taking notes) as I read The Actor's Life - A Survival Guide, written by Jenna Fischer (AKA Pam from The Office). The book - which I purchased after making the decision to pursue acting - is filled with helpful, straight-from-experience lessons; industry advice, career checklists and hilarious true stories (the one about her riding Jurassic Park River Adventure for twelve hours as part of a Universal Studios video nearly had me in tears). I haven't finished the book yet, but already highly recommend it to anyone interested in this crazy industry. Bless us all.


A couple days ago, Reese Witherspoon suggested her latest Book Club read, One Day in December by Josie Silver. Sounds like a typical holiday rom-com plot ... to which I say: count me in.  

After years of feeling nostalgic, my childhood is making a legitimate comeback, and I cannot contain my excitement. As if it wasn't enough that several of my favorite childhood films are returning for sequels or making their live-action debuts (anyone else get emotional while watching the trailers for Dumbo, Toy Story 4 and The Lion King?), we have the Spice Girls announcing a new tour, Ariana Grande's new music video featuring some of the best rom-coms of the 90s and early 2000s, Dido returning with new music and Amanda Bynes back in the spotlight. Also in the works? A Nintendo theme park. And there's more where all this came from. Someone please find Cher and let her know that you can, indeed, turn back time.

One of my best friends, Nicole, was over a couple weeks ago and introduced me to contemporary Los Angeles-based artist Amanda Oleander. I'm evidently late to the fan club, given her nearly 800,000 Instagram followers, but take my word for it: Oleander's work is truly beautiful, and best of all, real. Her illustrations portray people from all walks of life experiencing a multitude of emotions and moments. Her characters are perfectly imperfect, with moles, wrinkles, hair, acne and scars. She gives her pieces an authenticity and vulnerability that is hard to come by. Follow her for art that will make you think, feel and appreciate being human.
I was originally drawn to Tocca's vintage-inspired fragrances because I love the exotic names of their scents (Stella, Cleopatra, Isabella, etc.). I recently purchased the brand's Italian-inspired Stella hair fragrance and now I can't leave my house without spritzing some on. It isn't overwhelming, yet I can still smell it hours later - the ideal result when it comes to any scent. Better yet, it adds a subtle shine that keeps my hair looking healthy.

We all have that one friend: she constantly updates her Pinterest, throws homemade Halloween costumes out of the ballpark and lives to host a fun theme party. For me, this friend is Nathalie.

I've known Nata since elementary school, but she grew to become one of my best friends after we graduated high school. Since then, she's impressed me countless times with her creativity, enthusiasm and attention to detail. From her homemade sushi roll Halloween costume to her home-thrown theme parties and baby showers, her fun-loving energy and dedication to celebrating never disappoint. Over the years, I've made it a point to make it to as many of her parties as possible ... but there's one I missed last year that has haunted me to this very day: her Friends-giving party. And by Friends, I mean Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe and Joey.

I'm a major Friends fan, but if there's one person who I know would destroy me in a game of Friends trivia, it's Nata. As I mentioned earlier, her attention to detail is seriously impressive - so it's no surprise that she set the bar for what a Friends-themed party should look like (seriously - she deserves free Central Perk coffee for life). Lucky for us, she was kind enough to share some ideas and photos from her epic party here on the blog, so you can elevate your annual Friendsgiving celebration and create a night full of laughs that no one will forget.

Now ... PIVOT!

Nata co-hosted the event with her sister, Michelle. Online invites are the way to go.

Printable photo booth signs from Etsy

It's too small to see, but everyone is wearing "Hello, my name is" stickers with names from the show. Nata, second from left, chose to be Princess Consuela Banana Hammock (if you know her personally, this is no surprise).

I don't know these people, so I very beautifully covered their faces.

Nata and Michelle played all of the Thanksgiving episodes of Friends while sharing a meal with their real-life friends out in their backyard. Perfect ending to a perfect party, don't ya think?

Pro tip: bless the meal by playing "I'll Be There for You" by The Remembrandts, and end the night with some Friends trivia. Loser wears a turkey on their head a la Monica.
For more fun lifestyle and celebration inspo, follow Nata on Pinterest and Instagram. 

Mary Poppins, Halloween 2017

Wednesday Addams, Halloween 2015

Jess and I dressed as Dolls of the Dead, Halloween 2016 These dolls were so much fun to dress up as. Jess and I got really into character, and at one point began skipping around downtown while holding hands and playing audio of children laughing on repeat from our phones. We freaked quite a few people out.   Outfit Floral dress White knee-high socks Black heels Teddy Bear, dabbed it with black eyeshadow and torn up (I felt HORRIBLE doing this, but it really makes the costume creepier. I've kept the teddy bear out of pity).  Makeup Follow the Wednesday Addams/Black Swan idea: pale face, dark lips (I went with a very deep red) Black/gray eyeshadow for under eye circles and contouring  Black eyeliner for "patches" and mouth (we drew lines that resemble a puppet mouth) Hair Pigtails and a bow

Cleopatra, Halloween Weekend 2017

Black Swan, Halloween Weekend 2017

Cruella de Vil, Halloween Weekend 2015

My DIY mermaid costume (missing the starfish), a few years after being worn

My sister, looking like a gorgeous mermaid at her sorority's bid day last year (it was ocean themed)

Little Red Riding Hood (after a run-in with the wolf), Halloween Weekend 2016

Witch, Halloween Weekend 2016

My sister as a modern day, Vampire Diaries-inspired vampire, Halloween 2015