Entertainment Weekly 3.24.18

I'm sure you can all guess why I missed last week...and you'd be right! Michelle and I decided to actually "do" St. Patrick's Day and met up with Ace, Marco, and Alex to celebrate during the day. Alex and I both had child-related commitments Sunday morning, so we decided to ensure we ended the night early...which meant starting at an appropriate time! We had a lot of fun, and Michelle and I (along with Dad) still managed to do well and have fun at the St. Patrick's Day 5k at my work the next morning.

This week, I was very sad to miss the March for Our Lives-unfortunately, I had to work at the exact time it was taking place. I remain wildly inspired by all the young people who are working so hard to change adults who are supposed to guide and keep them safe.

Reading: Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce. I have loved her books since I was in middle school and they continue to be amazing. I love young adult novels, especially those with good representation, important messages, and excellent story telling!

Listening: all the interviews and speeches from the youth leading the March for Our Lives and the related movement.

Watching: Nothing new...just one episode left of the latest season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. I'm so sad it's about to be over again!


xoxoxo
Emma

Entertainment Weekly 3.10.18

Lots of early mornings for me this week...the friends and family sale is happening at Athleta right now, so lots to do before we open each day!

Recent...

Reading: my friend Molly lent me Robin Sloan's Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore and I happened to check out another book by the same author, Sourdough, without realizing it! I'm still in the first, but finished the second, and am loving them. His writing style is very clever, and both books seem to acknowledge the importance of technology while still holding reverence for the "old ways" of doing things (reading/research and baking, respectively).

Listening: Burnt Toast (Food52's podcast) is back! Their first episode of the season is about food fights-a nice lighthearted contrast with so many heavier topics I deal with daily.

Watching: Aaaand Crazy Ex-Girlfriend season 3 is on Netflix! I'm trying to ration them out, but it's hard...I had originally so opposed watching this show and now love it. Check it out, especially if you love musicals/sarcasm/feminist takes.

Have a great week, everyone!

xoxoxo
Emma

Entertainment Weekly 2.10.18

As always, lots of work work work over here...I managed to do some socializing, too, the last couple of weekends which I'm totally using as an excuse for my lack of posting. Lately I've been

Reading: Alice Waters' Coming to My Senses: the Making of a Counterculture Cook. Obsessed. It's as engaging as a novel, inspiring as a cookbook (even without recipes). Even if you're not as into food culture as I am (or even at all), read it!

Listening: the Fearless Rebelle Radio podcast. I know I mentioned it before, but I just can't get over how amazing it is! This week Summer interviewed Tiana Dodson and she had some powerful words: "when I can see myself as someone of value, I can see everyone else as valuable". This was in the context of fat acceptance/activism, but 100% applies in all facets of life. LOVED IT.

Watching: Is it too embarrassing to admit I've been watching Pretty Little Liars? I needed another mindless-ish, pretty show to play in the background when I'm cooking, cleaning, etc. and it fit the bill...Highly problematic but oh so entertaining.

Finally tried Harpoon's pretzels last weekend-I've been missing out!

xoxoxo
Emma

Entertainment Weekly 9.16.17

The kids came back this week...oh boy. It's been good to have them, but it definitely makes getting anything done a lot more challenging!

Lately, I've been

Reading: Wine All the Time by Marissa A. Ross. I would highly recommend this-it has totally inspired me to learn more about and experiment with wine! A totally accessible (and hilarious) guide that is still extremely informative.

Listening: I've been getting some shit for my choice in music lately (that I don't listen to anything new)...but I do enjoy some newer stuff! John Legend, for example, is pretty much a perfect human.

Watching: 30 Rock is going off Netflix on October 1st, so I'm finishing up my rewatch! One episode left...

Have a great last weekend of summer! Bring it on, fall...

xoxoxo
Emma

Entertainment Weekly 9.2.17

I guess it hasn't been so weekly lately...again with the traveling! Someday I'll get caught up on all those posts too...maybe on this long weekend? Though I will definitely be trying to make the most of what's left of summer as well, along with fully embracing the start of football season! Go Blue!

Reading: I was so excited to find The Admissions at the Ann Arbor Public Library-Friends of the Library book sale. I've been on the hold waitlist for it for ages, so I was totally willing to spend $2 on it. It was definitely really engaging and wrenched at my heart-I highly recommend it!

Listening: I listened to A LOT of my usual podcasts while I was driving to and from Michigan last week, as well as singing along to musicals at the top of my lungs and an audiobook. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was actually a great one to listen to-and I am pretty picky about what I will listen to rather than read myself.

Watching: I began watching the Defenders while at camp with James, so have been working on that. I just have 2 episodes left-can't get enough of superheroes making sarcastic and witty comments!

Have a fantastic Labor Day weekend! Oh, and GO BLUE!

xoxoxo
Emma

Entertainment Weekly 8.12.17

I'm finally feeling like my schedule is getting back to normal, but the celebrating and socializing hasn't slowed down much! I was so happy to get to be a part of Dawnmarie's bachelorette last weekend, and have 2 birthday celebrations this weekend-woohoo!

Lately, I've been 

Reading: I just finished Isabel Allende's The Japanese Lover. A beautiful love story that shifts flawlessly between characters and times. 

Listening: I've been listening to the Moth podcast for a long time, but it continues to be a favorite. It never fails to make me emotional. 

Watching: I've been rewatching Galavant now with a couple different friends. It is so funny-and with the popularity of Game of Thrones, the humor feels particularly relevant.

Have a wonderful weekend, y'all!

xoxoxo
Emma

Entertainment Weekly 8.5.17

I know I've been MIA-with all my travel, and then trying to get my life in order after returning, I really let writing fall by the wayside. I'll have a bunch of travel posts coming-I'm just really struggling with motivation! I know once I get back to it, but it's like exercising. When I fall out of the habit, it is so hard to get back in it. I managed to get back to my daily Bar Method, so I know I can get back to writing too! In the meantime, I've been

Reading: I loved In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume. I wouldn't recommend it while traveling by plane (it revolves around 3 plane crashes that happened in Elizabeth, NJ in the 50s) but it is really good. I'm so glad that Judy Blume is writing for adults!

Listening: Dia Frampton's album Bruises is haunting and beautiful. Listen to it on a rainy day (like today!)

Watching: Riverdale. I had no intention of watching it, but my goodness is it engaging! A definite guilty pleasure but I would certainly recommend it.

Have a great weekend!

xoxoxo
Emma

Entertainment Weekly 7.1.17

Happy long weekend! I'm definitely happy about these extra days off, and very much looking forward to some fireworks on Tuesday! Fingers crossed for good weather and only moderately crazy crowds...

Reading: I read The Circle in maybe 3 days...it's long but super engaging! They released a movie version starring Emma Watson recently and I did not hear good things...however I would definitely recommend the book.

Listening: I finally gave in and started listening to Harry Styles' solo album and I have to admit, I like it...

Watching: My guilty pleasure, Criminal Minds, just released season 12 on Netflix, so I've been freaking myself out with it. It's gotten crazier so it's somehow less scary...just please, nobody sneak up on me! You might end up with a backhand to the face or an elbow to the gut if you do...

Have a happy 4th, everyone!

xoxoxo
Emma

Entertainment Weekly 6.24.17

It is definitely summer! I got drenched this morning doing yoga outside, but now it is gorgeous and sunny-though still definitely very humid! Right now, I'm

Reading: I finished All the Single Ladies (and am happy to lend it out as long as I get it back!) and decided to take a break with a YA novel-The Traitor's Kiss. Of course it's the first part of a trilogy-at this point, do they even write non-trilogy YA novels? It was entertaining, and I'll probably read the other two books once they are published, though I wouldn't say it was groundbreaking.

Listening: Jesse Ruben's "First Day of Summer" is so cute-and of course, so appropriate for the season! I hadn't heard his music before, but I'll definitely be trying to make it to his concert in Allston next month!

Watching: I'm finally getting around to the third season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. I had a little trouble getting back into, but I'm happy to say I am again fully invested! 

Happy Saturday, y'all!

xoxoxo
Emma

Entertainment Weekly 5.27.17

It's finally feeling like spring today! This'll be a quick one so I can get back outside-I've already hit the farmers market and walked around Back Bay and Somerville...I don't know what's next but it's gotta be outside for sure!

Reading: I just finished City of Friends by Joanna Trollope. A great novel exploring the complexity of adult female friendship and all the other parts of their lives.

Listening: I've really enjoyed this week's Spotify Discover Weekly, specifically "Turning Out" by AJR. They're definitely young, but I love the reference to Disney, of course!

Watching: 13 Reasons Why. I'm finally forcing myself to watch it-yes, forcing. It doesn't appeal to me, as I use TV as an escape, not a continuation of my work day, but given that all the youths are watching it, I need to know what it is they're referencing. It's not about the quality, but I just really am not enjoying it. I think I'll be balancing with some Kimmy Schmidt or Mindy Project later!

Have a great long weekend, everyone!

xoxoxo
Emma

Entertainment Weekly 4.1.17

You'd think with all the traveling I've been doing I would have a lot more to contribute to this-but somehow no. I think my addiction to catching up on Mad Men and Grey's Anatomy has put a serious damper on it...oops!

Reading: more cookbooks, as always! My lovely friend Georgina gave me a copy of A Lebanese Feast after I admired it at her house during a small dinner party. It is all vegetarian (and a lot of vegan) Lebanese recipes. Not only do the recipes look delicious, but the stories behind them are lovely as well. Stay tuned to see what I make from it!

Listening: the soundtrack to Newsies. I couldn't tell you why I've suddenly been in the mood for it, but I'd forgotten how great it is! I think as I've been running more outside I've been in search of (largely) upbeat musicals-they hold my attention while the beat keeps me amped up.

Watching: Like I said, I've been making my way through Mad Men-Netflix allows it to be downloaded, so it's a frequent commute companion. I had started it long ago when it was first on the air and stopped for some reason, so began from season one. What I wouldn't give to have been the stylist on that show...

Happy weekend! And to all my fellow Northeast residents: stay warm out there! Spring will be here any moment, I swear...

xoxoxo
Emma

Entertainment Weekly 2.18.17

Last week's five-day weekend definitely threw me for a loop-while I loved the extra time off to be lazy and also catch up on things, I certainly got off my usual schedule. I also grew in gratitude for Overdrive's digital lending library-when I can't get out to get new books, and have a lot of time on m hands, I love that I don't have to purchase everything.

Reading: Tamora Pierce. I loved her books as a pre-teen/teen, and have so enjoyed rereading them! A lot of young adult fiction is so well-written and with such excellent and exciting ideas. I will never be embarrassed at my love for it :) Tamora Pierce in particular writes fantastic and empowering characters for all ages-the Winding Circle series is geared a little younger, while the Beka Cooper trilogy is definitely for older young adults.

Listening: Gotta give another shout out to Us the Duo. Michelle and I went to their concert on Wednesday and it was AMAZING. They are the cutest couple and so talented! They essentially set up a living room onstage and clearly had so much fun performing. Another couple got engaged during one of the songs and it was just too adorable-Carissa started crying onstage when she saw it. I couldn't actually see the couple, but it was so sweet. I also couldn't resist getting a t-shirt with lyrics from the song "Goodbye Forever"...I'm curious to see how people will react to a shirt that says "you're cool but I am cooler"!

Watching: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend season 2 is on Netflix! It is so fun and cute-and weirdly relatable in some ways. If you like rom-coms, clever/sarcastic comedy, plays on rom-com tropes, and music, you have got to watch it. Great for binge-watching over the long weekend!

xoxoxo
Emma