January // Wrap-Up Post

real life updates

• Hey Guys! I'm here to introduce my brand new feature for 2012. I felt my blog was lacking a little in personal interest so it'll be one of my main goals to improve on in the new year. Hopefully this post will not only inspire you to check out some of my recent blog posts but also a few of my favourite things around the interwebs. Be sure to also check out my feature on Friday Favourites whenever it decides to make an appearance.
• In other news, I'm taking my first overseas trip EVER! YAY for LA. I'm planning to hit up Disneyland and a few other places but most of all, I'd love to hear your recommendations on all things travel in the US of A.

new online discoveries

• Pinterest - I'm pretty sure if this were the only website in the world, I'd be pretty happy. Basically it's got a whole other level on We Heart It which happens to be one of my previously adored photography websites but now I find myself spending all my time categorizing to my hearts content at none other than Pinterest. Don't ask me how to pronounce the name but basically, it's a dream board gone wild. Get ready for an extreme hit of inspiration.
• TripAdvisor - The best and worst website for pre-travel arrangements. The fact that basically every attraction/hotel/restaurant has both glowing reviews and terrible ones, makes it almost impossible to decide on what to add or remove from my must-see list anyhow it's still holding my interest and actually inspiring me to visit so many more places around the world.
• The Dainty Squid - This girl has inspired me in so many ways since first discovering her fashion minded blog. Basically, she chats about her everyday life in the most interesting of ways and I aspire to be like her on a daily basis because she manages to update just about every 12 hours and her content is always worth reading.

books recently read

• Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1) by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl - I always tread very carefully when it comes to paranormal novels. They seem to either be hit or miss with me and this one just happens to be a big winner. No wonder it's got 40,000 raving reviewers on Goodreads. 
• Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten
• Bossypants by Tina Fey - I'm really glad I finally got around to reading this one, it's an insight into the life of a female comedian and how she managed to get so damn popular. Plus it's extremely entertaining. 
• Never Have I Ever (The Lying Game #2) by Sara Shepard
• Amazing Grace by Megan Shull - This one didn't exactly win me over but at least it was extremely fast-paced. If only it were a little more complex :S

movies most enjoyed

• Chalet Girl (2011) - Surprisingly entertaining despite the ever so corny film poster. Although, I'm still not keen on ever attempting to ski again.
• The King's Speech (2010)
• Hugo (2011) - Does anyone else find it unusual to see this film winning over both critics and fans alike? I actually thought this one was a little quirky but anything with Chloe Moretz in a starring role can win me over pretty easy.
• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
• The Descendants (2011) - As a fan of The Secret Life of the American Teenager, I was stoked to see Shailene Woodley in her first feature film but this movie goes on to be so much more amazing than I anticipated. I'm pretty sure this one will be ranking with my best of 2012 list even though it's only January.

Fave Blog Posts

Daily Dose // National Popcorn Day

Bookish Recommendaiton: 5 Year Q&A Diary

The Best of 2011 // Books, Music, TV & Movies

How Many Books Will You Be Reading In 2012?

Recipe // DIY Smoothie Cubes

all i'm thankful for ♥

quirky recipes // cool gusts of wind // diy craft tutorials // miniscule advertisement earnings // calorie counters // amazon // the sunday newspaper // high interest rates // dog walking // ebay // non-bookish blogs // creative outlets // gravy // using my free time for reading // opi nail polish // blase travel buddies