Sick Day...

Just a friendly reminder to WASH YOUR HANDS every chance you get. Because right now, I'm home with pink eye. 

Yuck.

Be well everyone!

Battle of the Darcy's

I know, I know. I broke my "post every day for thirty days" rule... but it was for your own good. I refuse to let this blog wither into inane blathering, which is surely what it was going to come to if I didn't take a short hiatus. Besides, doesn't absence make the heart grow fonder?

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Stacks upon stacks of clean laundry are currently sitting in my room waiting to be put away. As my Monday nights are typically void of any obligations, last night would logically have been a great night to tackle that. A little stop by the gym first shouldn't have gotten in the way of that, right?

Wrong. Because on a whim I decided to attend a boot camp class. If you know me at all, you are laughing right now.

Needless to say that when I got home, I was good for nothing more than tossing a frozen pizza in the oven and collapsing on the couch with my roommates to catch the last half hour of Pride and Prejudice on television.

Now like millions of girls across the world, I claim Pride and Prejudice to be among my very favorite books and movies, Elizabeth Bennett among my favorite literary heroines. And wherever two or more true Austenites gather, immediate lines are drawn on the following debate:

1996 Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice miniseries vs. 2005 Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice feature film

Each has its merits, and I could discuss these at length, however, only two words are truly necessary for a solid defense of the first: Colin and Firth.

Honestly, though, despite its smattering of inconsistencies with the original text, it's the second one that captures my heart over and over again. Between the captivating cinematography and the beautiful soundtrack, I just get lost in it every single time. So with the following clip, I rest my case:

I meant to go to the gym...

I really did. But it wasn't where the website said it was supposed to be! So I really had no choice when I couldn't find it other than to come home, cook dinner, and pop in disc one of the HBO John Adams miniseries. Initial review in a nutshell:

Really interesting point of view on our nation's birth. It makes you appreciate the fact that we are a nation at all when you realize how close we came to not having independence at all.

Also, Abigail Adams was pretty wonderful.

"We have too many high-sounding words and too few actions that correspond with them."
-Abigail Adams, letter to John Adams, 1774

Gleek Out

I love Glee. Love it. Enjoy:

A Little History Lesson

I've been on a documentary/biography/history kick lately, so today when I was deciding what to put at the top of my Netflix queue I finally boosted the HBO miniseries on the life of John Adams to the top. It arrives tomorrow, so I will be sure to let everyone know how it is. 

Living in a part of the country that is so rich in history, it just feels like a shame to not spend at least some time finding out about it. PBS came out with a fantastic documentary series on New York in 1999 and we (the roommates and I) have been watching it in several installments. Last week we learned about the Lower East Side tenements and the heartbreaking poverty that went on exactly where we live today.

Equally as amazing to me as the profound progress that has occurred here is how much some things have stayed the same. The Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, even the grid that lays out the city, all have remained relatively unchanged over time and I just love that! So for anyone interested:

New York: A Documentary Series

I recommend it!

Holiday Gift Guide

I've never been one known to get my holiday shopping done early, but this article in Real Simple makes me want to this year. They have great ideas for everyone on your list!

Real Simple Holiday Gift Guide

One of my personal favorites on the list? These pretty, re-covered Penguin Classics. ($20 each, penguingroup.com) 

Happy shopping!

I Recall Central Park in Fall...

Today was one of the most gorgeous days so far this fall, and on a day like this there is only one place to go. Central Park was completely breathtaking and prime for people-watching:

I hope that we get many more days like this to enjoy before winter sets in! This was such a great weekend and I plan on enjoying it to the last drop before Monday rears its ugly head tomorrow. :)