A Few of My Favorite Things

Pardon me my dear readers for the lack of posts last week as I was super busy moving into my new apartment which I am so excited about! At the moment these are strange times filled with highs and lows. And I must admit to you all, I've been overwhelmed and have had my fair share of down moments--between the pandemic and the recent news about further horrific police brutality and killings against blacks specifically pertaining to the murder of Ahmaud Arbery which happened at the end of February (you can support the petitioning for justice to be served for him here). I know these are odd times for everyone. Some people are sick and quarantined, some are unemployed, some have no health insurance, small businesses are shutting down, etc. There is so much uncertainty and paranoia. I hope this space is a place you can come to and forget about the troubles of the world even for just a few minutes. I've loved the vintage lifestyle for a long time now and at my lowest times a TCM marathon or a small antique purchase can brighten my day. So at these times, I look to the things in my life that inspire me and I thought I'd share some of those things with you!

Above is a photograph of the living room of my apartment. The living room in my last apartment consisted of a 1950s/60s light green silk dupioni sofa. I decided that I wanted to go the opposite and opted for this lovely pink velvet CosmoLiving loveseat. You can find me spending a good deal of my time in the living room browsing through my vintage magazines or watching TCM with a glass of my homemade wine spritzer.

Recently I've discovered Blue Waltz perfume which is a new favorite of mine. Blue Waltz was created during the 1950s and was targeted towards teenagers making it a very popular scent. The formula is sweet with a little bit of spice and has powdery undertones. It reminds me of the smell of a face or body powder and contains a twinge of tree moss which I love. The bottle is nostalgic in its heart shaped bottle and baby blue rosebud cap. This has been my go to fragrance lately. BONUS: It is also VERY cheap. You can typically find this between $5-15 online. I would love to buy a vintage bottle with the original formula just to compare scents!

Talking on the phone has become a new favorite hobby of mine. I always check in on my Granny and love having weekly 4 hour gabs with my dear friend Lady Jen Ryan. I am constantly texting family and friends. It gives me comfort in hearing my loved ones' voices or seeing their sweet messages.

Something about buying fresh flowers really improve my spirits! Lately I've been into tulips, I just love watching the blooming process. I like to keep flowers in my kitchen and the bathroom--two places I spend a lot of time cooking or taking a lovely soak.

I absolutely love Marvis Whitening Mint toothpaste. Marvis is a brand made in Florence, Italy. The packaging alone is what sold me, I just love the vintage look of it! This toothpaste is super adorable and I like to display it in my bathroom where my toothbrush holder is.

Who knew toothpaste could add to your home decor?

Now that I live alone I occasionally make a "lazy meal" for myself which is essentially a snack that I eat way too many portions of. I love a good chicken, egg, or potato salad and I pair it with Ritz Crackers and occasionally a wine spritzer (1 part wine, 1 part club soda or seltzer). This is a chicken salad I whipped together in less than 30 minutes and the recipe can be found here.

Turner Classic Movies has a new podcast called "The Plot Thickens" which I am OBSESSED with. I've always longed for a TCM podcast and I am not disappointed. The current season features TCM host Ben Mankiewicz interviewing and telling the story of director and film critic/historian Peter Bogdanovich (best known for his film The Last Picture Show). The series is all about his fascinating life--his relationships with legendary Old Hollywood directors, the process of filmmaking, his love life, and the downsides to Hollywood. I highly suggest giving it a listen even if you are not familiar with Peter Bogdanovich. This is great if you are simply a lover of Old Hollywood or cinema.

My final recommendation is FX's Mrs. America (2020) which began airing on Hulu in mid-April. This is probably my favorite newer period show. Admittedly I am a HUGE fan of Cate Blanchett and perhaps she can do no wrong in my eyes. The show focuses on the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) movement from different points of view of important women during that time. The show displays the juxtaposition of second-wave feminists, Gloria Stenheim (Rose Byrne), Shirley Chisholm (Uzo Aduba), and Betty Friedan (Tracey Ullman), etc. juxtaposed with Phylis Schlafly (Blanchett) who unexpectedly created her own following that was against the ERA. I highly recommend giving this a watch. It has its cheesy moments but gives a compelling story, superb acting, beautiful 1970s looks, and a great soundtrack.

I hope you all enjoyed this little post and I will see you next Friday!!

Photographs taken by me except the last image. I do NOT own the Mrs. America image.