Mixtape Monday: Holiday Hits

Posted in Holidays, Music by C.

Happy December! Happy Holidays!

Coming off a relaxing, yet productive Thanksgiving weekend here. I finished a book, started another one; caught an “interesting” (for lack of a better word) film, The Babadook, at the Silent Movie Theater; successfully completed our “Rocky” movie marathon (gosh, do I love that series!), made it to The Grove for some much-needed holiday cheer, and ate more ham than is probably legal! Suffice to say, all is well at the moment. I have to admit, I’m anxious for the next few weeks to pass. I CANNOT wait for a more proper vacation, where I plan to unplug for 3 full weeks. Ahh!

Until then, why not enjoy what makes this time of year so special, the magic of the holidays! I’m kicking off December in-style with a little Christmas music today. I made a holiday mixtape with some of a my favorites last year and think it’s the perfect way to get in a festive mood.

Listen along if you’d like! Please hit the link noted just after the jump or click here and enjoy!

Have a great week. x

All That Glitters

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It’s official. Some light holiday decorating and a weekend filled with watching some of my favorite holiday movies and it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! I thought it would be fun to curate a list of some of my favorite Christmas songs – old and those that are destined to be new favorites. My two “go-to” Christmas CD’s have always been Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas and Josh Groban’s Noel. There are also some great tracks on Celine Dion’sThese Are The Special Times that are nostalgic to Christmas when I was a teen. To mix it up a bit, I decided to check out new releases from both Kelly Clarkson and Mary J. Blige. I have to say, I think Mary’s new holiday album, A Mary Christmas, will make it into rotation for years to come! And Kelly Clarkson’s Wrapped in Red has solid tracks…

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6Oct2014

Mixtape Monday: SF Bound

Posted in Music, Series by C.

Hi guys! I’m likely fighting my way through LAX to make my flight as you read this. It’s always such a “to-do” to fly these days. Is my carry-on packed right? Is my bag under 30 pounds? Are my liquids less than 3 ounces? Will my checked luggage arrive safely? Do I have everything? Oh, and don’t forget to wear slip-ons….airports just love making you take your shoes off.

As such, I need a new playlist to rock out to during my work trip to San Francisco. Here’s a random mishmash of tunes that should make the trip all the more delightful. Jam along if you’d like.

Now off to the fun part – filming! Have a great week!

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*Image courtesy of Flickr used under CC BY / modification: text added to original

7Jul2014

Mixtape Monday: Summer Playlist

Posted in Music, Series by C.

I hope you all had a fun-filled, food-filled, relaxing holiday weekend!

As it’s officially summer (and Monday), a new mixtape is clearly in order. I’ve spent the last few weeks thinking about the ultimate summer playlist – songs old and new, upbeat and chill, that celebrate the season; that simply make you want to turn up the music as loud as your speakers (and ears) can handle, roll down your windows, and sing at the top of your lungs as you cruise down the 405 on a hot summer day.

You know the drill if you want to jam along with me: Log-in to Spotify, hit play and enjoy the sounds of summer with my most recent playlist.

It’s one that I’ll have on repeat all summer long.

Enjoy! xx

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21Apr2014

Mixtape Monday

Posted in Music by C.

Though she’s been on the scene for a few years now, I recently spent an entire day finally getting acquainted with Lana Del Rey. Last Friday, when I was in a particularly “off” mood, her ethereal voice seemed to be one of the few things that spoke to me. It’s unique, haunting, powerful, and beyond the cliché description of beautiful. I spent several hours drowning into her music. I couldn’t exactly say if her voice was pulling me out of my funk-like state, or pushed me further into it in such a way that simply made it okay to be a little “off.”

What I can commit to saying, was that in exploring her music, I felt more at ease despite the myriad of things that were bugging that day. In effect, what I love about her voice is its ability to calm, providing a place to literally zone out, and just breathe.

And so, we find ourselves visited by that illustrious thing we call “Monday.”

I’m a believer that making the transition back into the routine of the week always helps with good music. I’ve curated a short playlist of those songs that gave me chills in such a way that helped create that much-needed breathing space I needed recently.

So log in to your Spotify account, hit play, sit back and get to work on those Monday to-do lists and emails with a little Lana Del Rey in background perfect for vibin’ out and working through those infamous Monday blues if they’ve happened to pay you a visit. It’s what I’m likely doing myself as you read this.

Have a great week. Enjoy!

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24Feb2014

Mixtape Monday

Posted in Music by C.

Music has always been a big part of my life and since discovering Pandora over 6 years ago, it’s completely introduced me to new, and subsequently changed my taste in, music.

Fun fact: I’m almost always listening to music when I’m blogging. It’s also almost always on when I’m at the office and don’t even get me started when I’m alone in my car with the moon roof open on a sunny LA day with my caffeine fix in the drink holder. I do hope my hearing makes it to old age.

It’s Monday and while I know it deserves the same amount as respect as Friday, it’s on record that it’s not my favorite day of the week. Making the transition back into the routine of the work week always helps with a good playlist. I’ve curated a new one with tunes that I have been rocking out to lately, making blogging for ATG all the more fun.

So log in to your Spotify account, hit play, sit back and get to work on those Monday to-do lists and emails with this mix in the background perfect for vibin’ out – killing those nasty Monday blues.

Then again, as Ricky Gervais once so eloquently said, “Mondays are fine. It’s your life that sucks.”

Enjoy boys and girls!

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9Dec2013

Mixtape Monday: Holiday Hits

Posted in Holidays, Music by C.

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It’s official. Some light holiday decorating and a weekend filled with watching some of my favorite holiday movies and it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! I thought it would be fun to curate a list of some of my favorite Christmas songs – old and those that are destined to be new favorites. My two “go-to” Christmas CD’s have always been Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas and Josh Groban’s Noel. There are also some great tracks on Celine Dion’s These Are The Special Times that are nostalgic to Christmas when I was a teen. To mix it up a bit, I decided to check out new releases from both Kelly Clarkson and Mary J. Blige. I have to say, I think Mary’s new holiday album, A Mary Christmas, will make it into rotation for years to come! And Kelly Clarkson’s Wrapped in Red has solid tracks that capture festivity in a fresh way.

So let’s tame some of those chilly Monday Blues with a cup of hot cocoa and my Holiday Hits playlist. Just go ahead and log in to your Spotify account, hit play, sit back and relax, or get to work on those emails with this mix in the background perfect for bringing some holiday cheer!

*If you like the mixtape feel free to subscribe to it on Spotify:

All That Glitters Mixtape Monday: 12.09.2013

4Sep2013

The Big Picture: A Night at the Oscars

Posted in Explore, Film, Fun, Music by C.

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{A super excited selfie on the way to the Bowl!}

It doesn’t feel like an authentic L.A. summer until there’s a trip to the Hollywood Bowl. Not only is it a quintessential experience when living in the City of Angels, it also happens to be my favorite place in L.A. if I had to pick one.

This past Labor Day weekend found me right where I wanted to be: with my guy, a small picnic dinner, and seat at the Bowl ready for a night of movie music under the stars. The Big Picture: A Night at the Oscars was an enchanting extravaganza celebrating music from Academy Award winning films that magically echoed through the warm September night. Conductor David Newman and the immensely talented Hollywood Bowl Orchestra recreated soundtracks to some of Tinseltown’s most renowned stories masterfully playing the score over live picture projected on their new state of the art LCD screens. As clips from famous films such as To Kill A Mockingbird (1962), The Artist (2011), An American in Paris (1951), and The Wizard of Oz (1939) played on the large screens, I almost forgot that the accompanying live music was even happening! The synchronicity and the crisp, booming sound were so solidly fused with the visuals, you felt like you were just watching a movie as you would any other time.

What was particularly special about this night was the eclectic mix of films and genres the program chose to highlight. Instead of the very obvious choices you might expect on a night like this, films such as Bullitt (1968), Up (2009), and You Only Live Once (1937) were saluted. In fact, I admired that they didn’t focus merely on films that won the coveted Best Picture award, but films that won accolades from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in a variety of areas from film editing, to acting, to screenwriting.

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{Making our way up to the cheap seats…yet again.}

Unlike this time last year with an engaging Jason Alexander as host – there was a weakness in the show with this year’s selection. Mary McDonnell (the President’s wife who dies in Independence Day) was an odd choice. She was ever so gracious, but clearly reading from a teleprompter and just didn’t have that natural relaxed spirit you’d expect in hosting duties on a night like this. I’m not one to be too harsh in this situation, I can only imagine what it’s like getting on stage in front of an 18,000 seat amphitheater, but I was often taken out the evening festivities when she was on stage. She just wasn’t the right person for the gig unfortunately. This would be my biggest criticism of the evening (outside of some obnoxiously loud people behind us.)

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Otherwise, the night was another huge success. This time I went homemade with a ham and cheese sandwich (sometimes a girl just needs one), good conversation, lots of people watching (you couldn’t ask for a better place to do this!), and a night dedicated to two of my greatest loves: movies and music.

If I’m still carrying anything with me as I write this, the evening inspired me to check out films that I haven’t ever seen before or want to watch again. I see a night curled up on the couch with The Wizard of Oz and some popcorn in my near future.

The Hollywood Bowl is located at 2301 North Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Their summer season ends this month.

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24Jul2013

What I’m Lovin’ Right Now

Posted in Fashion, Music by C.

Last week, I was driving down Ventura Boulevard ~~blasting~~ responsibly listening to Daft Punk’s recent release, Random Access Memories, when suddenly my eye was drawn to the person in the car to my immediate right. She was bouncing around uncontrollably, shouting in the driver’s seat. When I realized she was okay and wasn’t suffering from a seizure, a huge smile swept across my face. This lady was hardcore rockin’ out in her car. Is that what I look like when I’m alone in my car with the music ~~blasting~~ at an appropriate driving level, totally lost in that jammin’ feeling?

I’m a HUGE fan of the right tunes always around you in life, but especially when on the road. I highly recommend it as the best way to deal with the oh-so-awesome LA traffic, or to quickly bounce back after that a-hole cut you off on the 405. It seems with the right music anything that’s wrong in the world is instantly right…at least for those 4 minutes.

The best part of my little story while driving along Ventura Blvd. last week? When we finally hit a red light, I turned down my music dying to know what this lady was rockin’ out so hard to. It was Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories. She was two tracks ahead of me.

here’s what i’m lovin’ right now

1. Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories.

2. Chunky side french braid for an instant good summer hair day.

3. White tulips poised in a clear square vase.

4. H&M Sandals.

5. Mango Drop Waist Swallow Print Dress.

6. Essie Nail polish in Smokin’ Hot.

7. House of Harlow 1960 Medallion Locket Pendant Necklace.

8. Michael Kors Berkeley Clutch.

9. Someecards.com’s No Issues Today.

10. Baked Bree’s Baked Chicken Tacos.

10Jun2013

Mixtape Monday

Posted in Music by C.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Monday’s are not my favorite. In fact, I quite dislike them for the first few hours of the day when transitioning back into the routine of the work week, but realize nonetheless that gratitude (oh say, for employment) should be the foremost emotion. Since these days are equally inevitable and important regardless of my slight disdain, nothing cures the Monday morning blues like good tunes (and an iced latte in hand) to start the day.

This past weekend, my iPod did me the absolute delight of shuffling to a song that I used to play incessantly, but hadn’t heard in quite some time. I instantly got excited, played it on loop at least 5 times more, and then got to thinking about Mondays and music – and wanted to spread the love.

There are those songs that you hear that you never get tired of and can listen to all day long with the same excitement as if it were the first time you heard it. I’ve curated a short playlist of some of those songs that give me that feeling every. single. time. Some of you that follow my mixtapes might have heard a few of these before.

So log in to your Spotify account, hit play, sit back and relax, or get to work on those emails with this mix in the background perfect for vibin’ out on this beautiful Monday.

And please, feel free to leave me a comment on that one song that every time you hear it, it’s like hearing it for the first time.

I’ve got my music, so I’m off to my favorite spot to grab that iced latte. Cheers to a great week!

Enjoy! xx

If you like what you’re hearing, please feel free to subscribe to this playlist here:

All That Glitters Mixtape Monday – 06.10.2013

26Apr2013

Highlights

Posted in Cocktails, Dinner, Explore, Film, Fun, Home Decor, Music, Treats by C.

1-IMG_20130421_195717_856 {An early birthday present.}

It has definitely been a more lively week than usual on my end. I’m trying to wrap up some loose ends at work before I take a much needed vacay the first week in May. The good news is that while it’s been busy, I always sort of revel in the challenge in the end. Somehow getting the things you need to get done are all the sweeter when you realize that if you just do it and push through, you can do anything. You just have to take the first step, then the next.

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Outside the office, I had a happy week. I met a friend at one of my favorite places to splurge every blue moon, Rock Sugar in Century City for dinner to kick-off my weekend last Friday night. While it was a fantastic Pan Asian feast, I think in the future I’ll skip dinner and head there for their delicious Lychee Blossom cocktail and their AMAZING warm coconut donuts served with a passion fruit dipping sauce. Yes, it is as good as it sounds and looks. Go!

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When thinking about small pleasures this week, a trip to the Hollywood Farmer’s Market on a sunny Sunday morning, then sitting on the Manhattan Beach Pier with my boyfriend gazing out at the ocean with an ice cream cone on that same afternoon come to mind and make me smile. And every time I head home, I smile even bigger when I see my new artwork hanging on my wall (pictured above). A few months back, I was with my boyfriend admiring it (because, hey – it’s “me” in a ball-gown and chic haircut starting out my window at the Hollywood Sign :)) and as an early birthday present he surprised me with it. What a guy, huh?

I’m not sure where this weekend will take me, but I know that I’ll be at the ArcLight opening night for the highly anticipated new film, Mud. Since this gorgeous weather is expected to continue over the next few days, the plan is to find some time to be outdoors (rocking my new maxi dress). And the soundtrack of my life lately that will certainly continue into the weekend has been the soundtrack from Celeste & Jesse Forever. I can’t. stop. listening to it.

Have an amazing final April weekend, guys! Things only get better from here! xx