Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Top 9 Movies to Watch When You're Sick


I've been a carrier of a nasty case of a cold for a good week, and I can honestly tell you I haven't done anything productive with my time. I'm sure everyone has been ill at one point and fell victim to the terrible, lazy feelings that come along with a cough and sore throat. These feelings and Winter Break combine to form the worst pair ever for a girl who hates to do nothing. I have been theoretically shackled to my couch because whenever I stand up I feel quite dizzy, and whenever I don't feel dizzy I don't feel like standing up
To sum all that up, I've coughed, sneezed, and wallowed in self-pity on my couch while I wasted away my vacation from school. But there is one thing I have neglected to tell you about my week of misery: I have watched more movies that I can count. I've been averaging a solid 5 movies a day, I believe. You may think that sounds extremely pathetic, but what else is one supposed to do when you can't even manage to finish a load of laundry without coughing on all of the clean clothes?

After watching thousands of minutes worth of movies, I feel confident calling myself an expert on the sick-day movie subject. Some of the films I have watched this past week have made me feel close to healthy, while others made my runny-nose worsen. NOTE: DO NOT watch The Fault In Our Stars when you're sick unless you like not being able to breath! 

So, if you are under the weather as well, or you just want to watch a feel-good movie, keep on reading for some expert film advice. 



9. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Even if you are not sick, this a great movie. The only reason it's not higher up on the list is because it's a tear-jerker, which is quite hard to handle when ill.



8. The Hunger Games

Watching a movie where children and maliciously murder each other certainly puts your sniffles in perspective. Plus, you can prepare yourself to see Mockingjay!



7. The Devil Wears Prada

This film combines two of the things I love in this world: fashion and writing. And Emily in the movie is so sick she can't go to Paris Fashion Week. Aren't you glad that's not you?! 



6. The Hobbit

This series is actually one of my favorites EVER. Bilbo is adorableeee. Great to distract you from your sore throat!



5. Frozen

I know, I know, cliche. But how could you NOT love Olaf? He's so cheerful it makes you cheerful!



4. The Polar Express

Since Christmas is just around the corner, I obviously watched a fair few holiday movies while basically dying on the couch. The Polar Express is one of my favorites which I actually own on DVD.... another good one to watch would be Elf! Holiday cheer betters everything!



3. Tangled

THIS MOVIE JUST MAKES MY HEART HAPPY. I felt 10x better after watching this lighthearted Disney film. 



2. Stick It

I'm not really sure how well known this movie is, but it's the best! This is basically the only "grown up" movie in this post, but it deserves the spot.  Humor, and gymnasts doing things you only wish you could do? Perfection!



1. Harry Potter... duh. 

Just the name "Harry Potter" makes me forget almost completely about my cold. Enough said.



Before I leave you lovely people, I just want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in case I don't manage a post before Thursday.  I'll be spending time with family and thoroughly enjoying the holiday season! Au Revoir et Joyeux Noel! 


Emily xx


Sunday, November 23, 2014

A Typewriter's Advice







Oh my, it's been a while, hasn't it? I absolutely detest not actively posting and commenting, but school hoards every moment of mine. As soon as I get home I am obligated to hunker down with homework. I hardly ever have a free moment in which I can actually do things on the laptop that don't involve chemistry or civil wars. 

The fact that this is only my second post in the whole of November makes me feel terribly unsuccessful and not proud in the slightest. Not interacting with my internet friends makes me feel internet lonely... is that a thing? 

I wrote this piece regarding loneliness for a school assignment where we had to review a dictionary definition, but I feel like it fits perfectly with my blogging predicament. I feel so empty when I come onto my blog and look at how inactive I've been, which is odd because I am not lonely in real life. It only shows it's face when I come online. 

I tried to encourage myself in this piece, and even though I still am not 100% happy with my blog at the moment, I at least have some motivation to change it. Here's hoping I'll post more soon x


On a side note I did type this on my typewriter- that's why there are mistakes I crossed out! Typewriters are wondrous tools, but they are not the best for people who rely so heavily on spell-check!  :)


Flairwell xx

Monday, November 10, 2014

Velvet & Snow





November has arrived, and I am ecstatic. Not only does November bring my birthday, it also brings the cold, brisk air of winter. Winter surpasses all other seasons in my mind; there is something about sitting in front of the fire, mindlessly stroking a cat and typity-typing on my laptop that theoretically makes me dance with joy in the drifts of snow. Winter also instills a particularly strong string of motivation in me, and my grades, blogging and fashion effort drastically increase as the temperatures decrease. (Yes, hopefully there will be more blog posts- I've frankly just been lazy!)

My increased motivation was reflected in my outfit today. I saw in the paper that snow was forecasted for this afternoon, and the winter joy put an extra bounce into my morning routine.

This lovely skirt which I wore is from Forever 21 and is entirely velvet. Snow and velvet just go together in my mind (perhaps it was the velvet Christmas sweaters I was forced to wear as a child) so I saw it fit to wear this lovely plum colored skirt. The beautiful spirals and swivels integrated into the crushed velvet add an extra layer of festivity to the overall appearance. Plum is also a very winter color, so I find that this skirt paired with some black tights and flats makes for the perfect holiday outfit. 
I also added on this cozy, army green jacket out of necessity. The fur hood and double-lined sleeves make it perfect for power-walking from the bus to the school doors. No matter how cozy and warm the jacket, I can't tell you how relived I was to be home, sipping on tea while relaxing on the recliner x


Friday, October 24, 2014

Fall Fanatic




Oh, how I love a good fall post. There's something about reflecting on all the wonderful things the season brings that makes my heart flutter. The crunchy leaves, the crisp breeze... I just adore everything fall. 
In an effort to cheer myself up on this lazy Friday, I am going to combine two things I love: lists and fall. 



MARVELOUS THINGS ABOUT FALL

1. Cats gettin' all cuddly.
2. Lighting up our wood burning fireplace.
3. Crocheting and knitting and other old lady things
4. Drinking hot liquids
5. Crunchy, colorful leaves (obviously)
6. Wearing onesies
7. Breaking out scarves and hats
8. Being able to wear big sweaters without getting heatstroke
9. The lighting (yes, as in the way the sun shines down)
10. Halloween
11. Rototilling the garden
12. Picking pumpkins
13. Eating pumpkin flavored things (and cinnamon...yum)
14. Watching films
15. Raking leaves and jumping into them like a kid
16. Hanging up Christmas lights far to early
17. Evenings getting darker faster
18. The smell in the air
19. Baking bread and muffins more often
20. And most of all, the fact that winter is next. 


Flairwell!
x

Sunday, October 12, 2014

One Last Summer Hurrah






To begin, I would like to apologize for the severe lack of posts the past month or two. School has sucked me into it's monotonous trap and I haven't been able to break free. As I'm writing this I am actually supposed to be typing up 2 essays on Lord of the Flies, but honestly, which is more important? (Kidding, obviously.)

I've noticed that the damper school puts on my mood is blatantly reflected in my wardrobe. During the summer my outfits are bursting with color and pattern, but the last few months I have been resorting to greys, maroons and blacks. While the change of weather also impacts what I wear, I blame the most of it on school (mostly because I want another reason to hate it). The other day I pulled this pastel blue skirt out from the bottom of my wardrobe and strutted my way through the crunchy leaves; my own little form of rebellion against the conforming way of school and the dreariness of winter.

Skirt: Plato's Closet... originally Brandy Mel
Crop Top: Forever 21
Sweater: Target
Necklace: Forever 21

Flairwell!
x

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

If You Ever Want To Look Like An Elf


Bonjour. Aloha. Mae Govannen.

The other day I broke a little bit out of my comfort zone in terms of hair. Normally I wear my locks down and wavy. Nothing special. Nothing memorable. Nothing that anybody would care to see me make a blog post about. 

However, after watching (and falling in love with) The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit I decided to create a simplified version of an elf-esque hairstyle. Who doesn't want to look like Tauril?

For those uncultured people who have never seen The Lord of the Rings and can only picture Santa's Helpers when I say elves, let me open your mind to the beauty of Middle Earth. Elves in Tolkien's world are tall, beautiful and ageless. Their hair tends to cascade past their narrow hips and is often braided up into intricate spirals. Again, who doesn't want that?

Obviously, seeing as I am only 5'4 and my hair just brushes my elbows, I can't create a look exactly like an elf. I also don't have the capability; my hair expertise stops at french braids. But I tried, and this is how it went.

Basically, I pulled back my hair from both sides and french braided each side until I reached the back of my head. I tied both braids together with a clear elastic and set off to fight some Orcs (or went to school...same thing)! If you wanted to add a little more elf-ness, you could braid the two braids into one once they meet at the back of your head. 
My sister actually said I had elf hair before I told her it was elf inspired, so I think it's a pretty good representation!

 Even if you could care less about The Lord of the Rings, I still recommend this hairstyle. It takes less than 5 minutes to do, and is effortlessly chic with just a little touch of boho! 


Flairwell! 
x

(p.s. if anybody wants to see more hair posts, let me know!) 






Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Beauty and The Brain

Lately I've been thinking about who I want to be. Do I want to be the girl who gets a plentiful nights sleep and studies for hours, or do I want to be the girl who wakes up at 5 to begin transforming herself from a mess to a model with the magic of makeup? I've come to the indecisive decision that I want to be both. Who says I can't be beautiful and brilliant?

Some of my all time inspirations include Emma Watson, Eleanor Calder and Zooey Deschanel. Coincidentally, all 3 of these incredible women are greatly educated and opinionated. They also have a killer sense of style. Emma, Eleanor and Zooey always remind me that I have every right to be thoughtful and clever while wearing designer clothes the whole time.



Emma Watson is my biggest role model. She simultaneously filmed 5 major motion pictures while working towards her degree at Brown University. She also recently spoke at a UN conference about what a feminist truly is, and how a woman should not be afraid to declare herself one. At both of these prestigious events, Emma was rocking a red lip. Talk about girl power.


Some people (One direction fans) might think having Eleanor Calder as one of my inspirations is a bit silly, but I have a completely valid reason for looking up to her. Eleanor is a completely independent woman, who graduated from the University of Manchester. She managed to go on tour with her boyfriend and study for finals simultaneously. Eleanor always looks perfectly chic, and rocks the minimalistic style even though her boyfriend could buy her a diamond bikini. 


Not only do I love Zooey Deschanel for her show New Girl, I love her for what she stands for. Zooey is another avid spokeswoman for feminism, which I really look up to. Zooey manages to do so much (music, film, television, HelloGiggles) while looking retro, cute and comfy. Zooey is definitely more of a style inspiration, but I really adore her personality, drive and opinions as well. 
(p.s. Emily Deschanel is pretty rockin' too) 

Flairwell!
x

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Mayan Ruins, Selfies and Snuba | Belize 2014

Welcome back to my Belize Travel Journal...thing.
If you want to check out the first few days you can click here!

The 4th day I spent in Belize was a bit boring compared to the others, but fun all the same! We visited Xunantunich Mayan Ruins (It took me the whole trip to learn how to say that... shoe-nan-too-nitch) which were quite spectacular. We then hopped on the bus and drove to Chaa Creek History Center where we got to learn loads about blue morpho butterflies and walk into a cage full of them. BLUEtiful! I think we visited a few schools on this day, but I'm not entirely sure. I'm not very good at interacting with children, so I didn't really enjoy the school trips. The kids did seem to enjoy us though! :)

Day 5 was our last day on the mainland of Belize and we spent it by visiting a baboon sanctuary. I don't know why they called it a baboon sanctuary seeing as all that was there was howler monkeys. Hm.
The lady who was our monkey guide so-to-speak was a character. In an effort to attract the monkeys to where we were she made grunting monkey noises, without any thought as to what a bunch of 13 years olds would think of it. 

Well there, I told you about everything we did on the mainland of Belize. Obviously I left things out, like souvenir shopping, water stops at local grocery stores, what the money there was like, and hotel free time, but you get the jist. 

Next we traveled via water taxi to Ambergris Caye (Ambergris means whale vomit f.y.i.). The water taxi was probably one of the worst things I have ever experienced. First off, the ride from Belize to the island was 2 and a half hours. The boat we were on was not made for such a long journey; we were all jammed in the undercarriage of the boat, no fresh air was capable of getting in. There was at least 40 people on the boat, and there was only 27 life jackets. Terrible.

Although I prefered the jungle compared to Ambergris Caye, it was still a great time. We got the chance to Snuba and snorkel which I jumped on the chance to do. It was such a great experience to swim above the second largest coral reef in the world and look down at the millions of fish below you. I will never forget that in my life. (Before anyone asks, Snuba is essentially scuba diving, but you don't have an air regulator attached to your back- it floats about you on a raft.)
Out hotel was right on the beach, and if you walked down to the dock you could see a man of war jellyfish floating around... so glad I didn't go swimming there! There was also a family of seahorses that hung around the dock which were incredible. 
On the last day we rode the dreaded water taxi back to the mainland and started the long drive back to the airport. I am so glad I went on this trip, and it is definitely life changing. After I got home I went into a post-trip depression for a few days... that's how much I loved it there! All the people in Belize are so lovely and they treat everyone like family. I never encountered an unfriendly Belizian.

Flairwell!
x






Xunantunich







This place had unbeatable burritos!


Toucan


Blue Morpho



On of the teacher chaperones taking a selfie with some local school kids!


Yep. You read that right. Cashew wine. *cringe*


Howler Monkey


Pray time




Nesting Jabiru storks. A.k.a the largest flying bird in the world!





Ah. The wonderfully terrible underwater camera pictures.


Snuba


Saturday, September 20, 2014

Monkeys, Dogs, and Tricky Mennonites | Belize 2014

June of 2014 is home to one of the greatest experiences of my life. On June 2nd, about 5 days after freshman year ended, I packed up my bags to travel to Belize with a group of kids and teachers from my old middle school. I was a bit weary of being one of only 6 high-schoolers going, but I decided once I got to the airport that age didn't matter, seeing as everyone going was just as nervous as I was. It was the first time I had ever traveled alone, without my parents I mean, and the first time I had ever even left the county. The fact that I had to be at the airport at 2:45 a.m didn't help my mood; my mom got to deal with a grumpy, tired, nervous girl for 3 hours before my flight.
The travel group consisted of about 25 people, so it took us quite a while to get through customs. Security was also a bit of a mess, seeing as the metal detectors kept picking my metal in my collarbone and head...?  Mom, is there anything you need to tell me?! 

After the 6 hour flight was over and we landed in Belize City, saying I had culture shock would be a bit of an understatement. We left Denver in an air conditioner airport with bridges to get into the airplane and we arrived at a building no bigger than your local drug store, by getting out the plane through emergency exit steps. Not to mention the ground was covered in dead months bigger than my passport. *cringe* 
The first hotel we stayed at was Birds Eye View Lodge, and it was a cute little thing. We were right on the shore of a lake, and there was hermit crabs crawling around everywhere. To be honest, the first few nights were hell because I was terribly homesick and I was roomed with 2 girls who didn't like each other. I was quiet as could be for a few days, and didn't really feel like I fit in. Most of the kids there already knew each other and I only knew the teachers.
I did make some friends by the end of the trip, and I do regret my the gloominess I had the first few days. Who cares if you're alone, you're in a foreign country for goodness sakes! Make the most of it!

The first day we were in the country we went to the Lamanai Mayan Ruins, took a boat ride on the Belize New River, and drove by the Old Sugar Mill. The mayan ruins were beyond cool. Our tour guide, Roberto, knew basically everything there was to know about Belize, so it was very educational. There were lots of temple you could climb up, some being over 200 ft. tall I believe, and get a panoramic view of the area. The entire country only has 300,000 people in it, so the views you get are not of skyscrapers but miles and miles of rainforest. Stunning. 
The Belize New River tour was also spectacular- we actually got to the ruins by taking a boat. We were on the lookout for wildlife the whole time. 
One of Belize's primary exports in sugar/sugar cane, and we got to the factory just as they were bringing in the last few truckload of sugar cane stalks. 

The next day we left my least favorite hotel, Birds Eye View (I hated how cliquey everyone was there... why are you forming cliques?! You're in Belize.) and traveled in our charter bus to San Ignacio to stay at Windy Hill Resort. I don't actually remember this hotel all that well, but they probably hate stellar food. All the food is Belize was fantastic and different. I got to try ceviche and lots of other strange foods. My favorite was the homemade burritos, obviously.  
Day 3 consisted of visiting Peccary Hills National Park,  taking a jungle hike, cave tubing, and ziplining. This was probably my favorite day of the trip. I really enjoyed the jungle hike - I loved seeing all the unique plants and their uses. This hike was actually more of a survival hike, so our guide would show us edible and useful plants we could eat or use. It was unbelievable how much there was. 
Most people haven't ever heard of cave tubing, but if you ever get the chance to do it I strongly recommend it. Belize has lots of natural caves that have rivers running through them, and cave tubing is basically where you sit in a tube and go down the river through the cave. Your not allowed to get out of your tube, but it is very relaxing and the caves are full of beautiful formations.
Ziplining was such an experience. We got to go on a course that went all through the jungle and over rivers. I really want to do it again... so thrilling!

I'm going to end the post know because it is getting a bit long, but I'll post part two tomorrow! Check back to read the rest of my life changing adventure! 

Flairwell!
x



Bird's Eye View









'Jesus Christ' bird


Here's some local mennonites we saw on the way to Lamanai...


And on the way back! 




Mask Temple






High Temple. To get up, you had to hold onto the rope and basically scale the side!


Hot face I'm pullin'




Check out the names... ;)


Water vine


I wasn't allowed to take my camera cave tubing or ziplining... so here's a crappy picture of the sign! haha x