The First Monday in May

Once again, last night was the First Monday in May and one of the best nights in fashion, the Met Gala. While l wasn’t as wowed by as many of the outfits this year, there were a few that stood out that I keep going back to - what did you think?

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Netflix & Chill {Part IX}

In honor of the 5 year anniversary of the pandemic and sharing my fave shows that got us through, here are some new ones to add to the never ending list of great television and my favorite way to escape the insanity of this life.  Enjoy!

Somebody Somewhere - This is up there with one of my favorite shows of all time {and C's too!}.  Set in Kansas, this sweet, heartwarming, and hilarious show ended way too soon after only 3 seasons. 

Landman - I was so excited the first time I saw a trailer for this Taylor Sheridan show and from the very first episode it did not disappoint.  Billy Bob and the rest of the cast are exceptional in this oil company drama and I cannot wait for season 2.

Hacks - A superbly written comedy that gets better and better as the seasons go by. I can’t wait for the next season and the ever-changing dynamic between the two main characters. 

 

Lioness - Maybe my favorite from the Taylor Sheridan universe, I love the story of a special CIA division run by women - it's intense and dramatic and the characters are superb {there are even some Sheridan cameos which are pretty funny}.

Nobody Wants This - I thought I would be watching this one solo but C and I were both hooked from the first episode.  A tug-at-your-millennial-heartstrings comedy, this show gets everything right from the eccentric characters to the chic homes and the cool-girl fashion.  So glad this one is coming back.

Emily In Paris - Is there anything happier than Emily in Paris?  It's been a staple since the start of the pandemic and just keeps getting better and better.  I love the unrealistic stories, the fabulous fashion, and the even more fabulous characters.  Escapism at it's finest - I hope it never ends.

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Oscar Fashion

Did you watch the Oscars last night? I only saw a few movies this year {but can’t wait to see more in the next few weeks as they come to streaming!} but of course watched the show to see the fashion. There weren’t a lot that stood out to me, but the ones that did were pretty spectacular. Which were your faves?

Halle Berry

Emma Stone

Ariana Grande

Coleman Domingo

Selena Gomez

Ana De Armas

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Happy New Year!

Good riddance to 2024 and HELLO 2025!! While I’m spending the first few days of the year on the couch with a yucky cold, I’m choosing to believe that this year has to be better than the last. 2024 was so tough for us - losing too many loved ones, dealing with several rough health issues, and feeling like time was just wasting away - this year I’m hoping for more joy, lightness, and lots of good vibes heading our way.  It is always a good time to reflect and set goals for the upcoming year so in no particular order, here are a few goals, intentions, resolutions - whatever you'd like to call them - that I'm setting for the year to make sure it's better than the last:

• Go on a date night out at least once a month
• Read 25 books in 2025 
• Try more new recipes & mocktails
• Explore more of Seattle and the surrounding areas on the weekends
• Try not to let work stress me out as much
• Go for walks almost every day
• Plan a vacation

Basically, I want to continue building healthy habits, care less about the things that don't really matter, and spend more quality time with my honey - sounds pretty doable, eh?  I want to keep it simple and make 2025 a year where I laugh more than I cry, surround myself with people and places that make me happy, and be the best me I can be.  

Cheers to a happier, lighter, and healthier 2025!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Thankful

Not to be too dramatic, but 2024 has been one of my hardest years yet {anyone else?}.  While it's easy to get into a funk and think of all the terrible and sad things that have happened this year, I'm trying to get into the spirit of Thanksgiving and think of all of the things that I am instead grateful for including yoga, cups of tea before bed, the NYT games app, friends that check in, trips to the desert, therapy, my patient and supportive husband, fantasy football wins, neighborhood pups, modern medicine, an amazing family, The Real Housewives of anywhere, moving my body, books, date nights, acupuncture, after work walks, burritos, and snuggles, but the thing I'm continually grateful for is the health and happiness of my friends and family - we really are the luckiest to have each other.

Cheers to a yummy, long, and relaxing holiday weekend!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Netflix & Chill {Part VIII}

It's been awhile since I've shared some of our favorite shows to watch, but with cozy time coming and lots of good shows renewing, I thought it was time to share a few that we've really been into lately.  Have you seen these?  Which are your faves?

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - a weekly dissection on current events and a deep dive into relevant issues {recent episodes have included the Supreme Court and school lunch programs}, Oliver combines fast paced dialogue with British wit and keeps me informed and laughing {or crying} every week.  

The Lincoln Lawyer - I love this show about a hotshot LA lawyer and the cases he takes on and am so excited another season just came out on Netflix.

The Perfect Couple - a whodunnit mystery set in Nantucket has you guessing until the very end - the cast is great and the setting makes me want to take a trip out east.

Master of None - we're rewatching this funny comedy with great characters {hello Arnold}, beautiful settings {I can't wait to rewatch season 2 in Italy}, and lots and lots of food.

Bad Monkey - a detective show set in Florida and the Bahamas, I love the fast talking Vince Vaughn and the fun storyline that keeps you guessing and thoroughly entertained.  Hoping for a Season 2!

Shrinking - I'm so excited season 2 has finally started for this funny, beautiful, and sometimes heartbreaking comedy about mental health, family, and friendship.

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Summer To Do

I can't believe next week is July {where does the time go?!} We've already passed the official longest day of the year so it's time to make that all important Summer To Do List to make sure we savor every second of the season - we all know it goes by way too fast.  I anticipate a much more chill summer than last year and hoping it won't be too hard to cross a few of these things off of my list!

1. Eat dinner on the roof

2. Play tennis

3. Spend the day on Bainbridge Island

4. Cheer on the Mariners 

5. Make homemade ice cream

6. Enjoy more picnics

7. Rooftop yoga

8. Wake up early for a weekend hike

9. Drink spritzes on the rooftop

10. Rent kayaks

11. Eat lots of pan con tomate

12. Go on more dates with friends

13. Burgers at the bar at Canlis

14. Enjoy spontaneous date nights with my honey

15. Celebrate the big 4-0 in style :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Netflix & Chill {Part VII}

It's once again been a year since I shared with you the latest and greatest shows that we've been sucked into lately.  While the weather is {hopefully} getting warmer and the days longer, we can still find an excuse to cozy up on the couch and settle in with a good show.  I'm always on the hunt for something new, but here are a few we've loved over the past year {and luckily a few of them are coming back for more!}.

Billions - a fast paced look at the world of billionaires and finance.  It gets a bit repetitive and some of the characters are a little much, but I'd take a hundred more episodes of Chuck and Charles Rhoades {and Wags} anyday.  Also to note - a solid 7 seasons to really get into.

Formula 1: Drive to Survive - I was skeptical about watching a show about car racing {?}, but after the 1st season I felt heavily invested in all things F1.  Though my faves have changed over the seasons, I'm a Hamilton fan at heart {and a Gunther stan forever}.

The Morning Show - an exciting look behind the scenes of tv news with complex characters, relevant storylines, and season after season it just keeps getting better.

Slow Horses - probably my favorite of the bunch, do not sleep on this British crime drama that is suspenseful, witty, and full of twists and turns.  I love that each season ends with a preview for the next and I'm eagerly awaiting season 4.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith - we just finished this show and while it's not like the movie in many ways {until maybe the last episode}, it has wonderfully realistic dialogue, action packed adventures, and a cliff-hanger of an ending that makes me hopeful for another season.

Ted Lasso - yes, we watched this awhile ago and yes, it still makes me so happy.  The characters, the storyline, the message - everything about Ted Lasso makes me want to watch it over and over again curled up with a cup of tea and a cozy blanket.  A classic for sure.

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Oscar Fashion

There weren't a lot of surprises at the Oscars this year {and now I'm dying to see Poor Things}, but per usual, the red carpet was full of just about everything! Here are a few of my faves from the evening - pretty basic, but still gorgeous.

America Ferrera

Carey Mulligan

Catherine O'Hara

Emma Stone

Greta Lee

Jamie Lee Curtis

Kirsten Dunst

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Oscar Weekend

This year I've seen 5 of the 10 Oscar Best Picture nominees and for the most part I'm really loving them {we really want to watch Killers of the Flower Moon this weekend, but at 3.5 hours it's a commitment!}.  While they say Oppenheimer is a guarantee to take home the big prize, you can't go wrong watching any of these films which include some amazing performances and wonderful stories.  

Barbie was the first film of the bunch we saw and I absolutely see where all the summer hype came from.  While it may look frilly and fun from the outside {which parts of it definitely are!} it is such a poignant and important social commentary that everyone needs to see.  10/10.

Be warned - Oppenheimer is 3 hours long and the timeline jumps around throughout the entire thing.  Once you know that, sit back and enjoy this true story of the creation of the atomic bomb and the internal struggles associated with creating something so destructive.  Amazing performances and a truly gripping story, we've been waiting to watch this one since we were in New Mexico and told about the filming of it there.

I say that we are in our Paul Giamatti era since we're deep into watching Billions, and The Holdovers made me love this actor even more {if possible}.  The story of a grumpy teacher, a lonely student, and a grieving cook forced to spend the holiday break together is full of funny adventures and heart wrenching bonds and is absolutely one of my favorite movies of the year.

I watched Maestro on the plane the other week and was in awe of the natural dialogue and chemistry between Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan in this story about the great conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia.  A beautiful story that spans a lifetime, I liked this telling of their story a lot more than I thought I would.

Past Lives is a quiet, thoughtful film about love, destiny, and timing and I absolutely loved the themes and questions this story brought up.  Greta Lee is wonderful as Nora, a South Korean immigrant who is reunited with her childhood love after 20+ years and the emotions, connections, and even silences are beautiful to watch.

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  Not sure how it's already 2024 - this year just flew by.  2023 was an exciting one filled with all things wedding and Italy and now I'm ready to slow down and enjoy married life with my honey.  I always love to reflect this time of year on goals, intentions, and resolutions for the upcoming year and this year I keep coming back to not wanting to change a lot.  Sure there are little things here and there that I could do better {less alcohol during the week, more workouts on the weekends, less screentime and more books} but all in all, I feel like I'm doing a pretty good job on the goals and intentions from previous years.  I'm waking up before work almost every single morning to get my workout in before the sun rises {and occasionally getting out to yoga or barre classes in an actual studio again - hooray!}, I'm meal planning and cooking pretty healthy and nutritious meals at home, I'm going for walks after work most days to signify a break between work time and non-work time, and I'm trying to keep things tidy and decluttered as much as possible in order to keep my mind that way as well {though this is the one I probably struggle with the most!}.  These are things I want to continue doing and building on, and while there are certainly goals for the upcoming year {prioritizing financial wellness to set us up for the future is a big one} I feel pretty confident and content where I am going into 2024.  There are some big changes coming this year {namely a new decade for me - oh boy} and I think the foundation I've set with the routines and intentions above will set me up to embrace these changes and tackle whatever may come my way this year.  Cheers to a healthy and happy 2024 - we all deserve some peace and happiness this year :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie