These are...

a few of my favorite things.

I figured I would give you all a little insight into some of my favorite movies, gadgets and foods at the moment. It's sort of like an episode of Oprah's favorite things, only I won't be giving you anything for free. But, you can still check these items out and then perhaps maybe you will love them as well.

• Over the years, I have expressed my frustrations with how hard it is to find a decent, leak proof travel mug that keeps my coffee hot. I have bought several (some expensive, some not), all with the hopes that THIS will be the best mug ever, only to find that it is yet, another disappointment. Well, friends, believe me when I say that THIS travel mug is THE best mug you will ever, ever, ever buy. Carrie bought it for me back in June, and it may very well be one of the best presents I have ever received. I love it so much that I bought Dawn one for her Birthday this year. It literally (LITERALLY) keeps your coffee hot for hours. Hours! And I mean hot, hot. Not just lukewarm. It's easy to clean and it has never, ever leaked. It is, what I like to call, "The Magic Mug". They sell it on Amazon, or you can purchase it at Meijer or Target. It's about $25.00, which is a little pricey for a coffee cup, but you will never need to buy another one. I promise. Promise. 

 

•  I love cups. Can you tell? Almost every store you go into is selling these plastic tumblers (like the one on the side, there). My mom bought me one that has cupcakes all over it and I love it a lot. I use it at work every single day and when we went to Disney World, they were in all the stores there. They are convenient and fun and good for the environment (I suppose?), so hooray!

•  I make tacos for dinner A LOT. That little red circle there, is a tortilla warmer. My parents bought me this contraption that resembles an oven mit, when they were vacationing in Arizona last Spring. It's AWESOME. You stick a few tortillas in it and heat it up in the microwave for about a minute (depending on how many tortillas you have) and they stay hot for at least 45 minutes. The very first time I used it, I couldn't stop raving about how amazing I thought it was. Seriously. I went on and on about it.

• I have been addicted to ice tea these last few months (the drink, not the rapper/actor). I usually make my own with the Mr. Coffee Ice Tea Maker that Jeff and I received years ago at our housewarming party. It makes really great tea, really fast and it only costs around $20.00!

• Last week, I was introduced to Nutter Butter's. Yeah, I know this delicious cookie has been around for years and years, but I recently discovered it whilst searching for an afternoon snack at work and have been addicted ever since. No, this is not a healthy treat, but really, does that matter?

• A few years ago, after watching an infomercial, my sister bought me The In-Styler for my birthday. It can curl your hair or straighten it, depending on how your feeling that day. I use it to curl my hair but don't even bother with the straightening aspect of it, since I have a flat iron. It's pretty pricey, but it works well if you have the patience to use it and don't mind the sound of a chain saw in your ear. Yeah, it's really loud but it makes your hair look pretty! (I believe they sell this at Target now too).

•  The movie, Waitress. It came out in 2007 and I have loved it ever since. It stars Keri Russell as Jenna, a waitress at a small town diner, who is in an unhappy marriage and Nathan Fillion as the new doctor in town. Being that she is already in a miserable marriage, Jenna is completely disappointed to find out that she is pregnant with her husband's (played by Jeremy Sisto) baby. When she meets Fillion's character at her first prenatal appointment, her life changes for the better. On the surface, the movie sounds pretty typical but it is one of the most charming movies I have ever seen. Keri Russell's character narrates throughout the film, and she is witty and frustrated and I love it. She loves to bake and is constantly coming up with new ideas for pie's and explains them in a really funny way. Honestly, this description doesn't do it justice, just trust me and check it out. It's sweet and cute and Nathan Fillion is in it. That's all you really need to know.

•  It may be too soon to say that I love the new show Pan Am (ABC, Sundays @ 10pm), but so far, I certainly like it a lot. It takes place in 1963 and focuses on the stewardesses of  (duh) Pan Am airlines. I like the way the show has presented itself with Lost style flashbacks, explaining where the characters were at in their lives 6 months earlier. I really like the 1960's feel to it, as well as the clothing, cars and just the general atmosphere. Throw in a little bit of espionage, and you have me hooked for the time being. Who's to say if this show will last, but for now, I will keep watching.

• The website The Berry. Dawn introduced me to this site a few weeks ago when I was real bored at work. All it is, is a collection of pictures in various different categories from food, to celebrities, to every day things that we all love. It is the perfect time waster to brighten up your day and make you smile. Also, they seem to have a love for Rupert Grint/Ron Weasley and that would make anyone a winner in my book. 

• A miscellaneous tidbit: I recently finished Stieg Larsson's The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest. It was pretty okay. I realize that that isn't a glowing compliment but it was decent enough. Those books are really hard to read sometimes because of all the Swedish lingo and whatnot and the last two books are told from about 47 billion different people's perspective. That's sort of an exaggeration... but that's what it feels like as you are reading it. It did tie up the series really well, I just felt like there was a ton of insignificant stuff/info thrown in along the way. So, do I recommend it? Sure, if you have a lot of patience and like a twisty, turny story told from various points of view, go pick it up!