December/January Favorites
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Hey y’all! These are 5 things I’ve been loving for the last few months and thought you might enjoy.
THE WAY I HEARD IT
If you enjoyed Paul Harvey and “the rest of his story” then I think you would enjoy this podcast. Presented by Mike Rowe, famous from Dirty Jobs, this podcast covers warm and interesting stories that are cleverly told. I enjoy how many stories end with a surprising revelation. Each episode is also rather short so it’s perfect for listening to in the car or at lunch.
(ITunes, FREE)
LOREAL REVITALIFT BRIGHT REVEAL SCRUB CLEANSER
I decided recently that I should put more effort into the anti-aging portion of my skincare routine but being a teacher I have to do it on a budget. I’ve tried several brands and I really like this Loreal cleanser. I have several scrubbing cleansers but they typically contain sugar or larger particles to scrub which is fine for a deep exfoliating but feels rather rough on a day to day basis. Also, they typically don’t remove my makeup well. This cleanser takes my makeup off and provides a gentle scrub through the micro particles. My skin feels so smooth, fresh and ready for all of my other skincare accoutrements. I have no idea if it’s helping with the fine lines but I think it’s worth checking out.
(Amazon)
FLASHBACK CINEMA
This has become one of my new favorite things to do in town. Flashback Cinema teams up with theatres throughout the country to show old movies every Wednesday and Sunday. (The same movie plays Sunday and then Wednesday.) The movies shown vary from the 1930s through the 2000s which means there is something for everyone. As a lover of old Hollywood, it’s nice to see some of my favorite stars on the big screen for the first time. Currently, I’ve seen Easter Parade, American Graffiti, Grease and It’s a Wonderful Life. Sometimes there’s even an activity to coordinate with the movie. For example, our theatre had a antique car show along with the showing of American Graffiti. You can find the schedule of upcoming films on flashbackcinema.net.
(FLASHBACK CINEMA, VARIES)
HOT WATER BOTTLE
I live in an old house that isn’t always energy efficient and when you pair this with the fact that I hate when the heat makes the air stuffy, I have a real issue in the winter. Several years ago I purchased a hot water bottle and an old school ice pack, more because they are retro and cute than to serve a purpose but in reality there’s a reason why hot water bottles (and ice packs) have been used for decades.
I boil my electric kettle and fill up the bottle while I’m doing my nighttime skincare routine and my bed is nice and toasty when I climb in. I stay nice and warm under my covers but I’m not suffocating and getting stuffy. Also, my favorite part is because of the little sweater it wears it stays warm into the morning!
(Amazon)
STARBUCKS “MEDICINE BALL” TEA
Truthfully, this is the Honey Citrus Mint Tea but apparently it started out as a secret menu item that people called the medicine ball and I’m obsessed! I like tea but I like my tea with a lot of cream and sweetener. Basically, I like my tea as pale as my skin and I would not have purchased this on my own because it isn’t sickly sweet but I got sick last week and Meg swore that this saved when she got sick during her brother’s wedding.
I’ve become so hooked that I looked up a DIY version…
Half a mug of lemonade
Half a mug of boiling water
Mint tea bag
Peach tea bag
Honey
I let the teas steep in the water/lemonade mixture for a couple of minutes and add the honey at the very end. It’s both sweet and cooling with the mint and it makes your throat feel so much better. Also, honey is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory which helps with the crude. (Side note: My regular Starbucks order has like 500 calories and this has like 150 soooo Yay!)
(STARBUCKS, VARIES)
