My Birthday Weekend {Part 1}

Tequila!

This weekend was so much fun, and I am so thankful for the friends and family I have in my life. I am feeling extremely blessed. 

This weekend, my family came to visit and we went out to one of my favorite restaurants on Friday night (can you say happy hour?) where we had a few margaritas and a wonderful time. It was such a great gathering and it felt like a vacation! 

On Saturday, my mom and I went shopping (mostly for Christmas stuff), relaxed, and then in the evening, we went to the arcade and we won a stuffed-animal otter! (I have decided to name him Leo!) It was a great night. Then, on Sunday, we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (post to come), and here's a little sneak peek:

It's a sea cucumber!

I had a wonderful birthday weekend and I cannot wait to share more about the aquarium with you soon!

What did you do this weekend?

xoxo

Netflix Movie Night

Finding a good movie on Netflix Instant can take as long as watching an actual movie sometimes (or is that just me? I'm so indecisive), but if you take the time you may just find a gem! Here is a list of some movies featured on Netflix Instant which I personally recommend to y'all:

If you like Disney or kids' films:

Source

Other Disney Favorites that you can find on Netflix Instant: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Dumbo!

If you like Romantic Comedies or Classics:

Roman Holiday (Vacanze Romane) 

It's set in Italy and it stars Audrey Hepburn... So it's a natural pick for me. Hepburn plays a princess who is taking a tour of Europe, and when in Rome, she grows tired of her highly scheduled life and takes off to discover Italy's capitol for her own.

If you like history or foreign films:

A Royal Affair (En Kongelig Affaere)

Starring Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen, and Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, this movie tells the story of Caroline Mathilde, a young British princess who was married off to King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway. 
After Caroline moved to Denmark and met the King, it became apparent that he was mentally ill. After he
they had their first child, a son, Christian turned his interests to the brothels in Copenhagen, and then
to travelling on a tour of Europe. He brought back with him the physician Johann Struensee,
who could handle his tempers. Caroline Mathilde and Struensee began to see each other, and it altered
the course of Danish history. 

Happy Netflixing,
Caryn Elizabeth

Wow, what a weekend!

So, last Friday was my new university's orientation for transfer students, and while I was expecting to meet a ton of new people, I really didn't meet many people, and besides running into them on campus, I doubt that I'll see any of them again. I may have met more people had I not gone to the wrong major's advising meeting in the morning. -sigh-

So, apparently at my new school, there is a difference between Italian Studies (my major) and Italian language studies (apparently not my major)... So I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off all day long, thinking I was taking all of the wrong classes, only to find out from one of the student volunteers that I was doing all of the wrong advising all day. 

Luckily, I was sent to the literature and history departments before they left (I cut it really close) so I have all of my classes for this quarter, but I have no idea how to get around school (there's buses to take you around campus, but which one do I take? When do they run?) or which college is which. So things are going to be pretty confusing for the first week or two. 

My mom came for the weekend, though, so I got to spend time with her and my doggies. We went on a nice morning walk on the beach pictured above, and then a friend from home came to visit. The three of us shared the best cupcakes in the world and then went to see the Conjuring.

Rotten Tomatoes

The Conjuring started off alright, particularly since the doll pictured above was involved in the beginning of the film, and the doll alone is just freaky. However, toward the middle of the movie, I thought it was just going to be another mediocre horror movie. It started to move really slowly and went for a lot of cheap scares that just weren't scary. But then, at the end of the movie, things looked up. It got pretty frightening - there were a few laughable moments, but overall, they put together a horror film that was better than I'd seen in a long while. 

Enjoy what's left of the weekend! 

xoxo, 

Caryn Elizabeth

Girls' Night In

Every once in a while (more for me lately, since I don't know anyone in this town), a girls' night in is the best option for a Friday or Saturday evening. Pop in a DVD (or two or three), have a cocktail, and cuddle up on the couch. It's the perfect remedy for a long week at work.

My favorite cocktail of the moment: strawberry daiquiri!

Mix Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum with Safeway's Cocktail Classics strawberry daiquiri mix. Throw in some ice and a few frozen strawberries and blend. Viola! A very yummy, easy cocktail for Girls' Night In! 

The Best Girls' Night In Movies:

Legally Blonde: It's funny, cute, and feminist! Love it!

Breakfast At Tiffany's: Because Audrey Hepburn is the greatest! 

The Covenant: Well, this is a personal favorite... It's actually pretty bad, but the boys are just so cute! So, it makes up for it. 

What are your favorite Girls' Night In movies or activities?

I'd love to know! 

xoxo