Enjoy the end of summer 2020 with ‘Man of the Woods’ by Justin Timberlake for this installment of Got It On Vinyl.
July & August Favorites: Snoop Dogg’s Wine & “Douha (Mali Mali)” Music Video
So summer is basically over and I have two months worth of favorites to catch up on. Let us waste no time diving in:
Favorite News Articles
1. Snoop Dogg is launching a wine label. He also confirms that I am wine.
2. Dr. Fauci and Colin Kaepernick are getting an award for their dedication to social change. Well deserved.
3. Maya Rudolph might come back to SNL as VP pick Kamala Harris. Here for this.
4. Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are now parents. Surreal.
Favorite Music
1. “Find Your Way Back,” by Beyoncé. So glad for this re-release (and also the amazing BLACK IS KING visual)!
2. “STUD” by Troye Sivan. Serving all the right vibes as always.
3. “the 1” by Taylor Swift. Read a comment somewhere saying this whole folklore album hits different when you’re in a committed relationship and I couldn’t agree more.
Quarantine Diaries: I Feel Everything
I waited longer than I wanted to before posting this because I couldn’t find the right words to write for this last installment of the Quarantine Diaries.
So instead of reaching into the void for a blog post I ended up with a poem.
I hope this poem, titled “I Feel Everything”, resonates with you.
Remember, you are not alone in your feelings during this pandemic.
💛
Utama Spice Unboxing + GIVEAWAY
*SPONSORED
*I received these products complimentary from Utama Spice for testing purposes. All views are my own.
It’s been a little while since I last made a blog post, mainly because I’ve been a bit moody (as we all are during these crazy times) but also because I’ve been working on some fun new video content!
Utama Spice, a company that creates natural aromatherapy products, was kind enough to send me one of their wood-base diffusers to review on my blog.
They also sent me a bottle of their Fresh & Tingly Mint Liquid Soap, which I’m giving away over on my Instagram,** so be sure to check that out as well after watching the unboxing!
Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on Sept. 15, 2020.**
June Favorites: ‘Lucifer’ Season 5 Announcement & Beyoncé’s “Black Parade”
I really don’t have an excuse for not having this favorites post done before the 10th so I’m just going to skip any nonsense explanations and get right to it.
Enjoy my June 2020 favorites below.
Favorite News Articles
1. Lucifer season 5 is coming this summer. So glad it didn’t get postponed with all the mess going on in the world!
2. A Kentucky tattoo parlor is covering racist ink for free. Now this is how you start meaningful change in majority White communities. #BLM
3. Barbara Streisand gave Gianna Floyd Disney stock. YES to everything about this!
4. An audience of plants attended a symphony in Spain. Is this the secret to enormous plant growth?
Favorite Music
1. “Black Parade” by Beyoncé. I felt this Juneteenth jam deep in my Afro-Latina/West Indian soul.
2. “My People” by Amber Mark. Another Juneteenth tune that hit just right in the most minimalist way.
Summer 2020 Mellow Yellow Playlist
Now that all the red, white, and blue is over for a little while, I thought it would be nice to throw a dash of yellow into the mix this summer to mellow out all the craziness going on around us.
Partially inspired by Washed Out’s Mr. Mellow (but more so by my love for the color yellow), I present to you 15 songs to help you continue calmly grooving through whatever comes your way during summer 2020:
1. Hard to Say Goodbye, Washed Out. Well, looks like you won’t have to, because we’re just getting started 😜
2. Yellow Flowers, Goldroom feat. Mereki. Say hello to all the sunflowers and daffodils and black-eyed Susans.
3. Bittersweet, Yellow Claw, Sofia Reyes. Satisfying in more ways than one.
4. Sunlight, Bag Raiders. It’s true. Don’t let anybody tell you differently.
5. Adore You, Harry Styles. NBD, just walking through active flames for an adorable person.
6. Waves (Tame Impala Remix), Miguel. Just ride it.
7. Rico, Wild Front. “Drive all night.”
8. The Other Side, Native Spirit. Let you heart sail through this beat.
9. Genius, LSD. Only a mellowed out genius could do such a thing.
10. Freestyle, Electric Guest. Taking it as it comes.
11. Amarillo, J Balvin. A mellow heart-thumper to pass the time.
12. Cala Banana, Satin Jackets. Chiquita is callin.’
13. Paradisco, Les Loupes. Put on your finest sheer blouse and let the summer breeze embrace you.
14. Night Time TV, Fenec Soler. When it’s midnight and you’re feeling in no way ready for bed.
15. Taste (Moon Boots Remix), Rhye. Play it one. more. time.
Stay safe, stay mellow.
Quarantine Diaries: Wear Your Damn Mask
I’m back in NYC!
After spending most of the spring in quarantine with my parents out on Long Island, I have returned to the Isle of Manhattan. I thought I’d be excited to be back, but of course, nothing can be bliss during the retched mess that is 2020.
My dad offered to drive me into NYC on his way to work a few days after my birthday so I wouldn’t have to sit in any germs while riding the LIRR. We made a few stops in Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan before heading uptown and boy, was I SHOCKED at how many people were ignoring the rule about face coverings during this pandemic.
In Brooklyn, I saw several people wearing their masks under their chins or not at all. I was hoping this was just going to be a rare case of Brooklyn bad-assery, but no. As my trip into Manhattan continued, I saw more and more people wearing masks incorrectly or not at all.
Fast forward to a week after being back in New York City, and I come across a nurse from a nearby hospital wearing their mask under their chin. IF A NURSE CAN’T FOLLOW THE RULES HOW CAN WE EXPECT TO EVER GET RID OF COVID-19?! HOW?!
As cities begin to reopen, streets and indoor spaces are bound to become crowded again, especially in places like NYC. I went out for a walk in Highbridge Park a few days ago to take some photos for the next DSLR Diaries, which should be fine as parks are large outdoor spaces where social distancing is fairly easy. However, I saw a woman holding a large arrangement of balloons and a Spider-Man birthday cake at the park and lost my mind.
I could have sworn gatherings were prohibited in parks during Phase 1 of reopening. Did I misread that memo?
I really hope whoever was supposed to attend that birthday party politely declined, explaining why she was standing alone with the cake and balloons.
In all seriousness, I know the warmer weather is making it super uncomfortable to wear a mask. I totally understand. Wearing a mask in temperatures over 75°F should be considered an Olympic sport.
And by all means, go protest. Go for a walk in the park. Have a virtual birthday party. Take a road trip.
But if we don’t want coronavirus cases to spiral out of control again, we have to follow the rules. Wear your mask, wash your hands, and follow your city’s recommendations for a safe reopening so we can go back to enjoying a normal life again sooner rather than later.
Just please stop wearing your masks under your chins. It’s utterly pointless.
May Favorites: Post Malone’s Rosé & HTGAWM Series Finale
Before you begin reading this post, please ensure that you have done at least one of the following:
Signed a petition regarding justice for George Floyd & Breonna Taylor
Donated to a charity supporting Black Lives Matter
Safely participated in a protest (only if you are healthy enough to be outdoors)
Supported a BIPOC-owned business
If not, please do not come back to this blog until you have completed one of the aforementioned things.
#BLM
The world better not experience a week like the last week of May 2020 ever again.
Despite all the ways May went wrong, I was still able to find some amazing things last month that’ll put a smile on your face, if only for a few moments.
Let’s get to it:
Favorite News Articles
1. Post Malone is launching a brand of rosé. I feel like I’m the only person who is super hype about this!
2. Hamilton the musical will stream on Disney+ in July! CHRISTMAS IN JULY!
3. The law wouldn’t let Baby Musk keep his name. But not even an intervention from the state could change it enough.
Favorite Music
1. “Passion” by RAC feat. Louis the Child. “We’re pieces of the universe…”
Quarantine Diaries: Escaping 2020 with Historical Dramas/Period Films
So we’re all on the same page when it comes to 2020 being the worst year in existence, right? Yeah? Okay, cool.
I’ve found comfort in trying to escape all these horrid happenings (i.e. COVID-19, murder hornets, God knows what else) by watching historical dramas and period films on Netflix and Amazon Prime. Drama is my favorite genre, and I love seeing the cool costumes and set design that goes into making the scenes look realistic for the time periods they are set in.
Below are a few of the films I’ve enjoyed during quarantine so far.
Mansfield Park (1999)
Time Period: 1810s
This film is based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name. Fans of the Amazon Prime series Rome will enjoy seeing James Purefoy (Mark Antony) and Lindsay Duncan (Servilia of the Junii) star as Thomas Bertram Jr. and Mrs. Price respectively.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Watch on Netflix
W./E. (2011)
Time Period: 1930s/1990s
Directed by Madonna, this film has some stunning cinematography despite it’s negative reviews. I happened to really enjoy the story of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. Wally Winthrop’s obsession with the couple is a bit excessive as she visited the Sotheby’s exhibit daily, but I still found this movie to have its charms nonetheless.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Watch on Netflix
Love and Friendship (2016)
Time Period: 1790s
This movie took me a whole three days to finish because it was super boring at the beginning. The excitement in this drama begins at the very end, which made me wish they had incorporated more humor in the moments leading to the climax. Based on the Jane Austen novella Lady Susan.
My rating: ⭐⭐
Watch on Amazon Prime
A Little Chaos (2014)
Time Period: 17th Century
Who doesn’t love a strong, independent female lead like Kate Winslet’s character Sabine de Barra?! I adored everything about this film, from the landscape architecture to the romance between Sabine and André Le Nôtre.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Watch on Netflix
Troop Zero (2019)
Time Period: 1970s
This film has Viola Davis death stares galore! A must watch for anyone who is a fan of the amazing Viola Davis. I legit almost cried at the end of this but my tears dried up well before they fell when I saw the rest of the troop stand in solidarity with Christmas Flint.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Watch on Amazon Prime
North & South (2004)
Time Period: 1850s
This BBC serial is a four-parter that will for sure reel you in from the moment you meet John Thornton. Based on the 1855 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell, this serial gave me Pride & Prejudice vibes through and through.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Watch on Amazon Prime
The Rain Collector (2015)
Time Period: Victorian Era
This amazing short left me wanting more! A brilliant young woman finds love unexpectedly as she goes against the expectations of women in Victorian England through her love of science.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Watch on Amazon Prime
Stay safe and stay home!
April Favorites: ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel Film & “Chemicals” by SG Lewis
Well this is a first: I would have posted this two days ago my fingers were busy playing Wario’s Woods on my new Nintendo Switch Lite!
No doubt, my new life as a noob gamer has been a welcome distraction from the thing that shall not be named during this post. Let’s have some fun looking back at some other things in pop culture and entertainment that kept my mine off of said thing:
Favorite News Articles
1. The Hunger Games film series is getting a prequel movie! I haven’t read the books so I don’t even know what happens, much less which characters are in it, but I’m still hype.
2. This triathlete lost a virtual bike race because her husband tripped over the power cord. He’s for sure sleeping on the sofa indefinitely.
Favorite Music
1. “Chemicals” by SG Lewis. I can’t get enough of this Roosevelt-esque groove!
2. “Ride With Me”” by Pink Sweat$. It’s been a while since I’ve fallen in love with a classic R&B beat like this one.
