Yahoo Movie Challenge: Chinatown

I found a list online a year or so ago from Yahoo called "The 100 Movies to See Before You Die". I printed it out and began crossing out movies I had already seen. I was saddened by the fact that I had only seen 15% of the list. :( 

So I decided that I would finish this list! Before it becomes too late and I never start. There's so many lists like this out there, but this one had a variety of films from several decades. I hope I will watch one once a week and knock this list out. :) 

So I started last weekend with Chinatown, with Jack Nicholson (a very young Jack Nicholson). I always love a good mystery, but this one didn't do it for me. I was bored at most parts, and for a relatively long movie, a bunch of parts could be edited out. Hopefully this week's pick, is more exciting. 

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Now that I am out of school, I am starting to cook more. Real food. Not spaghetti and frozen dinners all the time. (But I definitely still make spaghetti, and Trader Joes has some amazing frozen dinners...) Anyway, I found a few recipe blogs and choose a recipe once a week to make for my boyfriend and I. I must say, I'm not half bad. 

This week I chose the Creamy Chicken Taquitos from my favorite food blogger, The Girl Who Ate Everything . I found her on Pinterest, of course.  I have passed by this recipe a few times and wanted to make it, but something else came ahead of it. Luckily, Alex and I had most of the ingredients (the spices are a must in this dish) which is another factor in when I chose something to make. No one likes spending a lot of money on outlandish ingredients you'll only use once.

I must admit, I started to cook this at 6pm on Sunday while Game 1 of the NLCS was on. So while it took me an hour and a half to make, I assure you, it won't take that long.

Image from: The Girl Who Ate Everything

I had a few gripes about this dish. The first and biggest being was all I could taste was the cumin! If I make it again, I would definitely add less. I also didn't shred the chicken fine enough. I would bust out our Slap Chop (yep, from the Infomercial) and make it a more chopped texture. My chunks were a bit large. Also, I may experiment by adding extra ingredients. :) Another big note, I used flour tortillas, and I was only able to fill 7 taquitos with the mixture. 

Link to recipe here: Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Jewelry Shopping Spree

Someone went on a jewelry shopping spree! Yikes! I don't think it's any secret that Forever 21 is a shoppers haven (minus the organized chaos). Even though I'm probably outside of their demographic of teenage girls, but while I still have a limited budget and am able to pull off their styles, you bet I will! The joy of places like Forever 21 and their counterparts is that they offer at the moment trends at very affordable prices. And while I will be the first to agree that they may not be the best quality (see: About Me tab for example) but who cares... by the time the next trend rolls around, you'll want to switch it up anyway. So that $9 necklace really isn't a big deal. I have so many jewelry pieces from Forever 21, what's your go to place for cheap accessories?

My Style: 10.6.12

Anorak Jacket: Forever 21, Dress: Full Tilt (Tillys), Ankle Booties: Marco Santi (Sole Society)

I wore this look to a baby shower this past weekend. I was too excited for fall emerging so I had to emulate fall colors in my look. I curled my hair too (which is a rarity for my thick tresses) for some added femininity. The dress can be a simple, fun sun-dress in the summer, but when added with the anorak and ankle booties easily transitions the dress to fall. A super easy look that I wore from day to night.

Shoutout!

I wanted to thank my friend Kyla who spotlighted my blog on her own (Ford-ology) for a special section on her blog called "Sponsor Spotlight". I am so thankful that it got my name out there, and I hope I can get some more readers with her kind mention. :) It's all about networking!

Fall Wardrobe Essentials

From Clockwise: Anorak Jacket (American Eagle), Tweed Shorts (Forever 21), Infinity Scarf (Target), Ankle Booties (Target), Denim Shirt (Top Shop - Nordstrom), Loafers (Steve Madden), Oxblood Denim (Bloomingdales), Fingerless Gloves (Michael Kors), Combat Boots (Steve Madden)

There are few things that make me more happy than the transition from summer to fall. I love taking out my jackets and scarves and start layering! Hence, why many of the above have to do with layering. 

So first off, my new obsession is an olive green anorak jacket i got in mid-summer. I have loved this easy and chic look for ages and it took me forever to find the perfect one, at Forever 21 of all places. I just ordered the tweed shorts above. I really like the look with black tights and black ankle booties! The infinity scarf (or any scarf for that matter) is a staple in my closet. I wear them almost every day in fall, and it pulls together any outfit. 

Ankle booties are a new obsession for me. I just bought a khaki pair from SoleSociety and a black pair that was on clearance from Target. I'm obsessed. I want to wear them with everything. The denim shirt is a staple in my closet. I think I have 3 now in different styles. I have seen cool details like lace and studs like the Top-Shop one above with the studs on the shoulders. They are perfect for layering and act as a white t-shirt, they can go with everything! These Steve Madden loafers are super cute and come in so many styles.  They're a cute spin on typical flats and depending on the print, can add a pop to your outfit. :)

I have been lusting over this new Oxblood trend. I NEED a pair of oxblood skinnies. Oxblood just screams fall. Fingerless gloves are a fun accessory to wear when it's really cold out. It adds a certain edge to your look, and it keeps those fingers warm! I love my combat boots. I have 3 pairs (excessive?) in different colors and styles. Because they are so popular now, you are bound to find a style that tickles your fancy. :) 

Taylor Swift: A Conundrum

I am in a pickle when it comes to Taylor Swift. I am sure she is a wonderfully nice and respectable woman, but lately, I just can not handle her immaturity when it comes to "love". I saw an excerpt of her interview with Glamour magazine where she talks about what we know already: she talks about all the guys she's dated in her songs. 

The problem I have (well I have a few), is that she apparently has been in love with all these guys. I am 24 and I can honestly say I have only been in love once, maybe twice. Here's a quote from her in UK's Marie Claire:

" '...When you make eye contact with someone across the room and it clicks and, bam, you're there. In love again.' "

Ummmm, what? I don't know about you but I didn't just "lock eyes" with my boyfriend and fell in love. It took a while. And it still does. Just don't get me started on how creepy it is that she bought a house next to her current boyfriend's place in Cape Cod....