The Roaring, Swinging, Fabulous, Groovy Blog Collaboration // with Audrey from Life as Louise

Happy Tuesday Friends! What a blog title, right? At the end of 2017 reached out to Audrey at Life of Louise about some kind of blog collaboration, and she said yes, woohoo!  After brainstorming things we both love (which were endless, honestly), we settled on books/entertainment and 1900 decades. Thus this long-windedly named collaboration was born! :)

So here's what we're up to. On the first Tuesday of the month, February through November, we're going to highlight books & films from/about specific eras that we recommend! (Television shows, too, sometimes!) There's no commitment or link-up during those months on your end, but in December we will be hosting a recap/link-up for the entire year.

Essentially Audrey and I are flooding our blogs with recommendations :)

So before we kick this off, here's a super short Q&A just to introduce (or reintroduce) Audrey & I!

What would readers typically find on your blog?

Alexandra: As a lifestyle blogger… anything is fair game! You can expect to see a lot of goal-setting, book review, and travel related posts… as well as posts about things I’ve been up to with KC and our mischievous kittens.

Audrey: Everything. I write about books and movies, my dogs and my life (like owning a house, being married, all that riveting stuff), a few travel posts or trip recaps. Sometimes, if you're lucky, you'll find a feisty political rant.

Have you always loved history or historical fiction?

Alexandra: Oh gosh yes. Do you remember The American Girl books? Or The Royal Diaries series? I was all about those. I read every. Single. American Girl book just so I could get a Felicity doll for my 10th birthday. BEST DAY EVER! I’ve always loved historical fiction and period dramas. :)

Audrey: Always. I love that history is a long, true, dramatic, romantic, adventurous story. I’m with Alexandra- I had the American Girl Dolls and read the books, too. (And Felicity was my fav!!) I think that history is fascinating and foretelling. I wanted to study it in college, but I didn’t want to teach so I chose a different major.

Which era is your favorite?

Alexandra: Oh gosh, this is tough. I love so many of them for so many different reasons. I think that I have to choose the 1930’s though. I find that a lot of my favorite time periods (or stories from them!) have to do with really really hard times, and strong people who made it through them!

Audrey: I enjoy the fashion and movies and cars from the 1940s and 1950s. Some of my favorite music comes from the 40s. I likes films from the 60s, too. If I had to pick one, though, it’d be the 1940s.

Which era is your least favorite?

Alexandra: The 80’s I think. There are just not as many things I can appreciate that came out of the ‘80’s. I don’t love the music, movies, etc. (Obviously this does NOT include the people born then!)

Audrey: Honestly, I dislike how certain things define eras...I don’t like anything Gatsby or poodle skirts or Woodstock-y or neon/leggings. Do you know what I mean? But to answer the question, I dislike the 70s.

Check back on February 6th for our first round of recommendations! We're setting our sights on the 1910s for February!

I think this linkup is going to be the cat's pajamas!

XO,

Alexandra

3 Shows to Binge Watch Before Season 2 Starts This Fall // TV

Ah, fall TV.

As much as I love to read, (HEY, I've been actually doing it recently!) What I really love is a good story. The nice thing about TV is that there is more time for character and plot development. 

While nothing will ever top Gilmore Girls for me, these are three new shows that I am loving, and got renewed immediately! 

Why not start watching them now, before they start on TV again? Perhaps with your girlfriends and a nice Pimm's Cup or Berry Sangria?

Jane the Virgin - The CW - Premieres Oct. 12th

This show looked cute, but I can honestly say that each episode has had me cracking up. The story follows the life of Jane Villanueva, a hard working and religious college student. She lives with her single mother and her grandmother. The show starts with Jane going in for a routine checkup.... and accidentally being artificially inseminated. What?! Yes, it's really that crazy, but it's so so funny. The family dynamics are sweet, the humor is incredible, and the whole thing is narrated by a telenovella narrator. There is also a lot of mischief happening at the hotel she works in, and her boyfriend just happens to be a policeman investigating it. If you are looking for something that's pretty light, and lots of fun check out this show. Gina Rodriguez, who plays Jane won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Comedy or Musical for this role. The show itself won Best Television Series Comedy or Musical as well! (also... Britney Spears is guest starring in season 2!)

Younger - TVland (yes really!) - Premieres January 2016?

This show doesn't start again until January (probably), but it is SO good, I just wanted to include it anyhow. Hilary Duff and Sutton Foster (Bunheads) star in this show created by Darren Star who worked on Sex in the City. The story follows 40-year old Liza Miller, who wants to re-join the work force after staying at home with her daughter. She's divorced, her daughter is abroad, and she needs a job. No one will hire her though, because she's older and out of the game. After being mistaken for a 20-something one night in a bar, Liza decides to create a new identity for herself. She gets a job, and struggles to catch up with the times. This is a 30-minute show, in every episode something ridiculous happens, folks this one is sorta-kinda raunchy, think Sex in the City ... but not on HBO. Hilary Duff is really funny, it's good to see her back on TV. The entire first season is currently up on TV Land's website. I would definitely recommend it!

iZombie - The CW - Premieres Oct. 6th

Ok - so I haven't actually watched this yet... sorry sister!.. but I have heard that it's really really good. Even from reviewers and folks who really hate the whole "zombie" thing. My sister loves it, and I'm excited to catch up on it when the first episodes are back online... or I might end up purchasing the first few to catch up with online... The plot follows Liv Moore a medical student in Seattle, who is turned into a zombie one night. In order to eat (brains) and be discreet about it, she takes a job at a morgue. Her boss lets her eat the brains of murderers, upon doing so Liv inherits some of their traits and memories. She then uses that information to solve crimes with the police department. It's a crime show, with a twist, and some humor. It was created by some of the folks involved in Veronica Mars, so you know it has to be good. Bonus: I really love Aly Michalka, who plays Liv's roommate. 

Non-new shows I'm excited for: Reign, The Originals, TVD, catching up on Beauty and the Beast.

All in all I love a good story. It's a bonus if it is funny, and it continues to make me laugh. :) 

What have you guys been watching? What premieres are you excited for?

Anybody else a CW junkie? (raises hand)

XO,

Alexandra

All images via Google. :)