My Favorite Sub Genres to Read! // Bookworm

I've been thinking a lot about books. I'm pretty sure I check Netgalley and First to Read every. single. day. Netgalley I check multiple times per day. I'm always reading at least two books... buying ebooks on sale, looking in Little Free Libraries, and checking for jobs at my local library... the book lust is strong my friends.

Anyhow, today I was thinking about specific sub genres that I have been really into lately or for quite a while, and thought it would be fun to share! Here are my top 6 sub genres to read, and a few recommendations within each genre.

Magical Realism 

I love dreamy stories with little bits of magic and symbolism woven in. 

Anything by Sarah Addison Allen
Chocolat

Fairy Tale Retellings

Re-write a fairy tale and I will read it. #nevergrowup

I have two whole posts about this, Vol. I and Vol. II! :)

Travel Fiction (romantic comedy) 

Exotic destinations + Romance = I'm in.

Destination Thailand
Happiness for Beginners
On The Island (survival-y)
Girl off The Grid.

Christmas Fiction (romantic comedy)

These books give me the warm fuzzies!

Merry & Bright
Trading Christmas
Christmas Letters - technically part of a series, but you don't need to read the others to "get it".


Travel Memoirs/Essays

Please let me live vicariously through your travels!

The Yellow Envelope: One Gift, Three Rules, and a Life-Changing Journey Around the World
No Baggage: A Minimalist Tale of Love and Wandering
A Fork in the Road - currently reading
Bella Figura: How to Live, Love, and Eat the Italian Way - currently reading


Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Myths from Around the World

Collections of tales from around the world are so much fun to read! Especially ones about mermaids.

Mermaid Tales from Around the World
Mermaids: The Myths, Legends, and Lore
The Book of the Goddesses

What are some of your favorite sub genres to read?!

Have you read any of these books?!

XO,

Alexandra

My Favorite Things of 2017

I've already talked about my favorite books... but let's talk about a few of my very favorite things from other categories in 2017!

Books: (jk let's talk about them again)

Saga
Outlander
ACoTaR

See my full list of favorite books from 2017, here.

Shows:

Miss Fisher!!!!!!!!!!
Outlander (a very good adaptation! Harder to watch than read though! *blech*)
Great British Baking Show
Call the Midwife
Riverdale (guilty!) #teendrama

Music:

Vance Joy (always)
T-Swift
Then the rest of my usual favorites (coldplay, ellie goulding, broods, james bay. :) )

Purchases:

Home:

Ghost Bed
This Vacuum
iPhone Tripod Mount
1Canoe2 Enamel Mugs

Beauty & Fashion:

Honest Beauty Brow Pencil
Sam Edelman Booties in "Putty"
Velvet Dress - this dress but I got it in burgundy, which seems to be no longer available. :(

Crafty:

Zig Glue Pen
1Canoe2 Products - EVERYTHING, but these tapes are some of my favorites!
Kelly Purkey White Alpha
MY NEW TYPEWRITER! :) - click the link to watch my xmas haul including my typewriter! :)

There you have it, my favorite things and purchases/gifts from 2017! 

What were some of your favorite purchases of the year?

XO,

Alexandra

12 Favorite Things // NOLA Edition

Hello friends! Happy Wednesday! I'm loving everyone's SUYB! So many books!!

This weekend we are heading back to NOLA for the 3rd time! We're meeting up with some good friends from Boston for an extended weekend in Crescent City! Be still my heart.

It's still Christmas in Jackson Square. #NOLA #ttot #travel #wanderlust #christmas #DeanStTravelBetty

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Jan 3, 2015 at 9:31pm PST

Pretty bicycles in NOLA. #nola #neworleans #bicycles #bikes #everydaylife #itsthelittlethings

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Mar 28, 2014 at 5:38pm PDT

The lobby of the Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans. So so lovely! #neworleans #nola #hotelmonteleone #carouselbar #roadtrip #springbreak

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Mar 21, 2014 at 3:40pm PDT

New Orleans, you are so gorgeous :) #nola #neworleans #wanderlust #springbreak #roadtrip #day4 #DeanStTravelBetty

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Mar 17, 2014 at 12:43pm PDT

Really enjoyed the New Orleans Museum of Art today. :) Manageable size, diverse collection, top notch sculpture garden! #NOLA #NOMA #travel #ttot #art #artmuseum #artlover

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Jan 4, 2015 at 6:37pm PST

More NOLA. So beautiful. #nola #neworleans #roadtrip #springbreak #wanderlust #day2

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Mar 15, 2014 at 8:15pm PDT

If your table doesn't look like this.... You're doing it wrong ;) #beignets #nola #neworleans #springbreak #roadtrip #day4

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Mar 17, 2014 at 7:54pm PDT

Beautiful streets of New Orleans. #neworleans #nola #roadtrip #springbreak #latergram

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Mar 21, 2014 at 10:50pm PDT

Hi NOLA, I missed you. #favoritecity #NOLA #instadaily #travel #ootd #wanderlust #playingspotthatbeautifuldoor #iwin

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Jan 2, 2015 at 1:48pm PST

Faulkner House, New Orleans. #faulkner #faulknerhouse #bookstore #books #bookworm #nola #neworleans

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Mar 22, 2014 at 11:13am PDT

New Orleans at last! #NOLA #neworleans #roadtrip #springbreak #wanderlust #day2

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Mar 15, 2014 at 8:10pm PDT

We've been so many times that I'm not looking for recommendations, but I'd love to share some photos and my 12 favorite things about NOLA. :)

1) the liveliness
2) the street artists
3) the architecture
4) the beignets
5) that there's always music playing
6) the spanish moss
7) the carousel bar
8) the French + Southern + Caribbean fusion culture
9) royal street
10) jackson square
11) the pretty little shops in the quarter
12) the hold it has on me :)

Anyhow, thank you for reading my indulgent NOLA post. If you are heading that direction, you can check out my trip recaps, here & here.

What is your favorite city you've visited?

Have you been to NOLA?

Any fun trips up ahead for you?

XO,

Alexandra

My Favorite Things // April 2016

Hi! I can't believe it's almost May! WOW!

How about some favorites?!

I got this pretty ivory maxi dress at Target, it's so flowy and lovely... I can't get over it.

We just finished season 2 of iZombie. May or may not have bought all of season 2 on Amazon instant video... *whistles innocently* UM, SO good!

We've been buying concert tickets... again... and well... now I'm listening to James Bay and Ellie Goulding non-stop. We've got to be ready! AND Coldplay! That's right, we found tickets for a show just 3-ish hours from here. We get to check it off my friend Jessica's bucketlist! Huzzah!

Sarah. J. Maas. I made the mistake of reading A Court of Thorns and Roses on the plane to SF.... and then stayed up VERY late finishing it for a few nights in a row... and well, now all other books suck. BAHA. Just kidding, but really it was so compelling... that I'm very bored with my current read. Whomp. Whomp. Previously this post was all... *purchasing* I got this book at the LIBRARY! :)

Back to purchasing though....

LuLaRoe... well... I may have bought... 5... ? Items over the weekend. Darn you LuLaRoe. We'll see how they work out. I'm trying some new styles and I don't know my sizing. Gasp. I bought a pair of teal and coral leggings, a black floral maxi skirt, a light blue (serenity-ish color) tunic, a sage green slouchy tee, and a black tee with palm tree fronds on it. So, I'll keep you guys posted. I'm hoping the unknown sizes turn out flowy and lovely... we'll see!

OMG THIS RECIPE.... ! If you love Medi food... this is for you! From the May Redbook with Zooey Deschanel on the cover!

Gilmore Girls. Always, obvs... but have you seen the recap pics?! The ones from the set, the ones Milo posted... oh my! I cannot wait! #teamjess

Arm weight workouts. ( I don't know what I actually did to my foot, but it feels crappy... so I strapped on Hank the boot from about 5 years ago when I broke it. It's helping so far... but makes working out difficult. ) Anyhow, I like doing weight work outs. Super quick and great.

Before we went on our trip to SF, I purged some things from our junk piles and closet... and I found a new home for some of my books. I picked out all the green, teal, and some of the golden ones, and lined them up on the dresser. So pretty. It looks so much cleaner, open, and pretty now. Now if I can just get the rest of the junk out of there... hehe

OMG THESE GORGEOUS IG PHOTOS! LIFE DREAM ANYONE (ELSE?)?!?!

Thinking about fun plans in the works for May and Summer! :)

What are you guys up to this month? Planning anything fun for May or summer yourselves?!

Anything you're loving recently that you need to share?

XO,

Alexandra

100 Things I Love // My Favorite Things

At some point during the fall, I started making a list of things I just LOVE. Some of them are kind of random, some of them are really specific, but they all have a special place in my heart somewhere. Here you have it, 100 things I love. 

1. Washi Tape
2. Beautiful copies of books
3. the light that streams in from our windows in our apartment
4. Scalwag's permanent wink
5. Duchess's snoozy morning temperment
6. Gilmore Girls
7. a well told story
8. period dramas
9. stationery
10. a day at a thrift store
11. baking
12. the smell of fresh popcorn
13. 40-65 F degree temperatures
14. snail mail
15. grandmas
16. maps & globes
17. green grass
18. blueberry jam on croissants
19. Coldplay's "Rush of Blood to the Head" album - the soundtrack to my Novembers.
20. whales
21. the feeling that you get when a plane takes off
22. being near the water
23. iced mochas
24. hand lettering
25. pearls
26. leather leggings
27. the view from a plane window
28. road trips
29. water birds
30. winter
31. a good yoga session
32. golden sandals
33. fairytales, folktales, & Mythology
34. a board game night with my favorite people
35. curly dogs - as in dogs with curly fur
36. vintage evening bags
37. mermaids
38. a good quote
39. post cards
40. painting on tiny canvases
41. that New Year's feeling
42. lazy days with KC
43. New Orleans
44. driving in the car with KC
45. pretty ballet flats
46. yellow
47. glitter
48. gold
49. s'mores
50. cozy, piled high, book shops
51. short nails, dark polish, glitter top coat
52. astrology
53. IKEA
54. kitten whiskers
55. KC's hand in mine
56. lazy weekend breakfasts
57. rainbow sprinkles
58. meanings and symbolism of items (flowers, birth stones, etc.)
59. the scene in Sleeping Beauty where the fairies are baking the cake, cleaning the house, and sewing the dress
60. a quirky mug
61. snow blanketed landscapes
62. made for TV Christmas movies
63. giving gifts
64. giddy can't-stop giggle fits with Jess
65. full days with OE
66. when my dad says "sing it Al!"
67. cooking with my mom
68. red desert earth
69. stormy skies
70. wall collages
71. global music
72. days where you do nothing but read
73. snowflakes
74. ridiculously eclectic Christmas playlists
75. lilacs
76. Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and the like... 
77. Clue
78. a good margarita
79. seeing classic and cult classic movies at a good movie theater
80. how satisfying vacuuming is
81. Midwestern hospitality
82. The Great Lakes region
83. oversized stamps
84. lined envelopes
85. German Expressionism
86. visiting China Towns
87. caricatures 
88. street art
89. food trucks, carts, stands
90. beignets
91. hot chicken
92. baking pies
93. cranberry sauce
94. the way little girls twirl and dance at ballet performances and concerts, especially during intermission, or after the show.
95. compass roses
96. crescent moons
97. global holiday traditions
98. spritz cookies
99. valentines
100. cider donuts

What are some of your favorite things? Feel free to steal the idea and re-post. :)

XO,

Alexandra

My Wishlist & Holiday Gift Guide 2013

I LOVE giving gifts, so Christmas is heaven for me! Here are some fun things I've found online, all on my own wishlist that would make lovely little gifts for the ladies on your list this year!

It's not too late to order online for Christmas yet, and some of these items are available in stores!

1) Bee Bobby Pins, $18 via Etsy. Buy here.

2) Love Letters of Great Men & Women, Various Prices via Amazon. Buy here.

3) French Lilac Art Print, $26 via Etsy. Buy here.

4) Soy & Natural Fragranced Candles, $18 via The Honest Company. Buy here.

5) Red Blazer, $69 via Piperlime. Buy here.

6) Necklace, SOLD OUT! :( via 31 Bits. Buy & Browse Others here.

7) Hello T-shirt, SOLD OUT :(  via Piperlime. 

8) Downton Abbey Nail Varnish, $15.50 via Marks & Spencer. Buy here.

9) Braids, Buns and Twists, $12.44 via Amazon. Buy here.

10) Bra Travel Case, $37.50 via Beleza Boutique. Buy here.

11) The English Major Print, $26 via Etsy. Buy here.

12) Golden Wine Rack, $30 via World Market. Buy here.

See the rest of my wishlist and get more ideas here.

What are you excited to give this year? 

What is on your wishlist?

9 Days Left!

XO,

Alexandra