Gone Girl...

 

i borrowed "gone girl" from my coworker and was so excited to finally get to read the book that everyone was talking about!

 

except, every time some one saw me reading it, i head this comment "good book, terrible ending".  which left me feeling confused as to whether i should even bother reading it. 

 

the answer is yes. 

 

yes the ending was less than pleasing.  but the first 2/3rds of the book is compelling, well-written and suspenseful.  i enjoyed it immensely and didn't want to put the book down.  considering my book reading has been at an all time low, i welcomed the excitement i felt when reading this book. 

 

i cannot really review this book without giving anything away, but what i will tell you is that it is refreshing.  not refreshing like a jump in the pool, but refreshing as in i have never read anything similar or dare i say as honest as gone girl. 

 

i wish the ending had been different.  that said, i am happy i read it and am looking forward to reading another one of her books.  i am excited for the book to be made into a movie.  i am dying to see who they cast to play amy and nick.  most of all i am intrigued to see if they keep the much hated ending as is, or hollywood it up. 

 

did you read gone girl?  what did you think?  and what on earth should i read next?!

 

(ps - while i was reading gone girl, i happened upon this page in the book from b.  such a sweet surprise!  only problem is the book wasn't mine.  guess it is now!)

Bridal Shower Basket

 

bridal showers are always such a fun festivity to attend.  they are full of happiness, laughter and love.  what more could you want?

 

they are also full of presents and if you are anything like me, i like to give a good, memorable present.  which is why i am sharing my latest go-to bridal shower prezzie. 

 

i like to go in with a girlfriend or two when giving a bridal present because it allows you way more options!  our last group gift consisted of a cute apron from anthropologie (with written expectations that she must prepare a meal for her hubby in it...naked), a his and her initial mug, some sort of cute shopping list, a fragrant kitchen appropriate candle (both of these smell incredible and are sure to tickle the hubby's senses), matching or coordinating pot holders, and a unique cookbook specific to cooking with love or just for two.

 

pick and choose from the items above based on your budget and throw them in a cute box with a darling card and you can be sure the bride (and her hubby) will be on cloud nine!



Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey

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if you find the photo above offensive or inappropriate in anyway, please stop reading this post and please stop reading fifty shades of grey immediately. 

i began reading fifty shades after i heard all the hype surrounding it.  upon a little more research i learned that the author e.l. james loved the twilight books so much but always wished there was more sex, so she decided to write her own book, set in washington, with lots of sex.  then my gf shelby said it was pretty steamy and i thought, what the hell?

and let me just tell you.  it definitely has its steamy moments and lots of sex.

without giving too much away here are some of my thoughts on fifty shades...

*sex scenes are graphic and definitely arouse the imagination

*the author uses the same adjectives and words a lot.  to the point of extreme annoyance

*miss steele went to wsu-vancouver - happy for the reference to wsu in such a popular book - go cougs!

*inner goddess annoys the f out of me

* ending felt a little flat

after finishing the book i of course bought fifty shades darker, for my kindle on my ipad (perfect device to hide what you a reading in public or say at the dentist office).  not because i thought the book was so good and i couldn't wait to read the next one, but because i was interested in where she would go with the next book and the sex scenarios.  truth. 

the books are terribly written.  the sex scenes are unexpected and naughty.  that's why you are reading it.  don't fool yourself, it really is a sexy version of twilight (minus vampires, werewolves and bella - thank god).  if you read these books for the reasons highlighted above, you won't be disappointed.  if you are reading them for a romantic love story and literary genius, this is not the book for you my friend. 

i love the way this book has brought forth a sexual awakening of sorts amongst women of all ages and opened people up to options other than "vanilla sex". 

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have you read fifty shades?  what did you think?  worth the hype or so over it? 

Gift Giving Guide ~ Mother's Day

mother's day is this sunday and you still have time to show that favorite mom in your life (whether it is your actual mom, your best friend, sister, aunt, whomever) how special she is to you.

below are some great gifts to share with that amazing woman in your life.

help mom step into spring with this darling bold geo dot scarf.  not only is it trendy with the polka dots, but the red/lavendar combo is sure to get her noticed!

what better way to say i think you are wonderful than to give a gift that says just that?  the philosophy "i think you are wonderful" set is just too cute and perfect for any mother in your life.

my mom adores candles and often has to put herself on "candle restriction" as she accumulates so many.  however i think she would love to add the capri blue mercury glass jar candle and/or the  glassybaby in big sky to her growing collection. 

my mom is quite the suzy homemaker and is constantly baking cupcakes for various events.  i am pretty sure any mother would love a little help in the frosting department and the williams-sonoma frosting is sure not to disappoint.  pair it with the mothers little book of home-baked treats cookbook and you are sure to be rewarded with a tasty treat!

we all know that growing older doesn't always help with one's vision.  what you can help your mom with is looking good while she helps her vision in these darling kate spade jodie readers.  available in a variety of colors, you'll be sure to find the right one for your favorite visually challenged female.

handwritten notes are a favorite from my mom, and i think just about anyone now a days loves receiving a little piece of mail addresses to them (other than a bill).  the receiver is sure to be flooded with love and affection when they open up one of these many thanks and lots of love foldover cards.

i want to thank my own mama for being such a fabulous role model and raising me with lots of love, support and smiles.  i wish i could be there this sunday to celebrate and spoil the heck out of her, but will have to wait until wednesday to give her a proper squeeze she deserves. 

gifts aside, be sure to thank a mother around you and make her feel a little extra special this week! 

xoxo

Song Of The Week: Not Your Fault

my roomie was a lucky lady and got to attend coachella and see AWOLNATION live which made me very jelly.  i've said it before and i'll say it again, very rarely do i enjoy an album from beginning to end, but this one satisfies me from start to finish. 

in fact i have been listening to the album all week long and my current fave is "not your fault", which makes me want to run as fast as possible on the treadmill.  other goodies are "jump on my shoulders", and "dirty filthy soul" but seriously all the songs are so good, so good!

if you like the song above, be sure to listen to their album megalithic symphony  on spotify.  i am pretty sure you won't regret it.

 it should also be known that i started fifty shades of grey today at lunch.  the main character attends school at wsu-vancouver.  liking the book already...

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself - February

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so i had a bad february, it's in the past and time to move along.  my resolutions took a bit of a dip in accomplishments, but i thought it best to document it regardless and aim to get back on track and kick ass this march (and the rest of the year for that matter)!

goal #1 ~ workout 75% of each month

results:  worked out 15 of 29 days = 52%

goal #2 ~ stick to a pure, healthy, clean diet

results:  i slipped a bit this month.  birthday and surgery mostly to blame.  i would say i followed the paleo diet about 60% of the month.

goal #3 ~ save, save, save!

results:  well, i did try to save and didn't splurge on any new items, but the unexpected cost of two new tires (at $200 a piece) did not help with my savings plan.

goal #4 ~ travel

results:  no travel this month.

goal #5 ~ take more pictures

results:  did a pretty good job last month capturing pictures, below are a few of my faves from the month (follow me on instagram @lyndsylee)

new b*day bracelet from girlies at work

b*day blooms that made me smile

b*day wishlist item completed courtesy of b

absolutely incredible bruch (twice!) this month at mb post with carebear, live.to.the.point.of.tears, sweet nothings, and this is not your life.

got to see mrs r - twice this month!  what a treat!

sweet b

the morning after my b*day collection

finally got to try ink. - awesome experience

my new pumped up kicks from mom, dad & sister that i designed!

pinz in studio city - bowled the best game of my life!

incredible sunset from my work parking lot - gosh i love california!

waldo just knows how to melt my heart

greatest invention ever

embracing coffee and pastels one early monday morning

goal #6 ~ read a book a month

results:  got through 37% of a place of yes - now much finish that book in march as well as another.  must remember to stop watching televsion so much and start reading. 

my results for february are nothing to be too proud of, but they are reminders for what i need to fix in order to suceed this march and the rest of the year. 

how are your goals going? 

I'm Loving' It

The new Starbucks "Very Berry Hibiscus" Refresher is muy bueno!  I was very hesitant to try this coffee drink that tastes nothing like coffee, but let me just tell you it is so delish.  A grande drink only has 70 calories and it contains freeze-dried berries as well.  Once I finish my beverages, I fill my cup of with water and enjoy my "spa" water at my desk.  If you are lucky enough to have them sampling it at your local Sbux, make sure you give it a try. 

Also loving the Hunger Games Triology.  I am on the final book of the series and trying to find any excuse to read it.   

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This bright, cheery and a little bit nautical look from Atlantic-Pacific.  I mean let's be honest, all of her outfits are lust-worthy but this one just screams glamorous fun in the sun.

Even though I am perfectly content and still loving my Yellow KitchenAid Mixer, I fell in love at first sight with this KitchenAid Artisan Susan G. Komen Stand Mixer in Raspberry Ice.  Not only would it be a brilliantly bold addition to any kitchen, but with the purchase of this mixer you are also contributing to the Susan G. Komen Cook for the Cure®’s efforts to cure breast cancer. 

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This ring and grey nail polish combo.  Whenever I see this photo I instantly want to run to the nearest beauty supply and pick up a bottle of grey polish (preferably chinchilly).  Grey, yellow, turquoise and a little bit of gold...possibly new bedroom color scheme? 

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Visits from friends and babies that include dinners at garlic ball heaven C&O Trattoria in Venice. 

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Holding sweet little buddy Raleigh while soaking up rays, sipping some wine at Sip in Malibu and reminiscing with friends.  This past weekend Coffey and Cabe flew down from Seattle so that many of us could meet little Raleigh as well as the handsome Easton.  It was a weekend of making the best of roadblocks and rules and fully of laughter and smiles.  So much fun!

The Help Book Review

I finished The Help last Wednesday and have to say that it has been one of my favorite reads in a long time.  I laughed, I cried, and I also cringed throughout the novel.  After dragging through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Help was a welcomed change. 

The book takes place through the Civil Rights in the 1960's and tells the story through three different narratives, Skeeter - a white college grad who belongs to a ladies society and wants to change the way "the help" is treated, Aibileen - a black maid to Skeeter's friend Elizabeth and confidant to Skeeter and Minny - a recently fired by the leader of the ladies society black maid with a strong personality.

I loved every one of the narratives and the different opinion and view they had to offer.  Aibileen - nurturing, cautious and brave.  Minny - defiant, hard-working and brave.  Skeeter - alone, creative, and brave.  When Skeeter witnesses horrible acts of racism in her city, she sets out to pursue her passion of writing while trying to make a change to the future with some help from the maids of Jackson, Mississippi. 

Without giving too much away, the book has moments of extreme happiness and moments where I was disgusted that all this happened a mere fifty plus years ago. You grow extremely attached to the cause and rooting for change and when I finished the last page, I was sad to be finished and had to remind myself that these characters although fictional, really existed back in the day, and left me wishing for their happiness. 

The movie comes out August 12th and you better believe I am hoping one of my gf's here in LA finishes the book in time to see it with me!  I just started The Hunger Games (rec'd from Pink Sass) and am already loving this series, more to come about that, but for now, check out the preview for The Help.

Flashing Brights

According to the calendar, spring sprung on Sunday...

According to my window, spring has yet to arrive in L.A.

The wind, rain and grey, leaves me craving anything and everything bright and sunny!

(click picture to enlarge)

1st Row: Scarf, Candle, Shimmer Tee, Pack Away Bag

2nd Row: Dress, Clutch, Books, Pumps

3rd Row: Bowls, Wedges, Sweater, Trench Motorcycle Jacket

4th Row: Undies, Lip Gloss, Thongs , Nail Polish

Has spring sprung at your location yet?  What do you have your eye one this spring?

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Review

all photos via W Magazine

Some 7 months ago I shared this post with ya'll sharing that I was starting The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  I eagerly jumped into this novel after hearing such wonderful reviews. 

I've decided that I have kind of a love hate relationship with this novel.  It has never in my life taken me so long to get into a book.  It seemed as though I was running a full marathon, people around me constantly encouraging me to continue on that it would only get better and easier, and it did....around page 400 (mind you the book is 600 pages). 

Yes I know, why am I complaining when I could have easily just stopped reading the book.  The answer is simple, I wanted to believe that this book would be worth it.  And in a way it was, but perhaps it was all the hype but it just wasn't as good as I would have thought. 

Moments of the book were pure brilliance and I did like the characters of the novel, but I just feel like it fell short at times (perhaps the first 400 pages).  I watched the Swedish version of the movie this past Sunday and it did make me appreciate the novel more.  I am quite excited for the David Fincher version starring the darling and angelic Rooney Mara who has transformed herself completely for the role of Lisbeth Salander. 

Below are some pictures from her spread with W Magazine - it is kind of incredible how different she looks. 

Those abs - yes please!

Rooney is said to have pierced her lip, nose and nipples all in one day for the role.  Talk about dedication!

 Give the book a chance, if it takes longer than a month to get you excited I would suggest taking a pass.  What are your thoughts on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?  Were you instantly a fan?  What page pulled you in or turned you away?  Have you read any of the other books in the series? 

Next up for me....The Help.

HP7: Part One

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Call me a geek if you like, but this 30 year old is really excited for the latest Harry Potter film that comes out tomorrow!

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

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I first began the series in my Young Adult Literature course at WSU and was amazed by the imagination of J.K. Rowling.  The books are very well written and although geared towards young adults and children very enjoyable for people of all ages.  I cried at the end of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) and was so excited to dive into Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) to see how it would all end.  When I finished the book I felt satisfied and yet also sad that there would no longer be any adventures of Harry Potter to read. 

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The producers of the movies did an outstanding job casting for the books.  The characters are everything and more than I could have imagined myself and to watch them grow from these little cuties to adults.  They did it with grace and also without taking a page from the Lindsay Lohan book and ending up in rehab and quite an accomplishment if you ask me.  

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We meet the darling Mr. H Potter living under the stairs and little do we know how important this little fellow will soon become.

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We learned what "muggles" are. 

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We learned that Dumbledore was a pretty incredible wizard who ran the hell out of Hogwarts.

We learned that anyone possessing this mark on their arm was a "Death Eater" and could not be trusted.

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We learned that "He Who Must Not Be Named" is actually named Voldermort and is evil as they come (and also can shake it just like Shakira).

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And of course, that even if you can't see or be with the ones you love, they are always a part of you no matter what. 

If you haven't read these books, please give them a shot.  I think you will find them highly entertaining and you will soon be attached Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore and Snape in no time. 

In case you also have been in a cave these past few months and missed the preview for Part I, for your viewing pleasure you can see it below (I still get goosebumps).  My tickets are good to go for tomorrow, and I absolutely cannot wait!