My Favorite Things: May Edition

My Favorite Things” is a monthly segment where I share my personal and current favorites in seasonal products, health & beauty, food, decor, movies, TV, and more. Hope you enjoy these personal picks!

---

Music

Feel Good Inc by Gorillaz

After finding out that the virtual band Gorillaz was releasing a new album, I decided to go through their entire discography and listen to some of their older songs. The track that sticks out to me the most is Feel Good Inc, the song is an excellent fusion of alternative rock and hip-hop. On top of that,  the song always has me dancing. Gorillaz always knows how to experiment with all types of genres in their music.

Just Friends by Musiq Soulchild

Lately, I’ve been revisiting 2000s R&B, and this continues to be one of my favorite songs. Just Friends (Sunny) is the first single from Musiq Soulchild’s debut album Aijuswanaseing and it’s one of the smoothest tracks by the singer. I love Musiq’s vocals and the velvet R&B melody laced throughout the track.

Secret by Ayumi Hamasaki

Since hearing the latest unfortunate news about Ayumi, it made me wonder about how and if she’ll be able to continue her career. In the J-Pop music world, Ayu is a legendary songstress. She has written all her lyrical content, produced her own music and has sometimes co-composed her music on many albums. Secret is one of my favorite ballads by the singer. Not only are the vocals on this track beautiful, but the lyrics are too.

---

Movies

Amira & Sam

Synopsis: An army veteran’s unlikely romance with an Iraqi immigrant is put to the test when she is faced with the prospect of deportation.

I loved this movie, the romance was sweet and I enjoyed the characters portrayed in the film. The plot while not only engaging, brings up a discussion about society as it tackles issues of immigration, the military, and capitalism. This made the film thought-provoking and having the film focus on two people from different worlds helps readers to see both sides of the story. Besides the serious moments, the film was full of laughs and heartwarming moments. Definitely recommended.

Suddenly Seventeen

Synopsis: The movie stars Ni Ni and Wallace Huo as an engaged couple preparing for their upcoming marriage. The bride’s obsession for a perfect wedding puts a strain in their relationship and, unable to withstand her demands, the groom ultimately calls it quits and breaks up with her. In a heartbroken state, she carelessly ingests a magical item, which transports the 28-year-old’s mind back to when she was only seventeen years old.

This movie is a fun mashup of 13 Going on 30 and 17 Again except in this film the main character only transports to her 17-year-old self with a short time limit with magical chocolate before returning to her self. The viewer can see instantaneously the difference between the two versions of Liang (main character). Her 17-year-old self is fun and outgoing, while her 28-year-old self is reserved and is hung up on trying not to lose her ex-boyfriend. This was a great movie full of comedic laughs, but also lots of heartwarming moments as it asks viewers the questions, “what you do if you were 17 again?”

---

Beauty

Formula 10.06 Picture Perfect Day Moisturizer

While I was out and about looking for a new moisturizer, I found that one of my favorite brands Formula 10.06 had a new product. The Picture Perfect Day Moisturizer is perfect for summer. It’s lightweight, provides hydration,  and sun protection all-in-one. The Super-fruit Guava refines pores and promotes clear skin while the Vitamin C moisturizes. It leaves my skin clear and during those sunny day a little SPF always comes in handy.

O.P.I. New Orleans Collection

O.P.I. is one of my favorite nail polishes that is long-lasting and has an amazing variety of colors. This four piece mini set features shades inspired from New Orleans. The colors include: Got Myself into a Jam-balaya, Take a Right on Bourbon, I’m Sooo Swamped!, Show Us Your Tips! I love the vibrant colors and plan on using them all summer long.

---

TV

The Sound of Your Heart

Synopsis: Based on the longest-running web-based comic series “Ma Eum Ui Sori” in Korea, “Sound of your heart” is a story about Cho Seok, an aspiring comic writer, and his strange family.

This show is hilarious! I have briefly heard of the webtoon before watching the show, but after I finished watching this 10 episode series I found myself reading the webtoon on a weekly basis. The show takes snippet from Cho Seok’s life and segments of the webtoon as viewers get to see the crazy antics of his family who fight constantly, but at the end of the day they love each other. All of the family members have clashing personalities: the Mom is head boss, the dad is lazy, the older brother thinks he’s such a ladies man, and Cho Seok’s girlfiend is somewhat intense. If you’re looking for a show full of non-stop laughs, this is for you.

Inuyasha: The Final Act

Synopsis: Half-demon Inuyasha and schoolgirl Kagome face their most cunning enemy yet, demon mastermind Naraku, in their quest to restore the shattered Shikon Jewel. With the jewel nearly complete, the race to collect the remaining shards intensifies with an epic battle on the horizon. The team fighting for good must summon the strength and loyalty needed to push themselves beyond their limits and achieve their ultimate goal.

To be honest, I was almost not going to watch this show since I watched all 167 episodes of the original series (call me crazy) and was disappointed with it ending without any resolution to the plot. But my co-worker convinced me to watch it and I’m glad I did. Inuyasha holds a special place in my heart as I was one of the first anime I watched diligently when I started to get into Japanese animation. The Final Act wraps up the entire series in a concise 26 episodes without all of those stupid filler episodes that anime normally has. I was pleased with the ending, the endless amounts of action, and the character development.

Frontier – Season 1

Synopsis: The series follows Declan Harp (Jason Momoa), a part-Irish, part-Cree outlaw who is campaigning to breach the Hudson’s Bay Company’s monopoly on the fur trade in Canada.

If you love period/historical dramas I highly recommend this show! I haven’t seen too many shows that focus on this period of history, so I was intrigued by the plot and the fact that it stars Jason Mamoa (he’s good-looking and a great actor). I will admit the story line is a bit jumbled in the first couple of episodes and it’s a bit difficult to tell who’s who and which side their on. By the third episodes the plot smooths itself out, so the show becomes easier to follow and the world building is set up. The show is full of action, romance, and drama making it highly engrossing, but be warned that there is a ton of graphic violence.

The Indian Doctor – Series One

Synopsis: When a sleepy 1960s Welsh mining town’s only doctor dies, the only replacement the union representative could find arrives, straight from India.  Sanjeev Bhaskar stars as Dr. Prem Sharma, the Indian doctor of the title who moves with his wife Kamini Sharma (Ayesha Dharker). The series is based on a true story of culture clash.

Besides the fact that I love period dramas, I initially sought out this series because of Ayesha Dharker. I’ve seen her work in previous films and thought she was a very good actress, and in this show she does a spectacular job. Like the synopsis says, the show paints a vivid portrait of a quiet town during the 1960s and culture clash. Both sides are somewhat prejudiced at first meeting, but as the show goes on and the tension somewhat dissolves. The story is interesting, the acting is superb, and I enjoyed the scenic landscapes.

Getting On – Season 1

Synopsis: This series based on the British series of the same name.The series is set in the Billy Barnes Extended Care Unit of the down-and-out Mount Palms Memorial Hospital in Long Beach, California. The show follows the lives of the staff involved in the ward’s daily operation, specifically Dr. Jenna James (Laurie Metcalf), the ward’s director of medicine; Dawn Forchette (Alex Borstein), the head nurse; Didi Ortley (Niecy Nash), a nurse; and Patsy De La Serda (Mel Rodriguez), the supervising nurse.

This series is equal parts charming and equal parts heartbreaking. Even in its somber setting, it’s filled with humorous yet sensitive narratives and characterizations. I liked that the series not only focuses on the doctors and nurses that are hard at work, but that it profiles some of the resident patients too. If you enjoy medical dramas, Getting On just might be the show for you.

---

*This post is in no way sponsored

What are some of your favorite things in May? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. 🙂

THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.