My Favorite Things: July
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. I hope you enjoy these personal picks!
TV
The Wilds: Season One
Teenage girls from radically different backgrounds find themselves stranded on a remote island, unaware they’ve just become the subjects of an elaborate social experiment.
This show has been been on my Amazon watchlist for a while and to me it felt like a dystopian version of The Lost Boys. What starts out as a survival story turns into something much deeper as the story reveals the truth behind why the girls have been stranded on a desert island. It’s a show with multiple psychological twist and turns as the girls have been pushed to their wits (including the ones behind the experiment). It’s also intense and action-packed which kept me on the edge of my seat. I felt like the story is incredibly well written, especially when it came to the characters and their group as well as individual development. The acting is so good and I think that alone is what made the show such a memorable watch and how it handles some difficult topics that arise in the show. Highly recommend this show!
Movies
A Greek Recipe For Romance
After a recent setback, Abby heads to Greece to visit her mom and decide what’s next. While there, she meets Theo and they team up to open a restaurant.
A solid Hallmark movie! This film takes such to the sights and sounds of Greece. The two leading characters, Abby and Theo, have a grumpy-sunshine vibe of sorts that give some fun banter for the movie’s dialogue. The movie has a message of following your heart and pursuing your passions as Theo wants to carry on a cooking lesson and Abby needs to decide what’s the next step for her career. I think this film along with some other newer Hallmark films I have watched are doing a good job of keeping an HEA but straying from the mold of their stories to explore some complex relationships (while still keeping things lighthearted). This movie brings the vibes and a swoon-worthy romance, which left me with a cozy and happy feelings!
Miles and Lies
When Lu meets a charming Argentinian guy in Mexico and starts pursuing him on a bet, none of her friends know that she will end up flying across the borders to be with him.
I was looking for a romantic comedy and this film was an enjoyable watch! I love the opposites-attract dynamic of the two leads and how a whirlwind decision turns into something more. I would recommend watching this movie in the Spanish language than the English dub because the dubbing loses some things in translation. The film takes a light-hearted look at the rivalry (between Mexico and Argentina, and introduces viewers to the cultural, culinary and linguistic differences between the two countries. It was film that was funny, entertaining, and full of heart.
YouTube
The Retail Music Curse
I kind of new the “retail music” phenomenon was a thing, but this video helped me put that into perspective. Also reminded me of the distinction between mainstream/commercial music and general music styles. I think while it can be a blessing financially, I think it can be a curse for artist as their music gets put into a box.
How Is Everyone On Vacation? | The Social Media MLM
I’ve seen this channel on YouTube and finally took a look at one of their videos. I was pleasantly surprised by it and I loved how the video was informational without overloading the viewer with information. This video essay unpacks why it seems like every influencer (and sometimes even non-influencers) are always on vacation or lounging on a yacht, and how the marketing on our social media feeds is starting to feel eerily similar to an MLM.
Music
Loveade by VIVIZ
I just saw VIVIZ in concert in July which was so much fun! Their stage presence and performance were so good. Though they didn’t get to perform Loveade, I still love listening to this song at this time of the year. It’s a solid summer K-Pop bop!
What are some of your favorite things from July? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
That must have been such a fabulous concert! I don’t know where July went; I was squeezing in a bunch of work in order to take a bit of time off and then the month was gone. I did really enjoy Yulin Kuang’s How to End a Love Story. And I restarted The Get Down (on Netflix) which I loved when it launched but, then, lost track of somehow.