My Favourite Things of 2013

Can you believe there’s only a few weeks left of 2013? You know what that means: time for a recap!

Before I do my personal Year In Review, I like to do a round up of my favourite things of the year including books, music, and more. I know, I know, usually they each have their own post, but I’m a mom now and don’t have time for such things. So let’s get down to business.

ALBUMS:

Atoms For Peace – Amok

Lorde – Pure Herione

Grouplove – Spreading Rumours

Diarrhea Planet – I’m Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams

Speedy Ortiz – Major Arcana

Baths – Obsidian

Nick Cave – Push the Sky Away

Nine Inch Nails – Hesitation Marks

On And On – Give In

Young Magic – Melt

BOOKS (not necessarily released in 2013, just read in 2013):

Cuckoo’s Calling – Robert Galbraith/JK Rowling

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore – Robin Sloan

Tell the Wolves I’m Home – Carol Rifka Brunt

The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt

Where’d You Go, Bernadette – Maria Semple

FILMS:

Blue Jasmine

Happy

Sound City

This Is The End

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints

(Note: In my opinion, this year’s offering of movies was pretty dismal. I’m guessing my actual favourite movie of the year is still to come. Possibly Anchorman 2 or Her.)

TV:

Mad Men

30 Rock (for the series finale alone, which made me cry. Why did it have to end at all?!?)

Breaking Bad (ditto, minus the tears.)

Louie

Arrested Development

House Of Cards

Girls

Big Bang Theory

Orange Is The New Black

BLOGS/WEBSITES:

A Cup Of Jo

Mind Body Green

Bunnyfood

Swiss Miss

New York Times

Refinery 29

Humor Train

The Grand Budapest Hotel

After the sad news yesterday that Kumar Pallana had passed away at the age of 94, we get some good Wes Anderson-related news today. The gorgeous movie poster for Anderson’s next film is here and so is the trailer! Watch it NOW! My eyes are already salivating for its 2014 release.

And if you have a moment, read about Kumar Pallana’s amazing life. I only knew that he worked at a coffee shop in Texas and that’s where he was befriended and cast in movies by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson, but there’s so much more!

 

There’s always money in the banana stand

Part of Arrested Development’s debut on Netflix streaming includes clever marketing events like this Frozen Banana Stand that is traveling across the country. The stand was giving away free chocolate-covered frozen bananas and supposedly the actors from the show were supposed to be hanging around.

Unfortunately, when Annie and I got there at 3:00, we waited in an enormous line for about 25 minutes then they ran out of bananas.

Womp womp. But that’s okay – all I really wanted was a photo with the stand and to check out the scene…

…It was also easy to cheer ourselves up with a visit to the Magnolia Bakery across the street.

Arrested Development Returns

I believe that Arrested Development, like Freaks and Geeks, was a show that was too ahead of its time to succeed. It was so clever and so funny that TV bosses believed it to be too complicated and involved to keep the audience’s attention. We’ve come a long way since then and demand much more of our television, so I just can’t wait to see what Arrested Development’s season four has in store for us. Time to figure out my Netflix streaming!

Also: Are you a Binge-Viewer?

Sound City

I’ve come along way from being that music-obsessed teenager; who spent all her spare time playing in a band, listening to music, and filling up video tapes with music videos recorded from MuchMusic. I wanted to go to every concert, despite being under age and not having any money. I was pretty one dimensional back then, but I’ve since developed other loves like yoga and photography, even love for cities like New York, Toronto, and Paris.

However, music will always be my first love. And that’s why while watching the new documentary Sound City on Saturday afternoon, I got chills. You can’t explain to other people, just why music is so important, they just have to get it themselves. This movie, a brainchild of Dave Grohl (who is clearly good at EVERYTHING), is by music lovers, about music lovers, for music lovers. If you’re a music lover, you have got to watch it.

Obviously, you should watch this in a theatre with a good sound system, but if it’s not an option, you can buy it online.

Goodbye, Liz Lemon

After seven years of making me laugh on a weekly basis, 30 Rock is ending. Tina Fey’s masterpiece (yes, I think it deserves that title) and my blog’s namesake will have a one hour season finale tomorrow night. Only a few TV shows have made me laugh in a way that 30 Rock did; including Arrested Development and The Simpsons in the mid-90s. I will really miss this show.

There’s nothing left to do but drown your sorrows in some classic 30 Rock moments on Youtube, and join me (physically or via text message) tomorrow night in watching the series finale at 8:00.

Chocolate chocolate chocolate ack!

Happy Valentine’s, no one:

Jerry Seinfeld:

Night cheese:

P.S. did anyone else almost tear up last week when Kenneth became President of NBC and Liz adopted mini Tracy & Jennas? No? Just Me? G.D., I love that show.

Tina vs Twitter

I don’t hate Twitter, but I do agree with Tina Fey that having to get a license to have a Twitter account ain’t a bad idea. And yes, please hire her to be the one to grade the tests when she’s finished with 30 Rock (sad face).

Also for you Twitter n00bs:

• A Crash Course In Twitter
• Mom, This Is How Twitter Works