The INFJ Movie Questionnaire

1. Your favorite movie: Before Sunrise (the entire trilogy, actually)



2. A movie you still haven't seen but want to: The Godfather



3. A movie that makes you happy: Troop Beverly Hills



4. A movie that makes you sad/cry: Steel Magnolias



5. A movie that reminds you of someone: Anywhere But Here 



6. A movie that reminds you of somewhere: The Next Three Days (filmed in my neighborhood)



7. A movie that reminds you of a certain event: Zack and Miri Make a Porno (high school reunions)

8. A movie that you know all the lines to: Clueless



9. A movie that makes you think: Eyes Wide Shut



10. A movie with a good soundtrack: Stealing Beauty



11. A movie by your favorite director: Dazed and Confused (Richard Linklater)



12. A movie featuring your favorite actor: The Notebook (Rachel McAdams & Ryan Gosling)



13. A movie that is a guilty pleasure: The Women



14. A movie that no one would expect you to love: Party Monster



15. A movie that describes you/you can relate to: Safety Not Guaranteed



16. A black & white film: For Lovers Only



17. A movie that you see often on TV: Mean Girls



18. A movie that you wish you saw on TV: To the Wonder



19. A movie from your favorite genre: Titanic



20. A movie that you love at Christmas: The Family Stone



21. A movie that you love at Halloween: Hocus Pocus



22. A move that makes you scared: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre



23. A movie from before you were born: Gone with the Wind



24. A movie from your childhood: Now and Then



25. A movie you wish you were in: Sixteen Candles (not necessarily the movie but the era)



26. A sports movie: The Mighty Ducks



27. A movie that makes you laugh: What We Do in the Shadows



28. A romantic movie: Charlie Countryman



29. An animated movie: The BFG



30. A musical: The Wizard of Oz



31. A fairy tale: Ever After: A Cinderella Story



32. An action movie: Striking Distance



33. A documentary: Living Dolls: The Making of a Child Beauty Queen; Nursery University



34. A foreign film: A Swedish Love Story













Now Playing: "Anabel - (Radio Edit)" by Luc Angenehm

The INFJ Music Questionnaire

1. Your favorite song: Having a Party by Sam Cooke



2. Your least favorite song: I don't really have one but Bad Day by Daniel Powter isn't great.



3. A song that makes you happy: Rebel Yell by Billy Idol



4. A song that makes you sad: Blood by The Middle East (a beautiful kind of sad)



5. A song that reminds you of someone: Return of the Mack (C&J Street Mix) by Mark Morrison (makes me think of my best friend)



6. A song that reminds you of somewhere: Country Roads by John Denver (brings back memories of college in West Virginia)



7. A song that reminds you of a certain event: Disparate Youth by Santigold (a music festival)



8. A song that you know all the words to: Head Over Feet by Alanis Morissette



9. A song that you can dance to: Yeah! by Usher, Lil Jon, & Ludacris



10. A song that makes you fall asleep: All the Wild Horses by Ray LaMontagne



11. A song from your favorite band: The Sun by Portugal. The Man



12. A song from a band you hate: Hate is a strong word but if I had to choose, any song by Green Day is not something I'd keep on the radio.



13. A song that is a guilty pleasure: Goodbye, Horses by Q Lazzarus



14. A song that no one would expect you to love: Who You'd Be Today by Kenny Chesney



15. A song that describes you: Red Headed Woman by Bruce Springsteen



16. A song that you used to love but now hate: It's not like me at all to drastically change my opinion on things. There really isn't any I can think of. Here's a song that you may have never heard before that I play nonstop. Love it! Higher by Kwamie Liv



17. A song that you hear often on the radio: I don't listen to a lot of top 40 radio but growing up, I remember I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston constantly being played.



18. A song that you wish you heard on the radio: Little Red Corvette by Prince

19. A song from your favorite album: Born to Die by Lana Del Rey



20. A song that you listen to when you're angry: Ghost Lights by Woodkid



21. A song that you listen to when you're happy: Balance by Future Islands



22. A song that you listen to when you're sad: Port of Morrow by The Shins



23. A song that you want to play at your wedding: All I Want is You by U2



24. A song that you want to play at your funeral: Aside from traditional church hymns, Turn Into the Noise by Patrick Watson has a fitting vibe.


25. A song that you love at Christmas: Other than holiday music which I love, Blood Bank by Bon Iver



26. A song that makes you laugh: Alexander Wang by Bon Qui Qui. If you're unfamiliar, she's actually a comedienne (Anjelah Johnson).



27. A song that you can play on an instrument: Unfortunately, I don't play any instruments. It would be nice to play piano or acoustic guitar. I've always liked listening to classical music.



28. A song that you wish you could play: First Arabesque by Claude Debussy. I loved the version from the theme of the PBS show Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer.






29. A song that makes you feel guilty: This was a challenge. I wouldn't say this song makes me feel guilty per se but the imagery it conjures is interesting. No Stranger by Small Black



30. A song from your childhood: Jump by Kris Kross



31. Your favorite song at this time last year: I Went to the Store One Day by Father John Misty

Quoteworthy: Roald Dahl, 1916-1990

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
-Roald Dahl

Sasha Fierce Roman, February 1, 2008-September 13, 2016

In loving remembrance of my beloved Sasha, who came to us on election night 2008. She deserved a much longer life but the 8 years that we were blessed to have her will always be cherished. When I found out that we shared a birthday, I was positive that she was sent into my life for a reason. One other synchronicity will always stick with me. Shortly before Sasha came into our family, I asked my Mom for a cat. She was hesitant about adding another animal into our family so as a "consolation", she bought me a toy cat with black and white fur. Eerily enough, Sasha looked identical to this figurine.

I've always been an animal lover. The amount of joy and enrichment that they bring into our world is unparalleled. I'll never forget the way Sasha snuggled on my lap when I was sick or how her companionship comforted me when I was going through a difficult time in my life. I loved squeezing her paw and listening to her purr. She was gentle but adventurous and always eager to explore. She chose our family and we gladly adopted her into our home. I will never forget her magical spirit.











Now Playing: "Adventures In Your Own Backyard" by Patrick Watson

Flick Pick: Manhattan Night

It's not often that I pay much attention to current movies that are being released. I prefer to find them a bit more organically. I must have totally missed any marketing or promos that was done for Manhattan Night. Recently, I randomly caught the trailer but quickly discovered that the film was out earlier this year. It can now be viewed online in its entirety.



Adapted from the 1996 crime novel Manhattan Nocturne by Colin Harrison, the story promises many thrilling twists and turns. Several reviews are rather abysmal but I rarely agree with critics. I have yet to check this one out for myself but it looks exciting and is on my watchlist. I will update this post with my thoughts after I view the film.

UPDATE: I'm not sure how I feel about this movie. There was several elements that I really admired but overall, I think it will be forgettable. The acting was superb. I thought Adrien Brody and Yvonne Stahovski had immense chemistry. The cinematography was beautiful. The score was nice. And the noir vibe that director Brian DeCubellis created was one of the strongest aspects of this film. I simply found the story itself to be lacking with certain arcs borderline ridiculous. This genre of film is out of the norm for me. I enjoyed spending a couple hours with it but would I recommend it to someone else? Perhaps, but it definitely caters to a specific audience. It had an old-world vibe that some movie buffs could either love or hate. If you enjoy dark mystery and erotic romance, you might find something here. 7/10.









Now Playing: "ILYSB" by LANY

Recently Purchased

Stone Houses: Traditional Homes of Pennsylvania's Bucks County and Brandywine Valley by Margaret Bye Richie
I've wanted this book for years. Having grown up and lived in a stone house for most of my life, I admire so much about this style of architecture. I also happen to have a small obsession with older houses in general. This is a hard book to find as it is out of print. There are even used copies on Amazon going for $2,000 and several others listed for hundreds. When I saw one for sale for a fair price with proceeds going to a local library in Mt. Lebanon, I jumped at the chance to finally add this to my collection.

Steelers vs. Dolphins Game Ticket
Our away trip this year will be to Miami. I'm admittedly not as excited as I usually get because I have been to Florida so many times but I've never been to this stadium. We didn't have many options this year as just about every opponent was located within a reasonable driving distance from Pittsburgh. Miami was the most exotic of our choices. At this point, I would happily go anywhere! I am looking forward to cocktails on the beach and late night dance parties. Our goal is to eventually make it to every NFL stadium in the league. As a group, I think we're about halfway there.

Stainless Steel Cold Cup Tumbler
I picked this up at the local Nordstrom Rack grand opening party. I have a similar bronze one from Starbucks that I constantly use so it's been a nice addition to have another version. It's listed as rose gold but it reminds me of copper. Love.

Kate Spade Stud Earrings Set
I also picked these up on sale at Nordstrom Rack. As much as I love to admire jewelry, I don't wear a lot of it. Stud earrings is usually where it begins and ends with me. I have amassed quite the collection. I lost count of how many Kate Spade pairs I own but I didn't have any black ones-- at least I don't think I did! Any girl from Pittsburgh could definitely get use out of these beauties. The stripes would especially look cute with Pirates gear. Completely justified.

Chanel Fall 2016 Eyeshadow Quad 268 Candeur et Experience
I have to give myself a slap on the wrist for this purchase. I am desperately trying to edit down my massive collection and stop buying more makeup but as a Chanel collector, this was too hard to resist. It is Chanel's first ever all matte palette and also the debut release from Lucia Pica. And those colors? It has my name written all over it. I was well-behaved and held off on getting another product (Illusion d'Ombre 128 Rouge Brûlé) from the collection but it has since sold out-- so disappointed. Lately, I haven't been wearing makeup much but am excited to play around with this when the time comes.

Tommy Hilfiger Baseball Cap
I'm a Tommy girl. It was the first perfume I remember wearing as a young girl (and I still think it smells good). Tommy Hilfiger is synonymous with my childhood. While the resurgence of 90s fashion has been somewhat eyeroll-inducing (these kids weren't even alive to know how good that decade was!), I can get behind anything TH. I initially came across this hat on ebay but when I went to purchase, it was sold. When I found the exact style and color at an outlet store in New York (the only one there was), I immediately took it home with me. This hat was simply meant to be in my closet. I'm a hat lover and also take well to this shade of green. Kismet.










Now Playing: "Unless You Speak From Your Heart" by Porcelain Raft

Get Lit: A Few of My Favorite Coffee Table Books

Please excuse the horrible lack of feng shui happening within this collage. Its asymmetry is most disappointing.

I collect a lot of things. A minimalist I am not. And there are few things in life that I love more than books. Some women dream of having a jewelry box full of diamonds or a closet stocked with designer shoes but I lust after a home library. I tend to gravitate toward non-fiction. I enjoy memoirs, satire/humor, essays and anything on the occult. But my biggest love is for coffee table books. Not only are they fascinating to read and visually admire but they're also one of my favorite things to decorate with. Nothing makes a room look more put together than a well-placed book. I appreciate a wide variety of subject matter: fashion, art, photography, beauty, architecture, music, design... The list is endless.

I mostly get my books used from various online retailers (Amazon, ebay, etc...) but am always scouring thrift stores as well. To check out my virtual bookshelves featuring thousands of my favorite titles, you can visit my Pinterest. In the mean time, I thought I'd share just a few of my favorites:

• Well-Read Women: Portraits of Fiction's Most-Beloved Heroines by Samantha Hahn.             If you're a fan of quotes and watercolor illustrations, you'll appreciate this book. It's a pretty book to flip through and especially nice as a gift for the woman in your life who loves literature.
• Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion and Architecture                                                                            When this book was originally published several years ago, it was at the top of my Christmas list. For fans of architectural store design, this one is for you. Lovers of Takashi Murakami's iconic collaboration with Louis Vuitton will cherish having this book displayed in their homes. 
• Habitually Chic: Creativity at Work by Heather Clawson.                                                           If you follow the sensational style blog Habitually Chic, you must add this fabulous book to your collection. For those who have a passion for making a living out of doing what they love, you will take away much inspiration. Creatives will particularly be receptive to its content. Over the years, I've proudly displayed this book at the office, on my desk at home and anywhere that needs a touch of brightness. 
• Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel by Lisa Vreeland.                                                           If you grew up reading fashion magazines like I did, you will be familiar with Diana Vreeland's iconic career at Harper's Bazaar. For the most part, Vreeland was before my time (and her own for that matter) but this book provides a stellar glimpse into the fashion publishing world's past. This is mostly a visual photography book showcasing Vreeland's extraordinary contributions to the industry. 
• Face Paint: The Story of Makeup by Lisa Eldridge.                                                                     Surprisingly enough, before this book was published, there really wasn't anything on the market quite like it. It's hard to believe that no one had put together a book on the history of makeup. That might sound frivolous but the cosmetics industry is massively profitable and has a strong following. It's no surprise how popular this book has become. I adore the artistry and femininity behind makeup so of course I appreciate every page of this very well put together book. I'm also a major fan of Lisa Eldridge's work as well as her YouTube channel. If you're a beauty lover, this is a must-have. 
• Advanced Style by Ari Seth Cohen.                                                                                                 Here we have another incredible book that was spawned via a wonderful blog. This is a fantastic display of impeccable style at all ages. Our society tends to favor youth and beauty over the wisdom and elegance that comes with time but this book defies that stereotype. One of my all-time favorite style blogs brought to life in book form.
• Kate Spade New York: Things We Love - Twenty Years of Inspiration, Intriguing Bits and Other Curiosities                                                                                                                               I love Kate Spade's whimsical designs and affordable price points. For fans of the brand, this is a terrific book to add to your collection. It features a delightful selection of style inspiration that girlie girls of all ages can appreciate.
• Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People by Hamish Bowles.                                                       This was one of the first coffee table books I ever bought. When it comes to this sort of genre, no one does it better than Vogue. I have since purchased a number of books from the magazine and they're all worthy of the cost. As a particular lover of the subject matter, this is one of my favorites.
• Mark Ryden: The Tree Show by Holly Meyers & Mark Ryden.                                                   Mark Ryden is one of my favorite contemporary artists whose work is so unique and magical. Some of my favorite pieces are featured in this collection. If you're a fan of this style of art, I highly recommend owning this book. If I ever strike it rich, Mark Ryden would be the first artist I would contact to commission a painting for me. I hope to add another book by him into my collection in the near future. 

Now Playing: "Call" by Francesco Yates