After books, my second favourite form of escapism is DVD box sets, or more recently, Netflix. Today I thought I'd round-up five of my favourite shows for you. If you haven't seen any of them, do yourself a favour and watch them. They all offer something a bit different, I'll try to touch on that below and are all pretty darn fantastic. Of course I am biased here but seriously, they are worth watching and re-watching. 

Parks and Recreation: Or Parks and Sparks, as it is known among some of my family. Don't ask. This show is described as The West Wing meets The Office (the US version) and I believe it is created by some of the people responsible for the latter. Leslie Knope works in the local government's Parks and Recreation department along with a cast of less than motivated, somewhat disinterested employees. They don't quite share her enthusiasm and aspirations to be the next Hillary Clinton but they sure bring the humour. This show is hilarious and it is so well-written. There's also fantastic improv too which is to be expected when you have the likes of Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza among others in the cast. I'm re-watching this at the moment and am thoroughly enjoying it all over again.

New Girl: One quirky twenty-something shares a loft apartment in LA with three other guys. Of course hilarious chaos and moments occur. I know some people think New Girl has lost its luster and I've only just started S5 so I can't really comment but I'm still liking it so far. Zooey Deschanel as Jess is just so loveable and relatable. Actually she's scarily relatable at times. I also love Max Greenfield as Schmidt. He's amazing. 

The Crown: Yes I am mentioning this Netflix gem again. I finished watching this a second time recently and loved it just as much another time around. I can't wait for Season Two which will be partially, if not totally set in the sixties. My favourite decade, particularly fashion-wise. There's more to this show than fashion of course. It's a thoroughly interesting look at the Royal Family and an insight into the sides of them we don't really see. 

Gilmore Girls: Who would have really expected this show to be here? Ahem. There's something so comforting and likeable about this show. I cannot quite ever put my finger on it but I think a lot of it comes down to the relationship between Lorelai and Rory at its simplest. That and the plethora of references plus it's just really fun to watch. I love it a lot and will always have a special place in my heart for Gilmore Girls.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: Netflix is blessing us in the original series department at the moment. I've been a Lemony Snicket fan for as long as I can remember so I was really looking forward to this series. It really delivered and was extremely faithful to the books. At times there are even subtle references to later books and little nuances from the series as a whole. You don't necessarily need to have read the books first to follow this one though. If you like dark humour and less than happy tales, this is for you. Shout-out to Neil Patrick Harris for his amazing performance as Count Olaf and his many different characters. 

-What shows do you love?

*Throwback time! If you've been sticking around long enough you will know I used to sign off my blog posts with life rambles, on occasion. Maybe I will revive them this year because I used to like doing them and I think some of you liked reading them too. I just wanted to let y'all know I will be a bit MIA from the blog over the next week as I have an exam soon for my Summer School paper and will be in full on nerd mode. I will be back at some stage next week (hopefully) with a beauty post I have been working on for a little while. Otherwise I'll no doubt still be around a bit on the 'gram and things. Have a great week and weekend! x

As I write this it is now just a week until Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life wings its merry way onto Netflix. Less time than that if we are getting really technical. Excitement levels are nearing their peak. As Leslie Knope would say "this is my Hoover Dam" and I think it's safe to bet that this is going to be an iconic, unforgettable moment for many of us. While the days are disappearing faster than I can say "Oy with the poodles already" and if we're going by Lorelai Gilmore speeds, that is fast, it's never too late to be prepared. For what exactly? The religion, the lifestyle that is marathon watching the four movie-length specials. Let's be real. Who is realistically going to stagger each one? Here's ten ways to prepare for the arrival of the new Gilmore Girls episodes...

1. Binge watch the entire show. It may be a little late in the piece to do that now, although if you do decide to indulge in that this weekend, there will be no judgement from me. I have been re-watching the show from the beginning for most of the year and still have all of Season 7 to go. I can't realistically see myself finishing it but I'm going to make an effort to. In between my other commitments of course Madre, if you're reading. 

2. Organise a viewing party. I'm actually going to be watching the specials next week of course, but an actual party followed by analysis and discussion of each one will be taking place the following weekend. If there's anything we want to get passionate about, we have a week to do that. Of course there will be supplies of the Gilmore Girls favourite things; coffee, Pop Tarts and junk food on hand. 

3. Quiz yo'self. Are you competitive like Rory or Paris? Now is the time to brush up on each season and make sure you're a connoisseur when it comes to all things Gilmore. Buzzfeed has a tonne of fun Gilmore themed quizzes you can take to test your knowledge as well as some other ones where you can see which of Rory's men you'd end up with, what Hogwarts House you'd be in based on your Gilmore preferences and other things.

4. Rewatch the trailer. You know you want to. Following that, start speculating about what you think is going to happen and what questions you want answered. This could potentially be another game. Perhaps a prize for whoever guesses the most plot elements correctly?

5. Buy Lauren's book. Technically this is released after the episodes debut on Netflix but there's no harm in being organised. There'll be plenty of Lorelai themed anecdotes in here and after the episode-watching is done, you can guarantee I will be working my way through this. 

6. Make pro/con lists to determine which of Rory and Lorelai's teams you're on. Loyal fans will know Rory loves a good pro/con list and there is always countless debate among my friends as to whom each Gilmore is best suited to. This is the perfect way to determine the answer to those controversial questions by examining the finer details. G and J if you're reading, we should do this so we can compare answers.

7. Complete my tag. Whether you're a blogger or not, you could still do this if you want. Personal bias aside, this is actually really fun to do and I highly recommend you ask yourself these questions.

8. Watch films like a true pop-culture buff. Movies and endless pop culture references are a big part of Gilmore Girls. While you wait for the new episodes, why don't you consult their movie list and find some you've not seen to watch? I'm adding Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Funny Girl and Jerry Maguire to my list.

9. Indulge in some Gilmore Girls snacks. Coffee, a pastry a la Luke's Diner, Pop Tarts, Red Vines, Chinese food. The options are endless here. Perhaps you'll branch out and try Mallowmars too? Are they real...*

10. Treat yourself to some Gilmore Girls merch. I found the card pictured above on Etsy. Actually Etsy is the best for cool things. You could get this cute print of Fall in Stars Hollow, some complimentary pencils to share with all your Gilmore Girls loving friends, this philosophical tee or even a Luke's Diner pin.

-How will you be preparing for the revival?

*I asked Google and they are real.

It's probably not obvious to anybody that I love Gilmore Girls. In case that wasn't obvious, the previous statement is laden with sarcastic undertones. Gilmore Girls is one of those shows that is just so nostalgic for so many of us. Its one of those programs that became a bit of a tradition to watch, dissect and debate the various suitors for Lorelai and Rory. It probably did Pop Tarts a deal of good and introduced many of us to a plethora of iconic pop culture moments. The humour was always there and the fast talking put it in a league of its own. Even now in the days of endless distractions you have to be paying attention to watch it, lest you miss some crucial piece of dialogue. Whether that be one of Emily's not so subtle digs or Lorelai's love for sarcasm. 

Unless you've been living under a rock you'll know Netflix is blessing us with four, ninety minute specials in November. It's just under three weeks away actually. In honour of that I decided to create a Gilmore Girls tag. There could've been heaps of questions here but I decided to limit it to ten. This was so fun to put together too. So have a read, sit back, get your IV's of coffee and Red Vines, cake or Pop Tarts at the ready and enjoy...

-What was your first introduction to Gilmore Girls? I remember Gilmore Girls used to be on TV here on a Sunday afternoon and I know it became a ritualistic thing for a lot of people. I was not one of them but I do remember it being on in the background at home. Some of my extended family love it though and one Summer afternoon, my cousin and I binge-watched three or four episodes in a row. Perhaps it's because we watched partway through a season that I didn't really connect with it. I liked it but for some reason I didn't pursue watching it beyond that. Fast-forward to the Summer holidays in 2011 and I changed that. The rest is history. 

-Who is your favourite character and why? Lorelai freakin' Gilmore, the cool Mom. The one played by Lauren Graham. Side note: Why am I explaining this...She's armed with a whole arsenal of pop culture references, she talks fast, she's witty, she's stylish. She's just awesome. Yes she's a fictional character but if she were real I feel like we'd totally be friends IRL. Seriously.

-Are you on Team Jess, Dean or Logan? Why? My answer to this question changes all the time. I feel like all of Rory's potential suitors have strengths and distinct flaws. For now though I am fully on Team Jess. Yes he had a tendency to up and leave and wasn't the greatest at communicating but he seemed to care the most about Rory. He also loved reading just like Rory and when he wanted to be he had that whole quiet intellectual thing down. 

-How many of the books have you read from Rory's reading list? For reference, here is Rory's reading list. There's 339 books on here so it's rather mammoth. With this list in mind, I have read a grand total of...27 books. Dismal I know. Let me know in the comments if you've read more than me.

-Would you rather; only be allowed to drink coffee, or never be able to eat Pop Tarts again? This is easy for me, I'd rather never be allowed to eat Pop Tarts again. C'mon, imagine if coffee was your only beverage. That would get bad, fast! Also I kinda think Pop Tarts are disgusting, with the exception of the S'mores ones. 

-Who is your least favourite character? This might be an unpopular opinion but here goes, Taylor Doose is my least favourite character. I know he serves a greater purpose as town selectman but he's just so annoying. I can't think of a character, with the exception of Kirk, who he doesn't enrage for some reason or other. He's just awful, and despite claiming he has the town's best interests at heart he just seems selfish and power-hungry. Sorry Taylor, you're just a pain. 

-Are you on Team Luke, or Team Christopher? Team Luke, always. Who cares that Christopher was Rory's Dad? Luke was always, always on team Lorelai and Rory. Even when they both made mistakes of their own. He makes a good cup of coffee too and is a genuinely nice guy. Team Luke forevs. 

-If you went to Stars Hollow, where would you most like to visit? The Gilmore Girls house, The Dragonfly Inn for one of Sookie's next level meals, Luke's for coffee (duh), the bookstore (whose name escapes me), the lake where Luke pushed Jess in for nostalgic reasons, the black and white cinema. So many places. I'd have to pass by Hartford to visit Emily though, even though that'd be terrifying af. 

-What would you steal from the Gilmore Girls set? Lorelai Gilmore's pink coat. There's just something about it. I'd also steal some stationery from The Dragonfly, a coffee cup from Lukes and maybe some books from Rory's room. Sorry Rory. 

-Finally, what do you hope happens in the revival? This is totally random but I would love to see a Hillary Clinton cameo. It seems unlikely but I'd love it. On a more realistic level I just want to see Lorelai and Rory happy. Going off the trailer it seems like they both hit a bit of a roadblock but I hope they resolve it. What else...I want to see Lorelai and Luke married, please. I have also discussed the idea of Emily moving in with Lorelai after Richard's passing and the inevitable chaos that ensues, that'd be hilarious. 

*I hope you all enjoyed this tag. I had a lot of fun coming up with it. I'm gonna tag some of my fave Gilmore Girls lovers to do this: Britney, Tara and Ellen, Amy, Temi and everyone else who wants to do this. Have fun!

Why hello and happy Wednesday. Academia is slowly eating my brain so today I have a list of experiences and digital things I have been loving lately. Netflix, creative women and fabulous drag queens, there's something for everybody...

The return of Lorelai and Rory-Advanced apologies if I become that person who gets far too overexcited about the four episodes of Gilmore Girls coming to Netflix. In fact, I know I will be that person because I am already excited. It's basically like a pre-Christmas for me and is going to soften the blow of Summer School. Anyway, naturally the pop culture hub that is Buzzfeed are excited too and compiled this list of the must-have foods we need to make our Netflix experience more Lorelai and Rory worthy. While some may be a bit harder to track down in the Southern Hemisphere, you can sure as heck bet I will be loading up on American snacks and coffee. 

Beauty adventures and free sample paradise-Rosalind Jana is fast becoming one of my favourite writers and I really enjoyed this piece she penned about makeup in her adolescence and the beauty bag of treasures she obtained from the magazines. It made me nostalgic and also made me smile as I reminisced about the similar habits I had back in the days. If you've grown up loving beauty and the tools that accompany it, you'll relate to this.

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert-Last week I was lucky enough to attend the first show of Priscilla's return season here in Auckland* and oh my goodness, it did not disappoint. It is safe to say Lucie and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, as did the rest of the audience. I have never seen an audience come alive like that during a show. It was something else. It's had a bit of a makeover this time around, I think it is closer to the Broadway adaptation than the original Australian production but I like that. It gives it new life and colour, especially with the updated soundtrack. It is just as hilarious, just as fun and just as amazing, especially in the costume stakes. If you want a fun night out, it's on until the 13th of November so go see it. You will not regret it. 

Haters Back Off-This is turning into a bit of a Netflix love letter unintentionally. Miranda Sings aka Colleen Ballinger's new series debuted at the end of last week and I am loving it. Honestly at first I thought it was going to be a bit of a letdown and I have only watched two episodes thus far but I am loving them. It's lighthearted, funny and just really cleverly done. Colleen and everyone else involved have done an awesome job. If you're a Mirfanda and there are a lot of them out there now, you need to see this. Do it. 

Mara Wilson in conversation with Emma Gannon-Mara Wilson's written what is easily one of my favourite books of the year and I loved Emma Gannon's too. What happens when you put two inspiring women like this together is all kinds of magic. Emma interviewed Mara ahead of her book's release and the conversation is well worth a listen. If you are not already subscribed to this podcast, I highly suggest you change that. 

-What have you been loving lately?

*Tickets provided c/o Auckland Live.

It's April Favourites time again. This month it's been all about the mattes, the neutrals and some skincare staples. There's even some nail gems and a series I've had on repeat this month in the mix too. 

Here's what I've been loving throughout April..

Mac Paint Pot in Groundwork*-If you've been reading Nana Wintour for a while you'll know I'm quite fond of Mac's Paint Pots. Groundwork is a mid-toned taupe and on the lids it looks quite warm. If your eyeshadow is prone to creasing then this is a great base to help your eyeshadows stick around. I like to wear this on lazy days with a bit of bronzer in the crease too. It looks like you've made a bit of an effort in the morning #cheatsmakeup. 

Essie Nail Colour in Fiji-An off-white pink that is one of Essie's bestselling shades. It doesn't apply streakily although you will need at least two coats if you want it totally opaque. Essie's polishes seem to last really well on the nails and have a glossy, gel nail-esque finish. 

Nuxe Reve De Miel Honey Lip Balm-Reve De Miel is a beauty blogger favourite and it is easy to see why. It's not just the frosted glass jar that does it. If your lips are prone to looking a bit worse for wear in Winter then you need this in your life. It has quite a thick texture but once it's on your lips it dries matte. You only need the smallest amount and your lips will be thanking you the next morning. It seems pricy but you get a fair amount of product and a little goes a long way.

So it's not quite monthly favourites time yet but over the last month there's been a few non-beauty things that I have been loving lately and they all deserve a mention.

John Green Books-I'm usually the slowest reader ever so the fact that these were both finished within two weeks is testament to just how good they are. I won't say too much about the book's plots but if you're yet to read any of John Green's books then you should start with either of these two. His writing is addicting and he gets into the minds of teenaged misfits better than any other novelist, in my opinion.

Diva Midi Ring, part of a set of four and Karen Walker Daisy Ring-I love flowers, flower rings, and midi rings. In short, this is the perfect jewelry combo for me right now. You don't want to be layering yourself in hefty statement jewellery during the Summertime and dainty rings like these ones are perfect.

Soap and Glory Hand Food-Most of my hand creams have found new homes recently because I love this one so much. Hand creams are one thing I'm very particular about. If they're too thick or greasy then I tend to not like them. Thankfully, Hand Food is neither of those things. It smells divine and leaves your hands feeling so soft.