Aka, the one where I lust after things I kinda want and of course don't necessarily need per se but they've all taken my fancy recently. Scroll down if you want to see what I am lusting after...

Subtitle, some things I watched and liked. If I listed them all, we'd be here all day. So I'm feelin' reflective and retrospective-y now that 2017 is on its way out of here. I also know how good the holidays are for unwinding and doing very little, which can often mean a good old binge session. Mornings curled up with coffee and lazing around in your pyjamas whilst watching a film or TV series? Yes please...

Stranger Things: It took me a bit longer than everyone else to watch this because truth be told, I was scared. The thing is, it's really not that scary. The dramatic tension and anxiety is really the only side effect to this program. That and perhaps emotional investment in the characters. Ahem, Justice for Barb and the idea that Joyce and Will Byers have a nice year. If you're yet to discover this Netflix series, get onto it. It's your classic, eighties ET/Stephen King tribute among other things and it is brilliant. 

Franca-Chaos & Creation: Another Netflix gem. I'm not sponsored by Netflix just for disclosure. I wish. Anyway, this documentary, directed+produced by Sozzani's son is a candid, intimate insight into the legendary mind and genius of Franca Sozzani. She was the editor of Vogue Italia until her passing and was a major game changer in the world of fashion magazines. She wasn't afraid to start a conversation and made her magazine so much more than just a collection of pretty pictures. Well worth the watch. 

Will and Grace: Bit late to the party here, whoops but I am on the WAG bandwagon and am loving it. The only highlight of a weekend I spent bed bound was the all-day WAG marathon on TV. Karen Walker is my (sorta) spirit animal and the hilarity and brilliance of this whole show never fails to make my day. Honestly I can be having the worst day and WAG can just magically remedy that for twenty minutes. Or more because let's be honest, I tend to often watch more than one episode at a time.

Beauty and the Beast: The remake, obvs. I haven't been living under a rock and missed the nineties incarnation. Disney did the live-action version so much justice. The attention to detail and of course the casting was all magic. I actually had the cast recording in my car's stereo for a good while. In other words, many a dramatic car singalong happened. No shame. 

La La Land: Another soundtrack that had a good whirl and a freakin' beautiful film. Cinematically and of course the combination of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. I loved how this movie paid homage to the classic Hollywood musicals and was essentially a love-letter to creatives and 'fools who dream' everywhere. Plus, Ryan Gosling playing the piano. Yes. 

The People vs OJ Simpson: Oh wow, this show. I was riveted and fascinated and totally hooked. I'm not usually into crime related shows at all but I found this incredibly interesting. I think the fact it looks at the major role the media and power of celebrity can play was what really drew me in. That and the OJ Simpson case itself really foreshadowed a lot of what we see in the media now. In fact at times I was really mind blown at what was already happening with the treatment of celebrities twenty or so years back. I feel like that was quite a nerdy analysis but seriously. Really brilliant drama. Watch.

Thirteen Reasons Why: What an important program. So important and I really hope the negativity and skepticism surrounding it hasn't clouded anyone's judgement. The story of Hannah Baker, a teenaged girl who commits suicide and leaves behind a series of cassette tapes, documenting the reasons why is confronting and at times difficult to watch. Again though it really got the discussion around mental health going and I'm sure will have encouraged some people to make positive changes to their lives for the better. A second series is in the works, following on from where the book leaves off so it will be interesting to see how the aftermath of her passing continues to unfold and how it affects the community she leaves behind. 

-What have you watched and liked in 2017?

It's astounding, time is fleeting-can you tell I'm in a bit of a spooky mood today? I'm not usually a huge celebrator of Halloween but my office has been decked out to look like a creepy haunted space/asylum so I'm feeling the mood. That and all going to plan I will have a major red eye+bloody lip situation going on today. Anyway, spookiness aside, today I have my October Favourites to share. It's a little sparse on the beauty front as in all honesty I haven't been changing things up much at all here. There are a couple of newbies in that department though, as well as what I've been watching, reading and listening to this month... 

YSL All Hours Foundation*-Let's get this out of the way first, yes the price tag is weepingly expensive. I recommend trying it first and then waiting for things like reward vouchers, discount days or just a plain old excuse to treat yo'face. I don't know if this foundation lasts all hours, I'm not one to wear my makeup for a hideously long time but I can vouch for its almost minimal need to powder and touch up. As someone with combination-oily skin, this is seriously impressive. The finish leans more on the matte side of things so if you've got drier skin, this mightn't be for you. I really freakin' love it and think this'll be a godsend come Summer when makeup all but evaporates from my face.

Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow(s)-These eyeshadows are the business. Liquid shadows drenched in so much sparkle. I love 'em. Then again I do love glittery eyelids so it's not like I'd hate these really but I digress. They're unlike any other eyeshadow out there. My favourite of the two I own is probably Bronzed Bell but Kitten Karma is a close second. The only qualm I have is when you remove these, the glitter tends to go everywhere. Otherwise, I can't fault these liquid delights. 

Hourglass Girl Lip Stylo-I've already touched on these once this month so I will keep it brief. Pigment that packs a punch and longevity to boot. I have the shade Leader, a vibrant fuschia which looks stunning. There's some gorgeous nudes in the range too and I seriously recommend a swatchathon when it comes to these.

Will and Grace-I'm not sure why it took me, bedridden to finally watch this show properly. Props to 2 for having an all-day Will and Grace marathon at the end of last month. I am now hooked, alternating between older episodes and the new revival currently on TV. Hilarious, hilarious comedy and brilliant character writing. It's so good. Karen Walker is my favourite character-god love her but really the four main leads are all amazing. Well worth the watch if you're like me and somehow missed it. 

Paperboy Magazine-If you're in Auckland you'll probably be familiar with Paperboy. It's a magazine, published weekly and free to get your mitts on from many locations around the city. It contains a mix of everything; food, culture, fashion, to name a few and also contains extra content from the New York Times. Long story short, it's worth a peruse on your train trips/coffee outings each week. I love unwinding with it on my Thursday/Friday journeys home. So good.

Younger Now x Miley Cyrus-Miley is certainly no stranger to reinvention but with Younger Now she's going back to her country-pop roots. The album opens with the titular track and then we're taken on a journey of wondrousness for the next forty minutes. It's a great driving soundtrack and is really upbeat+mood raising. Even if you're a Miley cynic, it is worth a listen. 

Feeling Sorry for Celia x Jaclyn Moriarty-A bit of a reading throwback if ever there was one, as I first read this book back in high school. After I posted about it on my bookstagram, it seemed a lot of you were familiar with it as well. For some reason I thought this book was niche? Anyway, told through letters received and sent, this book is the story of teenaged Elizabeth Clarry. Also known as Liz or Lizzie, depending on who is writing. She deals with the usual teenage struggles but also has to deal with a mix of eclectic characters. From her eccentric Mum to her scatty best friend Celia. It also looks at mental illness in a way that doesn't romanticise the issue or try to make it seem glamorous. In fact, I feel like this is one of the first young adult books in this part of the world at least that probably did address the issue. Well worth a read, or a re-read if you're feeling nostalgic. 

-What have you liked during October?

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