LOVING LATELY

Reading: Well, I was just finishing up The Magicians, for Book Club. Now I am now getting a leg up on October's Book Club book. It seems like I barely have enough time to read our one book each month- with work and puppy and life and what not- that Book Club books are my only real reading for the month... That being said, I am trying to squish in a quick read- and read The Giver before the movie comes out (which I am not sure if I will even see).

Watching: The Walking Dead Season 4 just got added to Netflix and I have been binge watching it all weekend! Also-Happy Valley. Another Netflix show- this one centers around a lady cop and her life in England- SOOO good!

Listening to: Oldies! Well- not exactly... I recently updated the music that I have on my phone, so it I finally don't have to listen to the same 3 playlists over and over again while I am at work. I dug up a few old gems- and I am LOVING IT!

Thinking about: Traveling... Some places far and some near! We are talking of going to Florida maybe in February or March- and then our far travels would be saving up for the Honeymoon!

Loving: My Pup! If that was not obvious by my Instagram video that I posted last week- I don't know how to make it more obvious! This pup loves Ice Cream SOOO much! Whenever I go to get myself a treat, he thinks it is for him now...

Looking forward to: Some time to rest! We have had a lot going on recently- friend's weddings, my Mr. is marathon training (so he is ALWAYS running around- literally), bachelorette parties, etc.- so I am excited for a weekend to stay at home and relax! I barely remember what that feels like!

Making me happy: The little things. Last weekend was SO nice here, and knowing what we have coming for us in the next few months (I cringe thinking about all of that snow!)- I really begin to cherish every warm day we can get this time of year. Also, my Mr. and I started a little re-do project together making over some old bookshelves that we got from a friend. It's always nice being able to spend some time together!

What have you been loving lately?

Are you looking forward for anything in particular?

BOOK REVIEW: THE MAGICIANS

A few months back, we kicked off a new feature we are pretty jazzed up about over here at You Me Oui- the monthly Book Club. For September- we read The Magicians by Lev Grossman. This was one of my picks, and I really didn't hear too much about it before hand- but I was excited to read it! So we did!

WARNING: post may contain spoiler alerts!!! Read ahead with caution!!! You have been warned!

What was you favorite part or parts of the book?
CARLY: I definitely think one of my favorite parts of the book was the way they described transforming into animals. It was more unique in that they had elements of the animal's brain, it wasn't just their exact thought process in the body of another creature.

SINA:  I really enjoyed the different world aspects of the book. First- that there is a magical world. Second- that they can travel between worlds with the push of an enchanted button. And third- FILLORY!

What was your least favorite part or parts of the book?
C: I really did not enjoy the references to real world things. Particularly because they were so few and far between. The beauty of the Harry Potter books is that contextually you don't know exactly when they take place, because there are no cultural references of any kind. But the random mentions (somewhat indirect) relating to Harry Potter, and the Sorry! game piece, were just kind of out of place.

S: That the book is so similar to Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia.

Who was your favorite character?
C:  This was another book that for me didn't have any redeeming characters. I feel like Lev Grossman doesn't quite develop any character besides Quentin to a point where I could say that I "know" them. And that can really keep characters at arms length for me. If I had to choose I might say Eliot, simply because he knew who he was. Even if that person was a drunken mess.

S:  I have really thought long and hard about this questions- and honestly- I think this is one of the first books I have read- or at least that I can think of- that I do not have a true favorite, or someone that I like a little more that anyone else. I don't think that that is a bad thing either! I think each of the characters is flawed in their own way, and because of that, there is no front runner to make one of them my favorite.

Who was your least favorite character?
C:  Well, as mentioned since I don't feel like I knew any of the character's especially well, I don't know that I could name a least favorite either. I mean, Penny is unlikeable, but mainly through Quentin's eyes, and I don't always agree with Quentin. Otherwise Penny is kind of one dimensional and never really explains himself.

S:  Again, I think the author writes the characters in such a way where they are truly honest and flawed- that they are not great or horrible, but they seem more like people you actually could know. I don't actually have anyone I really like less that anyone else- there are parts of each of them that I don't like, and I think that makes it a great "true" story.

What are your thoughts on the characters as a whole?
C:  I felt like some of the characters were loosely described. Like we would get snippets of a physical description for Alice, but not really. And at odd later points in the book. Which isn't a big deal but if the book is from Quentin's perspective and he's so in love with her, I was just surprised to realize she had dark hair around page 300 or so. Seemed late in the game for that detail. Otherwise I guess they were pretty realistic for a college wizard plot.

S:  I think the author does a pretty good job of writing a set of characters that seem pretty realistic. Even though the story is clearly ficitional and the characters are all very flawed, I like that they are not all perfect. I like that there is not one real hero and one damsel, and so one so fourth... That being said, I also thing that Mr. Grossman sort of stretches out how far he can push each of the characters, and tests where he can make their limits be.

What surprised you most about the book?

C: I was surprised that the second half of the book was as engaging as it was. After spending half the book going all the way through school with them, I wondered what would come next.

S:  That Fillory was real! But seriously- who would have thunk it! :)

Was there anything else that you found particularly unexpected?

C: Um, the fox sex. Not a fan of that. 

S:  Then changing in to animals was pretty neat and unexpected! But like Carly- their "animal urges" taking over was not my favorite...

Did you like how the book was written?

C: I liked the straightforward style the book was written in, but I felt like the author tried to cram too much into one book. It felt like half the Harry Potter books and a couple of the C.S. Lewis books all smushed into the first half of this one book. So there were constantly new concepts, ideas, and vocabulary being introduced. It was dizzying at times.

S:  It was a very basic writing style that made it easy to read and didn't help to complicate the story at all- which I liked. That being said, having different worlds and different types and sets of characters in each one made it a little tough to follow at times, but I suppose it's no different than reading Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones- you just need to adapt your reading style a bit.

Was there any particular part of the book that really stood out to you?

C: The spring semester of their fourth year. Again, because it felt least like the other magical style books it was clearly inspired by. And that made it feel clever. I forgot for fifty pages or so about all of the similarities to HP and C.S. Lewis. 

S:  I really enjoyed the magical enchanted button that could transport them to different worlds. Also- that you could be allergic to another world.


What did you all think of the book? Do you have any answers to these questions, or have any questions of your own? Let's start a dialogue!!!

Please comment! We would LOVE to start a discussion!!!

Also, we will be announcing the book for October on Thursday. Stay Tuned!!!

PICKING A HONEYMOON DESTINATION: THE GREAT UNITED DIVIDE

When we started looking for a honeymoon destination- I thought I would be easy. PSH! What was I thinking! Nothing else about our wedding planning has been easy, so why would this? We are a house divided, and with that, I give you the tale of "The Great Divide".

Wedding planning has been one of the most difficult challenges we have had to deal with in our ENTIRE relationship. He wants a big princess wedding- and i want a lower key small wedding (something a little more down to Earth). We have started coming to agreement on things with the wedding itself, and then as soon as we started discussing the Honeymoon, ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE!!!

Well, not so much- but he would like something tropical, and I want something more memorable and once in a lifetime (Europe!?!?!). We have gone on tropical vacations before, so I am all for something new all he wants is to sit on the beach...

I need votes everyone: tropical (like Mexico) or once in a lifetime (like Europe)?

Where did you go?

Where would you go?

SUPER SIMPLE VANILLA ICE CREAM

Tonight we had a little impromptu birthday party for one of my roommates. There was going to be cake, so I decided since I got my fancy new ice cream maker at a thrift store (for 5 dollars!!) I would throw together this super easy vanilla ice cream recipe.


I'd already tried this recipe and it didn't exactly go as planned, but it meant I had some leftover whole milk and heavy cream. Perfect for another attempt at making ice cream!

The main reason I chose this recipe is because it involves no eggs and no cooking, and I already had all of the ingredients. I only had 1.25 cups of whole milk, however. So I divided 1.25 by 2, and multiplied the rest of the ingredients by .63 (I rounded to 2/3). 

Reviews were very positive, and I'm dealing with a fairly critical bunch. For a simple ice cream that involved fake vanilla flavoring, it complimented the various cupcakes we had quite nicely. 

Tips or tricks for a good and affordable homemade vanilla ice cream? I need suggestions!

INSTAGRAM GIVES ME GOOGLEY EYES!

I have become obsessed with finding the best of the best Instagram accounts out there. I love finding new accounts to get excited about. These are a few of the people that have my eyes popping out of my head with excitement lately!

1: Khinyatana: Pretty pictures taken with only an iPhone- now that is inspiration.

2: Tuna the Frenchie: Do you like dogs? Do you like cute things? If you have said yes to any of these, then check out this feed!!! #adorable

3: Bonnie Tsang: She hangs out with the "cool kids" in LA, and her feed is equally as cool. This lady is pretty talented.

4: Anna (Rifle) Bond:  Creative Director over at Rifle Paper Co.- her pictures are beautiful, full of inspiration, and give an insight in to her creative process.

5: Justina Blakeney: She was featured in our 'Artist Watch' post a few months back, and since then- this little lady seems to pop up all over Instagram. Her feed is great!

6: In The Fun Lane: This mom sure knows how to have fun! Her Insta feed is beautiful- check it out!

What do you think?

Any Instagram accounts you are enjoying lately?

FALL TV PICKS

TV is back! One of my favorite times of year, besides football and knitting weather, fall provides a new TV season! Now, things are a bit different than they used to be, where season starts seem to be a bit staggered and some seasons don't run the "standard" 22 episodes, but a shorter 10-15.

Nevertheless, I've got some return picks for everyone, and a couple new shows in the mix as well. (You will notice nothing with a laugh track, and nothing with a post-apocolyptic plot. I've given up on laugh tracks and I just can't watch any more Earth destruction.)

NEW GIRL:


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Entering it's 4rd season, I'm excited to see where New Girl will take us. It's got a cast that makes no one feel like the main character, and everyone has their own quirks that they bring to the table. Very funny, and although some of last season's events may make the beginning of this season a bit awkward, I have hope that they will recover. Definitely check it out, and you can catch up because seasons 1-3 are on Netflix!

RAMSEY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES:


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Sina mentioned this gem awhile back, and Gordon is back again this fall, running around America doing his best to "save" struggling restaurants. The first episode of this season (which is on Hulu, and appears to more of a second half of the spring season which is still available and a must watch) is a bit of a bust, heading back to some formerly visited restaurants, but has lots of Ramsey charm, and that's always ok by me.

THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX:


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I'll admit, this pick isn't for everyone. And it's not right away this month (middle of October, actually), but it's a fun little reality show that has quite the back catalog to keep you entertained. It's a british reality show (again, with about 13 seasons available on Hulu) with a snappy running time of 30 minutes. Not too short and not too long. Just enough time to get used to the accents, catch a bit of drama, and marvel at how many parties they can throw in one season.

PARENTHOOD:


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It's all on Netflix for you to get caught up, and there are five glorious seasons to watch, but this week Parentlhood is back! And this show has everything for everyone. It's a little funny, a little dramatic, a little heartwarming, and always entertaining. There are so many characters that you are bound to fall in love with one of them, or see yourself or someone you know in them. I'll admit, I avoided this show for quite awhile, but finally I gave in and it was well worth the time investment.

SELFIE:


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So I just read the description on this one, and not only is it a comparison to Pygmalion (My Fair Lady) but it's about social media as a crutch to avoid in person relationships. Now, I don't want to say either of these plots are overdone (but they kind of are) but I'll be curious to see if they can make the concept seem new. For John Cho's sake, because he's great.

MULANEY:


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I'm kind of disappointed in this show. I know I haven't seen it yet, and I should be excited because John Mulaney is hilarious and fantastic and could be a great awkward leading character on a sitcom. But unfortunately, (and I know I'm breaking a rule I mentioned up top, but I forgot about this one) it's got a laugh track. I feel like if you are genuinely funny (and an excellent writer) you shouldn't need a laugh track. We'll know when we should. Still, I'll watch. Maybe it'll be good...

What are you excited about this fall? Let us know!!