It’s finally happened — we made it through 2018! After the dumpster fire that’s been the last 365 days (at least on my end) I’m looking forward to sunnier days ahead in 2019. And why not? There’s much to be excited about! (For me, it’s namely the release of Mötley Crüe’s The Dirt on Netflix in March and The Lion King in July, but that’s neither here nor there — we’re focusing on the now.)
Below, find five things I’m excited about for the month of January in fashion, books, food, movies and music. Who knows? Maybe you’ll like ‘em too!
Please note: This post contains affiliate links.
1. Valfré’s Zodiac Collection ($12 to $60): I’ve been following artist lse Valfré’s brand Valfré for some time now — her bold, unique graphics and retro designs never fail to pique my interest — but the zodiac collection the shop has created for its five-year anniversary just might be my favorite yet. Its newest wares, which are set to drop on January 8, feature sassy pinup-cartoons for each horoscope sign in the form of pins, a calendar and tees with corresponding descriptions on the back, which, if you ask me, are worth every penny.
2. Zen As F*ck: A Journal for Practicing the Mindful Art of Not Giving a Sh*t ($10): This book isn’t new, per se, having launched last March, but with a brand new year upon us, there’s never been a better time to embrace the frank and hilarious lessons found within. I didn’t even need to journal to find the joy in this collection of affirmations, which was clearly penned by my literary soulmate, as colorful phrases such as, “Today is your f*cking day!” and “Shine on, mother*cker,” abound.
3. Petit Chocolat Wine: My Uncle Craig and his wife Teanna changed my life this Christmas by introducing me to Petit Chocolat. Normally, I’m not too keen on dessert wines, but after just one sip of this chocolate-y delight, I was head over heels. It’s smooth. It’s decadent. It’s roughly $6 at Aldi. Honestly, what more could you ask for? Aside from year-round sales, that is — according to my uncle, this bad boy’s only around in the winter months, so I strongly advise picking up a bottle while the getting’s still good!
4. Dumplin’: While everyone else is busy raving over Birdbox (which, for the record, was OK at best, people!), I’ve been over here fangirling over Netflix’s other, ACTUAL must-see, Dumplin’. Maybe it was the Dolly Parton-heavy soundtrack, which sparked in me a renewed appreciation for the 9 to 5 legend (side note: I recall being outraged as a child that my dad had the audacity to say that Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You” was better than the original upon its 1992 release), or maybe it was my overwhelming joy at seeing an original, lighthearted film that was neither a reboot nor superhero-related for the first time in, I don’t know, AGES, but I fell for this flick, hard. Dumplin‘s spunky group of misfits reminding me to “be you / remember who you are / embrace yourself / yada yada ” was exactly what I needed to kick off this next trip around the sun. In short? It was “two very enthusiastic thumbs up. Fine holiday fun.”
View this post on Instagram
It is 10000 F out, remind us to record in winter next time! Thank you @foxnox.
5. Ganser: My first show of 2019, Ian’s Party at Subterranean, was a success. Not only did I get to see my extremely talented pal Hawley Shoffner rock out (do yourself a favor and check out her out if you haven’t already — you’ll thank me!), I discovered another new favorite in the process. Chicago-based four-piece Ganser (who have apparently been on the scene since 2014 while I’ve been living under . some rock) managed to capture my attention like a musical newcomer hasn’t been able to in quite some time. Tracks like “Avoidance” take me back to an earlier, magical era when badass babes like Belly’s Tanya Donelly, Courtney Love and Shirley Manson ruled the world with the same effortless coolness vocalists Nadia Garofalo and Alicia Gaines exude on stage now and I love every second of it.
And with that, I leave you all with my new motto for 2019, coined by Christian Bale at the Golden Globes when he joked about his inspiration for playing Dick Cheney in Vice: “Thank you to Satan for giving me inspiration for playing this role.”
Happy New Year!
Tell me what you’re digging this month in the comments below!
Xo, Nicole
