Back on the blog train...

It's been almost three (three?? Honestly?) months since I've posted anything on APOS, but thanks to my great friend Dana, who decided to start a blog of her own, I've decided to get back into it. Right now, there's a duo-blog in the works with a friend of mine who lives in New York City. We've been planning something since the holiday season, but haven't really had the time to complete the project. Hence, my attention to my audience here has unfortunately fallen to the wayside. Also, being the Type A kind of person that I am, I won't release anything until it's perfect, so it may be a few more months before the new blog, people. 

Last weekend was my 24th birthday, and with a birthday that falls on the same weekend as the season 2 release of House of Cards, Lord knows it's going to be a great one. I allowed myself ample time on one of the days to binge watch nearly half of the season. It's almost surreal knowing that I live in the same town in which the show is set. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping to run into Frank Underwood every time I'm on Capitol Hill. Although maybe it's better he doesn't actually exist. 

On Valentine's Day, I got to bring a puppy on set during my boss's show. My brother was watching at home and sent me a photo. How cute is that puppy?

A snapshot from the Jefferson Memorial taken during one of my weekend runs. Running the memorial stairs of the Lincoln or Jefferson is something a lot of the runners do here. 

A post birthday brunch photo of my friends and I. After bottomless drinks, we were all pretty happy by this point. 

Valentine's Day must-haves

Single or taken, there's something about a day devoted to love that makes me love Valentine's Day. Ok, maybe it's because my birthday is the day after Valentine's Day, but I still love the candy hearts, valentines and cheesy/lovey-dovey things that occur on the 14th. For all things devoted to sappy love stories, hearts and shades of red and pink, here are a few must-haves for V-Day. 

xxo

"Love" bookends: Sure, they may be from the kid's section of Pottery Barn, but what 20-something wouldn't want these holding her book collection together?

"Somewhere in Time:" For anyone who hasn't seen this movie yet, run (do not walk!) to your nearest Target/Walmart/online Netflix subscription so you can watch this movie on Valentine's Day. You'll be swooning over Christopher Reeve's performance, and planning a trip to the Grand Hotel in Michigan, where the movie was filmed.

"Love Story:" Another classic love story, it began the phrase, "Love means never having to say you're sorry."

"Fall in Love for Life:" I originally saw this book in Anthropologie, and stood there for at least five minutes indulging in its first few pages. It tells the love story of a couple married for 73 years.

Heart Tray: Use it as decor, or for a tray to serve fruity pink drinks on Valentine's Day.

Butter London Nail Polish: Spending over $10 for nail polish is a little crazy, but these two colors are not only perfect for the 14th, they're also perfect for the spring!

Doloris Petunia one-of-a-kind earrings: I have had my eye on many things from this Etsy shop since I saw this designer on Cupcakes and Cashmere, and these earrings are at the top of my list. 

Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton

For those of you who watched Lifetime's premiere of "Liz and Dick" this past Sunday, I'd love to hear what you thought of Lindsay Lohan's portrayal of Elizabeth Taylor. In my opinion, no actress--no matter how good-- could exemplify the beauty or rigid character of Elizabeth Taylor. 

Lohan's performance was weak; she gave Taylor's accent no attempt and the make-up team did a poor job at disguising Lohan's trademark freckles. I read a book last year based on Taylor and Burton's tumultuous relationship, called A Furious Love, and I highly recommend it if you're interested in learning more about the two. After finishing the book, I can say with certainty that there will never be another Hollywood couple like these two.

 

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Girl to watch: Clare Bowen

It's been a while since I've done a "Girl to watch" post, but with that said, I've found a really great gal to introduce all of my followers to. If you don't watch ABC's Nashville, you're about to start after this! The main, young female character is Hayden Panettiere, but the underdog we'll all be cheering for is Clare Bowen. The 23 year-old is from Australia (which makes you wonder how she nails the Tennessee accent so well!), and has a voice that is dainty yet melodically daunting. If you're not already a fan, you're about to be after listening to her character's cover of The Civil War's If I Didn't Know Better.

Girl to watch: Jana Kramer

Chances are, if you've been following the Brad Paisley tour, you know who Jana Kramer is. I'm not too into country music, so I first saw her as an actress, but this Michigander can sing! Her debut album, "Why Ya Wanna" was released toward the start of summer, the most popular song being the album name. However, I've come to love "Whiskey" more than any other song on the album. She seems so down to earth, and I think that's why a lot of her fans relate. Like I said, the extent of my country music collection includes Taylor Swift's album (do people even call that country anymore?), but I'm really into Kramer's album. Country music fan or not, check it out.

xxo

Girl to watch: Rebel Wilson

We know her as that horrible Australian roommate with the infected tattoo from Bridesmaids, but the Aussie girl has another movie coming up, and let's just say she has got the octaves of Adele. Wilson will be joining A-list Hollywood celebrities such as Brittany Snow and Anna Kendrick in Pitch Perfect, due out this fall.

Can't wait until then to hear more from her? Watch the trailer, and follow her on Twitter: @rebelwilson.