THE M LIST: JANUARY

2. Catching up on Television… After traveling to three cities in one week during the holiday I caught a terrible cold and was sentenced to bed, leaving me with no other options then to binge watch anything and everything. Some of the standouts were The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, from the same writers as Gilmore Girls and absolutely hilarious, on point and interestingly relatable to the female empowerment movement happening now, despite the fact that the show takes place in the fifties. Every cast member is incredibly talented and for any Gilmore Girls fan like myself you will definitely notice some similarities in the wit and themes of each episode. I am a tad late to the magic of The Crown but given my obsession with the royal family I figured it would hit me at some point just how interesting this historical drama is, especially since Queen Elizabeth is still alive and well. It’s phenomenal and I am sad they will be changing the cast to reflect the age progression in season 3. Continuing on with the British obsession I have, the London version of The Hills is finally legally available in the states. The openly semi-scrpited Made in Chelsea is now on Hulu and even though I have been watching since my British friend first turned me on to it 6 years ago, I am happy to be reunited with the show and share it with my roommate who just can’t get enough. She told me not to mention this in my blog but this is a good way of checking to see if she actually reads it. Other shows that aren’t new but new to me that I love are Cosmos and The Toys That Made Us: Barbie. Next on my list is Divorce, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, and Victoria. Any additional recommendations are welcome!

3. The #TIMESUP movement… FINALLY! I was amazed by the solidarity and support women and men showed all people about standing up to inequity, sexual harassment and disparity in power. To think about how long people, mostly women, have been fighting to be treated equally is astonishing to me. And I know we have such a long way to go until there is real equity between genders, however, to see the conversation not be ignored or remain in a very small venue but rather recognized by some of the most influential women and men is inspiring and exciting to me. My hope is we really take this opportunity to teach our young people that the world is changing and keep it a persistent and evolving conversation in our society. And after Oprah’s speech, I have so many good feelings about the future. 

4. Bottega Louie in West Hollywood… If you live in LA and have only ventured downtown a few times, chances are you most likely have stumbled upon the exquisite, very un-“LA” beauty of Bottega Louie. It’s a restaurant serving great food, mostly with an Italian and American centered menu but also a very notable and visually stunning pâtisserie serving some of the most delectable and beautiful macarons and pastries. Before Ladurèe came to Los Angeles, Bottega Louie really was my number one macaron spot, where I would sometimes go and just lounge by the pastries, with a latte and my laptop knocking work out. The only draw back for me has been its’ downtown location, an area I tend to avoid due to traffic and the fact that I am usually in a rush whenever there, since I live closer to the beach. But now I have word that they will be opening a second location in West Hollywood, not necessarily next door to Brentwood but a much more likely trek for me on a girls night out or lazy Sunday morning. And if you don’t live near Los Angeles, don’t fret, you can still order some of their amazing macarons and other treats online! I am excited to see what they do with the West Hollywood space, as their downtown location looks like a renovated old bank, with very high ceilings and carved wood detail, yet modern, almost with a New York or Chicago vibe. I am assuming the design of the new location will be much more contemporary so I guess I will just have to bounce between both for my fix. I will keep you posted on when the new spot opens, hopefully sometime this Spring. 

5. 2018 Travel… I can’t believe how many trips I have already started planning this year despite it only being mid January and having just gotten back from Carmel by the Sea! I am already set to visit Vail, New York, Las Vegas, Cabo and Chicago for sure, and it’s likely something else might get added into the mix given it’s only the first month of the year. Most of these trips have been wedding driven, which is always a great excuse to go away and have fun. I haven’t been to Vail or Cabo before, so I will be perusing Instagram and using the “save” feature to find all the great spots. Let me know if you have any recommendations for either place!