Mixtape Monday: Dias de los Muertos

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This picture of Florence Welch above, sparked the idea for me to be a Dias de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) sugar skull/skeleton for Halloween this year. Pictures will be posted tomorrow, but until then, enjoy a Spanish-themed playlist.

Happy Halloween!

1. Que' Onda Guero - Beck

2. Grana - Emilio de Benito

3. El Tango de Roxanne - Moulin Rouge Soundtrack

4. Americano - Lady Gaga

5. Tamacun - Rodrigo y Gabriela

6. Til the End of Time - Devotchka

7. Stay - Diego Garcia

8. Esta Soledad - Carla Morisson

Moments of Home

This fall has been non-stop for me, so it was nice to go home the other weekend and press pause in the countryside. The pictures above me can't do the serene surroundings any justice, but I still attempt to capture them nonetheless.

Greek Layer Dip

Because I practically devoured this dip before I could photograph it, I decided to make an illustrated recipe of my new go-to snack! This Layer Greek Dip recipe is simple, can be modified to your liking and has been keeping well and fresh in the fridge since I made it several days ago. There are no measurements, because you can add more or less of anything you like and make it to feed as many people as you need. This along with this recipe are going to become my new go-to staples.

Mixtape Monday: Halloween I

I've compiled together a mix of spooky and creepy songs in time for the Halloween festivities this week/weekend:

1. Ramalama (Bang Bang) - Roisin Murphy

2. Howl - Florence + the Machine

3. Fresh Blood - Eels

4. Teeth -Lady Gaga

5. Scarecrow - Beck

6. Daily Routine - Animal Collective

7. Videotape - Radiohead

8. Run the Heart - Sleigh Bells

9. The Chills - Peter Bjorn and John

10. Heavy in Your Arms - Florence +the Machine

11. Bela Lugosi's Dead - Nouvelle Vague

12. Halloweenhead - Ryan Adams

5 Autumn Beauty Essentials

My beauty routine switches up season to season, here are my must-haves for the fall:

Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Spray Shampoo

Because I have such dry hair, I wash my hair even less in the colder months than I normally do. On Day 2 of unwashed hair, I turn my head upside down and spray this at the roots, it keeps my hair from getting flat or greasy. It has a good clean scent and truly is invisible.

Fall-hued Nail polish

I recently got this copper metallic lacquer that I am dying to decorate my nails with. Plums, wines, and emeralds are also my go-to colors in the fall.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula

This is the most intense moisturizer I have ever used. It smells strongly of chocolate, so if you're into that, like me, you will love it. It heals any chapped, cracked and dry/itchy skin in just days.

Burt's Bees Moisturizing Lip Balm with Mango Butter

I usually go the pomegranate route when it comes to Burt's Bees, but I decided to try the mango butter this time instead. I have been applying it several times a day and cannot get over the natural feel it has on my lips, as well as the incredible scent.

Revlon Just Bitten in Midnight

For the past few years I have only used lip stains on my lips when I want some color, with some Burt's Bees added for some moisture. I usually get the CoverGirl lip stains, but was so attracted to Revlon's dark, nearly-gothic red wine color that I had to get it for fall. It's a very strong statement, so I don't wear it everyday, but receive complements on it every time I do. Lip stains stay on for hours on end. I haven't worn lipstick in the longest time.

What are your Fall beauty essentials?

Werewolf Cupcakes

With Halloween in less than 2 weeks, I am cramming in some festive treat and decorating ideas that I want to make - as well as construct my costume. I am in love with my Hello, Cupcake books and made these scary werewolf cupcakes from one last year. (Here is a detailed tutorial on how to make these, they are a bit time consuming, but impressive nonetheless)

What and tricks and treats are you whipping up for Halloween this year?

Mixtape Monday: What I am Listening to and Why

1. Wood - Rostam (Rostam Batmanglij from Vampire Weekend has just released this new song, and I have the biggest crush on it. So many wonderful things happening here, very global sounding.)

2. Atlantic - Givers (Their debut album was one of my favorite albums of the summer, and right now I keep going back to this song.)

3. Forca - Nelly Furtado (This song makes me feel invincible and want to travel and dance around.)

4. Dreamer - Elizaveta (If you love Imogen Heap and Regina Spektor, you will love this song.)

5. The Circle Married the Line - Feist (Such a sweet song, off her amazing new album. Seriously, if you don't have this album - you must get it now!)

6. Grey Days - The Concretes (A favorite from high school, and never gets old.)

7. So Sorry - Feist (Such a simple message, applicable to anyone.)

8. Maybe Sparrow - Neko Case (It took me a while for Fox Confessor Brings the Flood to seduce me, but it is now one of my favorites.)

9. The Bad in Each Other - Feist (Easily my favorite song off the new album)

10. White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes (How much more fallish could this song sound?)

11. The Big Guns - Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins (Country-fied and loveable)

12. Bedroom Eyes - Dum Dum Girls (so catchy)

Duke in the Fall

One of my best friends from high school visited me last weekend to see Charleston and the play I was in. I haven't made it to all my friend's colleges, but I went to see her beautiful campus at Duke twice over the past few years. The first time I went was in the fall, and it was such a nice change from Charleston. The weather was brisk, the leaves were at their peak, and the architecture made me feel like I was at Oxford. These are some pictures I took with my old point and shoot, but I think they still capture the vibrancy and fun memories from that weekend.

Mixtape Monday: Almost, Maine

Today is my finale run of a play I am in called, Almost, Maine. It's a bit like Love, Actually minus the Christmas and instead takes place on a winter night in an imaginary place called Almost. The play is witty, sad, magical and hopeful, but most importantly celebrates the triumphs and pitfalls of falling in and out of love. I feel so fortunate to be a part of this play and cannot believe its practically over, we have only been rehearsing for a little over a month. This playlist is inspired by our set of snow drifts, aurora borelais lighting effects, sparkly stars and falling snow, as well as our winter gear donned with plaids, purples and mittens.

1. North - Phoenix

2. Concerning the UFO Sighting near Highland, Illinois - Sufjan Stevens

3. Blood Bank - Bon Iver

4. Just for Now - Imogen Heap

5. Men of Snow - Ingrid Michaelson

6. Star Mile - Joshua Radin

7. Easier - Grizzly Bear

8. It's Gonna Be A Long Walk - Apparat

9. Jynweythek Ylow - Aphex Twin

10. Rosyln - Bon Iver and St. Vincent

11. Winter Song - Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson

12. My Love - Sia

13. Big Red Machine - Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon

14. No Sound but the Wind - Editors

15. The Winter Solstice - Sufjan Stevens

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Expectations vs. Reality

I love this scene from "500 Days of Summer" because it is so relatable. I am a type of person with an active imagination, dreaming up these huge expectations for many happenings in my life. Lately, though, I think I have gotten better about being more of a realist. Whether its not talking to your crush at party like you thought you would or thinking the Statue of Liberty is much larger than it actually is, having expectations is a shared human experience. I keep having to remind myself of my trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, where no expectations were predicted yet wonderful surprises and discoveries happened.

Goals are different than expectations. Goals are concrete ideas, whereas expectations are imagined situations. Set the bar high for goals, instead of expectations. With May's graduation into the "real world" rapidly approaching, this will be my new mantra.

Mixtape Monday: Feist-y

All last week I was streaming Feist's new album, Metals, on her website at least twice a day. Today I finally purchased it and have been obsessing over it non-stop. It's perfectly chill, catchy and beautifully written. This week's playlist is inspired by some of my favorite songs off it.

1. Rise Up with Fists!! - Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins (hands down one of my ALL time favorite songs)

2. Cicadas and Gulls - Feist (its about the south, and reminds me in particular of Charleston)

3. Ghosts in the Attic - Leona Naess

4. Red Berries - Angus and Julia Stone

5. Hideaway - Karen O and the Kids

6. Hear the Bells - Vanessa Carlton (her new album is fantastic as well)

7. Caught A Long Wind - Feist (super moody and mysterious, reminds me of 'The Water")

8. Curs in the Weeds - Horse Feathers

9. Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl - Broken Social Scene

10. Typical - Laura Marling (the lyrics!)

11. Bittersweet Melodies - Feist

12. Time - Ben Folds

13. Coming Down - Dum Dum Girls (been having this stuck in my head all week)

and there's this - Florence in all her Stevie Nicksness:

Creamy Mexican Soup

Despite some days till reaching the upper 80's, I have been craving comfort, cold weather foods - especially soup. When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I wanted to try it immediately because of how easy it looked. It's one of those carefree, fool-proof recipies that I know I will always be going back to. So delicous, creamy and spicy!

Creamy Mexican Soup

1-15 oz can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies

1-15 oz can corn, drained

1-15 oz can black beans

2-3 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1 packet dry ranch dressing mix

1 tablespoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Place all in a crockpot and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until chicken is done. Shred chicken and serve!