My Favorite Things: May
My Favorite Things is a monthly segment where I share my personal and current favorites in seasonal products, health & beauty, food, decor, movies, TV, and more. I hope you enjoy these personal picks!
Movies
How to Get Over a Breakup
A copywriter attempts to get over a painful break-up by writing a blog about the highs and lows of living life as a single woman.
If you’re looking for a lighthearted film, I would add this Peruvian movie to your watchlist. This is a very easy watch overall with memorable characters, comedy, and a hopeful message for those going through breakups or major changes in one’s life. The main cast of the characters (the three friends) have great chemistry and their friendship felt real which made the film engaging to watch. The story is very sweet and it reminds us that healing from the past is not a linear journey.
High Spirits
Irish hotelier Peter Plunkett attempts to fill the chronic vacancies at his castle by launching an advertising campaign that wrongly portrays the property as haunted. Unfortunately, he fails to scare a single American tourist with his hokey and dreadfully unconvincing effects. When two actual ghosts, Mary and Martin, show up to add some authenticity, they end up falling for two guests, Sharon and Jack.
Since Halfway to Halloween is in May I decided to check out a spooky fun movie to celebrate. I feel this movie is a great pick for Halloween season and those that want to watch a movie that is not-so-scary but still captures the essence of a “haunted house” story. High Spirits has a lot of notable faces in the lead role and the whole ensemble does a great job of entertaining the audience with their attempt to co-exist with wacky ghosts in this film. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and is full of physical gags/one-liners that had me laughing through the whole film. Some of the special effects have not aged well, but I feel that adds to the cheesy charm of the film!
TV
Street Food: USA
Get a taste of the most beloved bites on American streets and, along the way, discover the heart, soul and wildly diverse real people behind the food.
There is something so cozy about watching food themed shows and this one is no different. I’ve noticed a lot of street food pop-ups/food trucks over the past couple of years and this Netflix docuseries captures the stories behind these restaurants. I love how each episode dives into a location and the viewers get to intimately discover the real people behind the food. It’s a series with a lot of heart.
The Legendary Life of Queen Lau
Liu Jin Feng, a foul-mouthed woman from a humble village, becomes queen, surprising everyone. Raised by her mother after being abandoned by her father, she marries a young king who doubts her loyalty. Amid his efforts to wrest power from Duke Qi, Feng’s unconventional presence shakes up palace life. Despite their differences, the mismatched king and queen grow closer, becoming an unlikely yet perfect couple in a story filled with warmth and laughter.
Still working my way through this Chinese drama, but I am enjoying every moment of it so far. Out of all the historical Chinese dramas that I’ve watched I found this one to be very refreshing. It’s more of a comedy than a romance and the palace drama within the plot is often silly which makes it a lighter drama. My favorite character is the Queen! The actress, Jackie Li, brings this whole show to life with her character and how it develops over the course of the series.
YouTube
He Wasn’t Man Enough by Toni Braxton
I’ve been dipping into a lot of my older 2000s favorites and one of the songs I’ve had on replay is Braxton’s He Wasn’t Man Enough For Me. It’s the ultimate diss track that is served with her smooth vocals in this track. It’s one of my favorite upbeat tracks.
Attitude by IVE
I’ll be honest and say I couldn’t really get into IVE’s music at first, but I’m slowly becoming a fan of the group. It’s a “retro vibe” song that cleverly samples Suzanne Vega’s Tom’s Diner. It’s upbeat and energetic with positive lyrics making it a power anthem.
Mr. Right by Mae Stephens
I found this artist through Spotify’s Discover list. Mae is an English pop singer who gained popularity through TikTok. I look forward to checking out more of her music. This song is fun and bubbly in sound, but I love the stripped down live version I shared here.
What are some of your favorite things from May? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Hmmm, okay, yeah, “Attitude” is pretty catchy: I agree!
In May, I was pleased to start back into the new season of Hacks. But I haven’t been watching very much each week, so I still have a few left to watch.
Attitude is still at the top of my playlist. That earworm chorus is so catchy! I actually hadn’t heard of Hacks since it’s on HBO and I don’t have it anymore. It looks intriguing.