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Gilmore Girls – A Year in the Life

ggGilmore Girls – A Year in the Life
I loved watching Gilmore Girls in my teens and early 20’s and I absolutely never thought I would get to see a continuation. I’ve been excited about A Year in the Life since it was announced, and it definitely lived up to the hype! Below are my exhaustive thoughts on Gilmore Girls – A Year in the Life! Enjoy!

Thoughts on the Gilmore Girls
– Emily – I loved seeing her deal with grief and thus becoming a more relaxed and thoughtful version of herself. The addition of Berta (and her entire family?) and how this story line represented such a shift in Emily’s life (remember how she could never keep a maid?) was perfect.
– Rory – I know this may not be the most popular view, but I always see Rory as a disappointment. I can relate to being a 30 something and still trying to figure out a life path, I’ll give her that. However, It’s just hard for me to root for a person who is sleeping with an engaged man, even if it is rich and handsome Logan, while she has a perfectly nice (albeit a little forgettable) boyfriend. But also remember when she slept with Dean, a MARRIED man? And when she stole a boat? For the duration of Gilmore Girls, everyone told Rory how wonderful and smart she was, but she never had to work for anything. I hated how during Summer she kept telling everyone in Stars Hallow that she wasn’t “back” and wasn’t part of the 30-something club. It just came off like she felt she was better than everyone in Stars Hallow. Overall, Rory is just a shitty person.
– Lorelai – Everything about Lorelai seemed to fit perfectly with her character. Her place in life, her relationship with Luke, her relationship with Rory, it all seemed perfect. Lauren Graham is such a good actress. We all know she’s quick and funny, but A Year in the Life gave us a few really beautiful scenes that showcased her acting ability.

Times I cried:
– The first 10 seconds of Winter after hearing clips from past episodes over the years.
– The funeral scene, the scene every GG fan was dreading. It was terrible. You can tell everyone in that scene was truly mourning.
– Lorelai not being able to articulate a happy memory with Richard in the midst of her grief. I get it. People are a mess when they’re living through the death of a loved one. It was heartbreaking to watch.
– Lorelai listening to Sutton Foster singing Unbreakable from the Stars Hallow musical. TOO MUCH!!!!
– Luke and Lorelai’s fight. It hurt my heart.
– Lorelai finally being able to articulate a happy memory with her father… and, not just a happy memory, but a memory of her favorite birthday when Richard saved the day after she had her heart broken.

Disappointing Moments:
– Tristan. Or, rather, fake Tristan. Is Chad Michael Murray THAT busy that he can’t take a day and film a cameo for Gilmore Girls?!?! Surly he can’t be…
– Stars Hallow : The Musical was a little long, especially since it didn’t really feature any known Gilmore Girl’s characters.
– Rory and Logan’s relationship. I hate that they were both cheating on their significant others with each other. I hate that Lorelai wasn’t incredibly angry about it. Everything about this was disappointing.
– Rory’s one night stand with the wookie. This seemed to come out of left field. What’s more disappointing than Rory’s one night stand was Lorelai’s indifferent attitude towards it!
– Sookie’s story line. I know there were times when the writers weren’t sure if Melissa McCarthy would be able to be involved, so I get that they had to come up with some bizzar situation for her absence- but it seemed a little phoned in.

Favorite Moments:
– Luke giving out fake WiFi passwords.
– Kirk handing Lorelai that brita pitcher on their way to Emily’s.
– Paris! Paris! Paris! It’s safe to say Paris was one of the best parts of the series! She’s such an over the top bad ass!
– Lorelai and Rory hanging out by the pool with their child servants during Summer.
– Jess. Every moment with Jess. Especially that last look! I’m Always team Jess… However, after watching A Year in the Life, I’ve decided that Rory doesn’t deserve Jess. SORRY BOUTCHA, RORY!
– In Omnia Paratus! I’m so glad we saw another glimpse of the Life and Death Brigade!
– Rory writing “Gilmore Girls” at her grandparent’s house. Very Little Women-esque!
– Lorelai doing Wild… along with 100 other middle aged ladies. How hilarious!
– Luke’s monologue to Lorelai about how he loves her with all his heart.
– Emily offering Luke’s endowment to Lorelai to expand the Dragonfly (mirroring the pilot episode when Lorelai asked for money so Rory could go to Chilton) under the condition that Luke and Lorelai visit her in Nantucket.
– That wedding. That truly perfect Gilmore Girl’s wedding.

Final Thoughts
– The last 4 words (revisited). I know this is pushing Rory’s life to be a reflection of Lorelai’s, Logan being Rory’s Christopher and Jess being her Luke, but I’m just not into it. I DID think it was a good and interesting way to end A Year in the Life – It took me by surprise and definitely got everyone hoping for more!gg1

Binge Worthy TV

IMG_0852IMG_0851So, did anyone else spend a good portion of the holidays relaxing and binge watching TV shows? We sure did! Ray and I haven’t had cable since we’ve been married (actually Ray has NEVER had cable) so we’ve been big fans of Neflix for quite a while. I love to hear what shows/movies/documentaries people are loving! By now I think everyone should know the cliche recommendations: The Office, Walking Dead, Parks and Rec, Orange is the New Black, Game of Thrones, etc. These are all wonderful and if you haven’t seen them add them to your queue now. Below are a few others (maybe slightly less talked about) I would suggest if you’re looking for something to binge-watch!

tvtv 2Netflix:
Turn – Turn is a revolutionary war-era drama based on the same-named novel by Alexander Rose. Picture this- British occupied New England states, spies, double agents, love triangles, lots of wigs.
Jessica Jones – A Neflix original, Jessica Jones is based off of the comic series Alias. This has been my favorite comic series by far! Jessica Jones is definitely dark, but also so so good.
Making a Murderer – There is so much hype right now about Making a Murderer. This show is a Neflix original documentary series focusing on Steven Avery, a man wrongfully accused and imprisoned for 18 years. Shortly after him being exonerated, he was accused of another terrible crime. Guys, if you love true crime this is for you!
Great British Baking Show – A huge hit across the pond, The Great British Baking Show is a reality show based around baking. Honestly, my favorite part of the show is that despite it being competition based, there’s no real drama. No sabotage, so bad attitudes, just happy British bakers!

tv3Hulu:
Wayward Pines – This is a TV show based off a novel of the same name by Blake Couch. It’s mysterious and sci-fi-y and I love it. The acting is surprisingly super high quality!
Scream Queens – GUYS, Scream Queens is by the creators of both Saw and Glee… if that tells you anything. Slasher movie meets sorority life. It’s so hilarious and campy!! You HAVE to watch!!

tv4Amazon:
The Man in the High Castle – This is what Ray and I just finished watching. It’s an amazon original and based off a Philip K. Dick novel. The Man in the High Castle takes place in 1962 and is centered around an alternate history in which the allies lost WWII. Germany occupies the east coast of the former United States, Japan occupies the west coast, and the Rocky Mountains and mid-west are a neutral zone. It’s so interesting!

What have you loved binge watching? I love TV!

Gossip Girl

For the past few weeks I have been unashamedly obsessed with Gossip Girl. I know I’m late to the game, but I am unable to resist the Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass relationship, love triangles, clothes, flip phones, waffle breakfasts, and the New York city backdrop.  Here are some must-haves for any true Gossip Girl fans:gg blog 2
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xoxo

Gilmore Girls

GG1On October 1st Gilmore Girls became available on netflix streaming which is obviously one of the best things to happen to my recreational tv watching! I watched the series in its entirety as it was airing, but didn’t watch it while it was in syndication, so it’s been a really long time. I’ve enjoyed rediscovering the charm of Stars Hallow, the quirky minor characters, and the cozy feeling the show ensues. A few days ago I posted a status on facebook saying all I want to do is talk about Gilmore Girls, and after some thought I decided to write a blog about it!

A few reasons I think you should watch (or rewatch) Gilmore Girls:
*spoilers*

1. Romance!
– Luke. Oh, Luke. The one and only man that was consistent through out the series. Luke was always the winner for me. No one compared to Luke. Lorelai, with her poor decision making + bad luck, she sure ends up with some real losers… but there’s always Luke. Why is Lorelai the only one that can’t see that Luke is her soul mate? HE MADE HER A HUPPAH!
– Jess > Logan > Tristan > Dean
Poor Rory, Homegirl just can’t gt it together. Jess was obviously perfect for her, but I can see how it would be weird for Rory to be with Jess AND Lorelai be with Luke. In the beginning I thought Dean was a square but I didn’t hate him until he cheated on his wife with Rory. I just can’t get behind that.

2. Early 2000’s pop cultural references! Look forward to quotes like:
“I lost my Macy Grey CD.”
“Who do you like better, 98 Degrees or N’sync? Or the Backside Boys?”
“Oh wait, I’m getting a page!”

3. 2000’s fashion! This kind of coincides with the pop cultural references. Guys, the fashion in the first few seasons is BANANAS. Lots of high pant/short shirt combos, quirky graphic tees, swirly patterned blouses, rhinestones for days, and school uniforms. In the later seasons Rory steps it up a notch and is full on J. Crew! We’re all very proud.

4. Annoying as hell beginning credits song. The credits begin with cozy fall foliage, snippets of Stars Hallow, sweet moments between Lorelai and Rory, but it’s completely ruined by Carole King’s overpowering voice! Now, it’s not as bad as say the beginning credits of Son’s of Anarchy, but it’s still pretty bad. I hate it. I love it. I love to hate it!

5. Small town quirks. I LOVE small towns, especially the cozy, creative, perfect kind that Stars Hallow seems to be. I can’t think of a better place to live!

So, have you been watching Gilmore Girls? Who’s your favorite character? Are you team Jess or team Dean? Let me know!

Top Ten Neflix Documentaries

We LOVE documentaries! Here are the Alliray top ten Netflix documentaries!

1. With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story – Even if you’re not into comics this is a great doc about an incredible man.
2. The Pruitt-Igoe Myth – The public housing complex built to change the inner city of St. Louis which became infamous for it’s crime, poverty and seggregation.
3. Resurrect Dead: Mystery of Toynbee Tiles – Mysterious tiles start showing up embedded in the streets in and sidewalks of major east coast cities. One guy decided to find out why.
4. Theremin: An Electronic Odyessy – This is truely an odessy about the invention of the thermin instrument created by Russian inventor Léon Theremin
5. Forks Over Knives – This doc explores that idea that we can cure ourselves of diseases by simply changing the way we eat.
6. Just for Kicks – People obsesed with collecting tennis shoes! So fun!
7. Copyright Criminals – Awesome look at music sampling.
8. Ingredients – Really informative doc about farmers markets and eating local.
9. Moog – This is a great doc about the Moog synthesizer created by Dr Robert Moog.
10. Unusual Buildings – This documentary is great because it’s actually kind of terrible. Lots of weird buildings with an awkward host stuck in the early 90s.

Have you seen any of these? What are some others we should check out?