JANUARY FAVORITES ♥

I hope that the New Year has been good to you all so far!  January went by so quickly, didn’t it? It’s crazy, but I admit that I have indeed been very busy and I’ve gotten a lot done (hence, this post is rather late, hah), so I’m feeling good about that.  2014 is certainly looking to be quite a year for me.  I’m taking my final required course for my degree this term, which means nothing but electives from here on out.  Looks like I’ll be graduating next year!  Yay!

My friends and I have already put together a to-do list of sorts for the summer and beyond.  It includes the regulars such as the Scandinavian Festival and Wordstock, but we’ve been looking into other events and opportunities as well.  I’m excited, and am eagerly looking forward to what’s to come. ^_^

It’s snowed here, again!  We’ve definitely got more than a foot out there.

Speaking of snow…

This past month, I finally watched Disney’s Frozen, and I feel that this is an appropriate opener for my January Favorites!

Frozen is amazing.  Disney has done it yet again.  The characters, the visuals, the world, the MUSIC.  I can’t believe that I waited as long as I did to watch it.  Christmas season was just so busy for me! >u< 

That being said…I don’t love it quite as much as Tangled, though, sorry.  That movie just has a very special place in my heart that can’t be replaced!

♪ Let it go!  Let it goooo!  Turn away and slam the doooor! ♫

Sigh.  Sometimes, I wish my life was a musical.

Next is a music favorite for the month (besides Let It Go): Imagine Dragons’ Night Visions album.  I’ve had this album for a while now, but recently (taking a break from k-pop? no way!) I dug it back up and have been listening to it nonstop!  I would say that it’s one of my favorite albums ever, and I’m so very glad that I purchased it in its entirety.  Imagine Dragons has a really unique sound.  Their songs are so harmonious and catchy, and the group utilizes many different instruments and synthetic effects to add interesting texture. 

My favorite songs off of Night Visions are “Demons,” (who doesn’t like this song?!) “Every Night,” and “Fallen.”

With the weather even more frigid now, one can imagine that my problem skin hasn’t been taking the cold very well—WRONG!  :P  I’ve taken well-educated measures to ensure that my skin condition does not worsen, and thankfully, my efforts have paid off.  Lately I’ve been focusing on using as many natural products as possible, such as Vaseline as an all-purpose emollient, and aloe vera gel to combat redness and dryness.  I’m still using my Cetaphil cleansers and lotions daily, as well as a hydrocortisone cream to soothe my psoriasis, but the product that I’ve found especially helpful as of late comes from Japanese skincare and makeup company DHC, and is called Deep Cleansing Oil. 

My mom swears by this stuff, and now that I’m using it regularly, I see why.  Not only does this oil-based cleanser completely remove makeup, it also soothes irritations and leaves skin feeling super clean, smooth, and relaxed.  I use this cleanser at night to remove makeup, after a warm rinse and before my regular cleanser.  DHC products are a bit pricier than even the more expensive drugstore brands, but in the case of their Deep Cleansing Oil, I think that it’s well worth it.

Drink of the month: homemade lattes!  I’ve been exploring my city lately and going to a lot of fancy cafes (there are lots here in Eugene!) with my friends, and these experiences have inspired me to be more creative with my afternoon cup of joe.  So here’s a little recipe of mine for you guys to try! (Photo not mine!)

French Vanilla Latte

Makes 2 servings

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

Sugar to taste

Dash of salt

1-2 cup(s) brewed French roast coffee

In a small pot, heat milk, vanilla, sugar, and salt, whisking until mixture is frothy.  Do not boil.  Pour coffee into large mugs.  Add milk mixture up to the brims.  If you can, make a little design in the froth as you pour.  …If not, it’ll still be delicious! ;)

Enjoy~!

Finally, to end this post, I’d like to make mention of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD for the Wii U.  I received this video game as a Christmas gift, but hadn’t been able to find the time to start playing it until about two weeks ago.  I could hardly believe that it’s been more than ten years since the original Wind Waker released.  I was about twelve years old!  It’s just nuts how time flies!

Similar to my Ocarina of Time 3D experience, it’s truly magical to play this video game remake in gorgeous HD graphics and sound.  I’m reliving one of my favorite childhood games all over again!

…And that’s it for January!  Stay warm, everyone!