Don't judge a book by it's cover

Hi guys,

Sorry it's been a while since I've blogged about anything. I've been busy with school and work but have been wanting to get on here so I'll try to make more of an effort to post every now and again. My friend sent me this YouTube video, and it's one of the greatest things I have seen in a while. Granted, I see the money signs in Simon's eyes when they boy opens his mouth to sing, but his story is just amazing. It shows you not to judge anyone before you get to know them. That is an important message that we all need to keep in mind! I know sometimes I am guilty of it, but making a conscious effort not to judge someone before you get to know them can open your eyes to some amazing things. Anyways, watch the clip below. This is the type of video that should go viral!

Here are a few things I've been into lately:

• SYNERGY, in raspberry chia.

 It is one of the strangest things I've ever consumed but it is SO good and the nutrients and energy it gives you is amazing!

• Reading. Although I have other things I should be doing other than reading, I've found myself consumed in a number of good books lately. Here are my top 3 I'm currently into:

1. "My Life in France" by Julia Child.
2. "The Marriage Plot" by Jeffery Eugenides
3. "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

Do you have any good books you recommend?

• New season of Mad Men- I can't even describe how much I love this show. The writing! The drama! The costumes, hair and make up!! Not to mention Don isn't too hard on the eyes. The show really does whisk you away to another era and engulf you in the drama of the characters. Thank goodness it's back!

• Pinterest.com: Is there anything more addicting than Pinterest right now? I could spend hours just dreaming up different DIY projects, looking at different fashions and ways to do hair, imagining myself in far off places, learning how to throw the perfect party and day dreaming about interior design. Now if only there was more time in the day...
• The Rockstar Diaries: I stumbled upon this blog a while back and am so happy I did. Although I sometimes feel a bit creepy checking in on their lives, Naomi and Josh Davis along with their little daughter Eleanor and baby boy on the way have such a special bond. Their love for each other is contagious and their blog always leaves me with a heart full of joy and hope for the future. Cheesy, I know, but true! Plus my friend Demi tweeted Naomi and she totally said she'd adopted us, so we're in! Haha, but seriously, check out their blog if you have never before! It's a good one!

What about you? Are you into anything right now I should know about? Fill me in, won't ya?

And the Oscar Goes To...

My super talented, brilliant writer of a brother AJ has supplied us with his Oscar predictions yet again this year. He brings up some great points, so enjoy!

Something big is happening in Hollywood. For an industry built on the noise and chaos of hype, illusion and celebrity, it seems almost contradictory that this small revolution within the film industry has arisen from a silent battle cry. Eighty-four years after the last silent film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, The Artist has positioned itself as the front runner to claim the golden statuette on February 26. Whatever you have to say about the film’s flaws (inconsistent tone, flat characters, its gimmick factor) pales in comparison to the fact that a silent film has achieved such critical and commercial success in an society that craves the conventional and demands instant gratification.

I had a feeling that this year’s Academy Awards were going to be unique after Clint Eastwood’s sprawling biopic J. Edgar was met with a quiet apathy by both critics and moviegoers back in October. In the past, Eastwood’s films have been greeted with lavish praise and numerous awards from the Academy. He has received the Best Director award twice in his career and four of his films have received Best Picture nominations. With an A-list cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Watts, and Judi Dench and a big studio budget, J. Edgar seemed like an obvious shoo-in for this year’s Best Picture race. That is, until no one showed up to see this snooze fest. The result: 0 Oscar nominations.

America’s silent treatment towards Eastwood’s films is a refreshingly rebellious act. Think of it as a middle finger to the old-fashioned Hollywood regime that thought they could release the same conventional schlock every year and that the audience was too stupid to notice or care.

It wasn’t just Eastwood who was pushed out of the pop cultural lexicon this year. Most all of the major studio Oscar bait failed big time with critics and audiences in the winter months. War Horse, Super 8 and Cars 2  all failed to live up to lofty expectations. Instead, the Best Picture list is dominated by small budget, intellectual fare (Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life, The Artist, The Descendants). Average moviegoers started to talk more about Dujardin, Payne, Bejo and Malick and less about industry giants like Spielberg, Eastwood and DiCaprio.

When The Artist claims its prize for Best Picture of the Year next Sunday, that split second of silence before the applause is the sound of a resounding shakeup in the film world. The independent film has become mainstream.

My 2012 Oscar Picks

Best Picture: The Artist

Spoiler: Hugo

Best Director: Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Spoiler: Michel Hazanivicius, The Artist

Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, The Artist

Spoiler: George Clooney, The Descendants

Best Actress: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

Spoiler: Viola Davis, The Help

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Spoiler: Nick Nolte, Warrior

Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, The Help

Spoiler: Bérénice Bejo, The Artist

Best Original Screenplay: Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

Spoiler: Asghar Farhadi, A Separation

Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, The Descendants

Spoiler: Aaron Sorkin, Moneyball

Best Cinematography: The Tree of Life

Spoiler: The Artist

Dear Chipotle

Dear Chipotle,

I love you, I do. 

I love your delicious burritos and your tasty burrito bowls. 

I love that you use fresh ingredients and that you have the best hot sauce known to man kind [TABASCO Chipotle Sauce]. 

But I am quite angry with you right now. I do not understand how a vegetarian burrito and a chicken burrito could cost the same amount when one main, expensive ingredient is noticeably absent from the vegetarian burrito....THE CHICKEN. 

How is it possible you could charge the same when you do not add anything special for us vegetarians? I just do not understand, so any clarification would be greatly appreciated.

Your friend,

Ashleigh

Hugs, not drugs

I know the cause has not yet been determined in Whitney Houston's death, but I think we can all agree that drugs had something to do with it in one way or another. It makes me sad because she was beyond talented. She had such a powerful voice that she made look effortless. I'm curious to see how many times the name "Whitney" is mentioned at the Grammy's tonight. It's going to be interesting to see what they can whip up in a day for a Whitney Houston tribute. I'm sure it will be amazing, but nothing will ever compare to the immeasurable talent that was, Whitney Houston. 

Here are a few of my favorite Whitney Houston moments, enjoy: 

I still get chills every time I watch this--

My brothers and I went through a big "Prince of Egypt" phase--

Eighties' Gold--

Great song, great message, amazing voice--

And of course, this Dolly Parton song she made her own with her beautiful voice. Seriously, it doesn't even look like she's trying--

Daily dose of awkward

I don't know what Katy Perry's angle is here, wearing this hat but I have to say, if she wanted to make people she was taking pictures with feel extremely awkward or if she didn't want anyone within a 5-foot radius of herself, she played that hat perfectly. 

Does anyone else think this is extremely comical, or is it just me?

It's That Time Again...

Dream Home 2012, Park City, Utah

Mud Room

Sauna

Kitchen

Great Room

Close Up

Eating Area

Dining Room Table

Family Room

Master Sitting Area

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

Bedroom

Guest Bedroom

Outside Entertainment Area

Hot Tub

Outdoor Living Room

River Behind the House

Fly Fishing

This year's dream home is the perfect mix of rustic and modern. It looks so cozy and inviting, and there's a sauna... seriously, when can I move in?!? This year, the house was built in Park City, Utah. I had a chance to visit Park City this past year and instantly fell in love with the cozy town. There is so much to do- from skiing, snowshoeing, and ice skating in the winter (not to mention attending the Sundance Film Festival!) to horseback riding, hiking and fishing in the summer. Park City is a great destination for the Dream Home. I wouldn't mind winning the house this year, or any year for that matter! 

Take a look around.

Sharing is Caring

Do you guys ever make a fantastic playlist and just want to share it with the world?? Well, I think I've made a pretty good playlist and I can't seem to figure out how to share it with every person in the world, so instead I'll share with you, my friends! Hope you enjoy and if you don't... well.. then... one man's trash is another man's treasure- remember that!

Actually, it's Ashleigh's Amazing Playlist

Be Calm - fun.

We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris) - Rihanna (wouldn't you love to be so famous you could just repeat the same words over and over and have a smash hit? WE FOUND LOVE IN A HOPELESS PLACE!)

Lights - Ellie Goulding

Heavy Cross - Gossip

Crystalised - The xx

All the Pretty Girls - fun.

If Ever I Stray - Frank Turner

You Know What I Mean - Cults

Midnight City - M83

Lonely Boy - The Black Keys

Cough Syrup - Young the Giant

Rill Rill - Sleigh Bells

Good Feeling - Flo Rida

Calgary - Bon Iver

We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monae) - fun.

Call Your Girlfriend - Robyn

Daylight - Matt & Kim

Rumour Has It / Someone Like You - Glee Cast (don't roll your eyes, it's amazing)

Also, I watch music videos on VH1 (MTV take note: some people still actually enjoy music videos) while I get ready every morning, and this one makes me incredibly happy every time I see it:

I think I'm gonna use some his moves....