Penpals | 12.11.24
should I watch the Nanny, fashion awards & a new color of the year
The end of an era, 2024, is wrapping up with a celebrity breakup (Barry and Sabrina), the end of Taylor's two-year tour, and the fall of a government. There are a lot of endings! let’s get into it.
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2025 is the year of Mocha Mousse, a rather drab brown rose. while the mocha doesn’t stand out to me, I think the Floral Pathways Pallete that Pantone released with the color are pure magic. That cornflower blue? I could live in that color.
a Golden Globes word search (search words are in bold!)
I totally forget sometimes that Challengers came out this year! I watched it on the flight to Italy and it feels wrong that a Golden Globe nominee was available on the plane before awards season is over. Either for Dune II or Challengers, Zendaya keeps knocking up her nominations. The Substance made my boyfriend leave the room (he can’t do body horror) but the nominations for acting and the movie itself are well deserved. I’m annoyed I haven’t gotten to see Anora yet - it only had a 6:15 showtime in one theatre in my area, arghhh
No surprise that Ariana Grande got a nom for Wicked - but hello, where’s Cynthia Erivo??? that feels wrong.
I tried to watch Kate Winslet’s The Dictator and just couldn’t get past her accent and campiness. I want to see Pamela Anderson in The Last Showgirl - I do not want to see Amy Adams in Nightb*tch.
And maybe I’ll finally watch a Daniel Craig movie in Queer??
On Netflix lately, Kiera Knightley slashes her way across the screen in British spy thriller, Black Doves. I’ve really been enjoying the first few episodes and it’s already gotten renewed for a season 2.
It’s lip gloss season! the drier winter weather means layering on the chapstick and lip gloss. I’m a big fan of Makeup Revolution’s Pout Bomb lip gloss - I’ve been using the Kiss shade but there’s 4 shades to choose from.
In other culture news
Rihanna lit up the British Fashion Awards in a stunning blue ensemble - I’m personally a huge fan of the baby blue! Caitlin Clark is Time’s Athlete of the Year - which I have mixed feelings about. I think Clark’s phenomenal but the Olympics were just months ago. US Woman’s Rugby medaled for the first time - Suni Lee battled liver disease for her comeback, Simone freakin’ Biles scored the most medals of any gymnast in history. I wish Time had opted for Athletes of the Year with all the incredible athletic moments we’ve seen in 2024.
Taylor Swift delivered the final bow on the Eras Tour and frankly, I’m relieved. I’m quite happy to not see a single Eras related tweet or TikTok again. Also Taylor somehow was my top artist on Spotify in spite of the fact that 2024 felt like the least Taylor-centric year of my life?? strange math on that for spotify.
Timmy Chalamet smashed expectations by knowing college ball, Sabrina Carpenter delivers another hit with her new “me espresso” fragrance” (smash add to Christmas wish list) Sabrina also hit the new york streets in a nanny-inspired fit after gracing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Bookmarking that to watch later. Also, if I’ve never seen the Nanny should I give it a watch?
In more serious news
Syria has been freed from a corrupt evil regime that left thousands dead. I’ve been spending the last several days reading from Syrians about what their new-found freedom means to them. This writer tells the story of her hometown - where Syrian rebels have governed for several years.
Maternal mortality rates are going up in states with strict abortion bans. But instead of amending laws to protect pregnant women - Texas and Georgia lawmakers are responding by working to block access to vital information on maternal death rates.
I have a holiday break?
I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that I get a holiday work break this year. Since I graduated college, I’ve worked every Christmas week because TV news doesn’t get any time off from the job. But this year in a business corporate job, I have the entire week off from Christmas to New Years. What do you even do with that many days off??
Cheerio, that’s all from me this week! xoxo, Liz