Friday Favorites: For those moments I'm not watching Gossip Girl

Friday, February 21, 2014 | Stamp in My Passport| |

Friday, February 21, 2014

It's true. My go-to Netflix pick is Gossip Girl. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. Even through the middle seasons when the writers fumbled adjusting the cast to life in college, I keep coming back for more. And, yes, even through the few episodes when Hilary Duff makes a cameo.

But when I decide to branch out, I somehow always end up in the documentaries category. So basically I watch both ends of the movie spectrum, from trash to educational. 

Here are a few of my favorite documentaries: 
Somm - Follows a group of extreme wine enthusiasts as they prepare for their master sommelier exam. Some will triumph, some will fail, but all have a keen sense of smell and a thesaurus to describe all the nuances in each wine they swirl and spit.

First Position - Similar to Somm, this documentary follows a group of young ballet dancers as they compete in the Youth America Grand Prix. Be prepared to watch children and teens who have much more grace and coordination than you do as an adult. Accept this fact, knowing that unlike them, your feet will be ready for pedicure season.

The September Issue - This is the real life version of Devil Wears Prada and gives you a "behind the scenes" look at the making of the 2007 September issue of Vogue. While Anna Wintour is at the helm of this publication, I think Grace Coddington and Andre Leon Talley are the real stars in this film.

Helvetica - I love typography, so it's not surprise that I love a documentary that chronicles the creation of one of the most iconic typefaces in modern history. I first watched this in my typography class, and while others used the two hours to nap, I was glued to the screen.

Inside: Chipotle - This is an episode of the Bloomberg channel, but it does a great job at outlining what the restaurant has done to create the "fast casual" restaurant category as well as food with integrity.

In My Queue: 

Page One: Inside the New York Times - The New York Times has had to adjust with the move from print to digital and I'm interested in knowing exactly what challenges went into the process. But because it came out in 2011, I would imagine that it is slightly outdated on this topic.

180 Degrees South - Who doesn't love a real-life adventure set on the high seas? Follow the journey of "a band of bliss-seeking surfer-mountainteers" as they sail to Patagonia. 

The Tents - New York Fashion Week is one of the most iconic events perhaps in the entire world and "The Tents" gives you a behind the scenes look. Project Runway has given a look into what goes in to creating a show and the mehem that ensues, but I'm interested to see if this film goes into all that goes into the organization of the shows as a whole. 
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Hello, I'm Christina of Route Bliss. While I've been blogging for over a decade now, Route Bliss itself has only been around since the Summer of 2013. RB (as I've dubbed it) is where I share my love of travel and photography as well as what I'm learning on my journey to healthier living (adapted recipes as well as running and fitness tips and grumblings!). 

If you could have dinner with one person (living or dead) who would it be and why?
There's so many people I'd love to have at one dinner party, but if I had to choose just one on them, I'd have to go with Ansel Adams. I would love to pick his mind on photography as well as about all the national parks and other places he photographed in his career.

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12 comments:

Kaelene Spence said...

I am a sucker for Gossip Girl. I really enjoy watching food documentaries, but then I tend to learn some disturbing information about US food that I didn't want to know.

Bailie @ The Hemborg Wife said...

I also love watching documentaries on Netflix have you watched the one about Bill Cunningham? It was amazing!

Z K said...

I'm actually a closet WWII fanatic...and watch soooo many documentaries on it. I actually have First Position in my queue as well!

Jess Hnatiuk said...

I need to see the Chipotle documentary! I love that place!

Jess Elyse said...

One of the best days of my life is when I found the Netflix option to add movies to "My List." Seriously, it is one of the best things ever. Just like my "wish list" for amazon, I constantly add movies to it. I LOVE documentaries and just added Somm and Helvetica to my list. I've seen First Position and loved it! I love anything dance and ballet, probably because I can't do it, but wish I could. I've had the Chipotle episode in my list for awhile, but still haven't watched it.


I LOVED 180 Degrees South. It made me want to get on a boat and go. That is probably one of the my favorites that I have watched lately. Have you seen Into the Wild? Or read the book? I think you would enjoy that as well, if you like 180. Travel/adventure documentaries are my favorite I think. Oh and Craigslist Joe?? So good!

Jess Boyd said...

I've wanted to read Into the Wild and will add it to my list. Same goes for Craigslist Joe.

Jess Boyd said...

Be warned, after watching it you will crave a burrito bowl like something crazy.

Jess Boyd said...

Own your WWII interest! I always enjoyed the videos we watching in class about that time, especially the ones that were made a while ago that even had interviews with soldiers and survivors.

Jess Boyd said...

I did! It was so interesting because I have seen so many of his photos but never knew the backstory. Although it was a little sad to see the way he lives and how his apartment is filled from floor to ceiling with negatives.

Jess Boyd said...

My roommate went through a vegan phase and one day we watched so many of those...while I ate my Tyson chicken nuggets. This is one of those things that I know go on, but I would rather be ignorant of all the details.

Bailie @ The Hemborg Wife said...

I found the story of the other female tenant having to move after living there so long very very sad as well!

Caitlyn @ ChemGradBoom said...

Seeing that Gossip Girl is your go to, I fully trust your taste in shows/movies now which is why I believe I will add on these shows to my list! Thanks for this :)