another girl with a blog

Said Yes to the Boy, Date, Place, and the Dress! Now What?

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

After being engaged for just about 5 months, we've finally started planning. To be honest I really enjoyed just being engaged and day dreaming about the special day

I was a little scared to dive into actual wedding planning and setting a date and writing checks because I thought that's when all the stress would come. I was under the impression trying to organize people, dates, vendors, payments, flowers and little details would turn me into a bridezilla and everything would stress me out.

As much as I loved day dreaming, I'm happy to say we've found our venue, set our date, and picked out my dress! I'm getting married in October and so far everything is just falling into place. I'm still waiting for that stress monster to creep up and throw a wrench in. Hopefully this isn't the calm before the storm. ;)

DIY Jewelry Oraganizer

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:50:00 +0000

As part of my New Year's resolutions, February has been deemed my get organized month. First I decided to go to battle against the giant tangled jewelry monster that invaded my closet.

To prepare for combat I armed myself with:

1) An old bulletin board

2) Some patterned contact paper

3) A pack of hooks

4) Scissors

I cut a piece of contact paper just larger than my bulletin board, peeled the back off, and carefully stuck it to my board. After cutting around the edge of the board to remove the excess contact paper, I started to screw in my hooks. Place as many as you want all over the board, but keep in mind what kind of pieces you'll want to hang from each hook. I placed most of mind toward to the top edge since I have a lot of longer necklaces.

After creating my board I managed to untangle all my jewelry. It was an epic fight, but I defeated the massive jumbled mess of jewelry and now I finally have a place to put everything. Here's my finished jewelry organizer!

Photo A Day Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:25:00 +0000

At the beginning of January I was tagged on an Instagram post called the January Photo a Day Challenge. I started because I thought it would be kind of fun but then it turned into a game trying to find a good photo to take for each assignment.

Here are just a couple of the photos I took. Maybe you can guess which days they're from. :)

The January Photo a Day Challenge was created by an Australian blogger Fat Mum Slim and she's posted another Photo a Day Challenge for February. Here is it if you want to play along!

Little Black Bag Launches

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:32:00 +0000

Little Black Bag, a new social commerce site that offers a personalized collection of brand name women's merchandise, officially launched today. Little Black Bag is a site for shoppers to buy a mystery bag of items and trade with friends to create their perfect bag of items.

Sounds like a fantasy football team for fashion! Can’t wait to try it!

Sh*t _______ Say.

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:06:00 +0000

Just when I think I'm over the Sh*t Blankety Blank Say videos, another gem pops up. Could this be like Rick Rolling and I'll never get tired of it?

Here are a few of my faves. Do you think I'm missing any??

The Happiest Place on Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:52:00 +0000

Photo by: katdogs

I have my sparkly shoes, favorite Tinkerbell tee, bows, Disney tunes, and hot pink everything ready to go. We're off to Disneyland!

The Lab Event

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:40:00 +0000

I've been to countless bridal fairs as a bridesmaid, sister, friend, an event planner and now as a bride. The Lab Event was by far the best wedding event I've ever attended. The space, Cline Cellars, was stunning and I felt like we were at a wedding when we walked in and not some sort of sales convention or expo.

We were immersed in a world of creative and awe-inspiring vendors with everything from photography, food, fashion, to stationary and makeup. Everything was beautiful but laid-back in such a gorgeous setting! We ate, drank, and danced the night away.

I tip my veil to Erin Taylor of Bustle Events and the rest of The Lab team. It was an absolutely gorgeous event and I left feel inspired and amazed.

DIY Sous-vide

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

When I first heard about sous-vide I thought it was super awesome geeky science magic. Evenly cooked steaks, perfectly poached eggs, fall off the bone ribs. Seriously, what’s not to love? As it turns out sous-vide machines are crazy expensive and mostly used in professional kitchens. But I want perfect eggs and ribs too!

After a ton of research and stumbling across some DIY machines, we set out to build our own sous-vide! It’s actually surprisingly simple.

You’ll need:

A crock-pot/slow cooker - we picked ours up on craiglist for 10 bucks.
Vacuum sealer & bags
A sous-vide temperature controller

For our first experiment we started pretty simple and made poached eggs. For this we didn’t need to vacuum seal since eggs already come in a sealed container (aka a shell). We set the eggs at a controlled 64 degrees C/147 F and let them hang out in their spa for about an hour. We got ready for work and our eggs were done with their hot tub party. We cracked them open and had perfectly poached eggs! Who knew science could be so yummy. Can’t wait for our next experiment!

Wedding Wednesday: Songs to Brighten the Big Day

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:28:00 +0000

"Choose your wedding music” is one item on every bride's to do list. Whether you're having a live band, DJ, or just an iPod, you need to pick your favorite songs for the big day.

Here are few key moments you may want to choose a specific song for:

Ceremony:

Prelude
Processional
Recessional
Postlude
Any other special ceremony music

Cocktail Hour

Reception:

Wedding Party Intros
First Dance
Father/Daughter Dance
Mother/Son
Bouquet Toss
Garter Toss
Cake Cutting
Last Dance

I typed up a list for my DJ of all the songs I want at my wedding (still picking a first dance song!) and also created a Spotify playlist and added other songs I’d like to be played and songs that remind me of the man I’m marrying. I did go a little overboard and the playlist is just over 12 hours, but it’s fun to listen to while I’m planning. Pick songs that are significant to you even if it's not "typical" wedding music. I'm personally trying to think out of the box and make a list that's fun and not the same stuff you hear at every other wedding.

While choosing those special songs you love, remember to create a list of songs you DO NOT want played at your wedding. Think of those songs you can’t stand, you think are played out, anything that reminds you of your ex, anything that would kill the mood or offend grandma, and anything you just don’t want to be played. If you need a place to start or want a few ideas, here’s what’s on my Do Not Play list:

Do Not Play:

Shout
Macarena
Single Ladies - Beyoncé
White Wedding - Billy Idol
Mony Mony - Billy Idol
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Love Shack - B52’s
Chicken Dance
YMCA
Another One Bites the Dust
Don’t Stop Believing - Journey
Sweet Caroline
The Electric Slide
Total Eclipse of the Heart
Somewhere Over the Rainbow - (any version)
What a Wonderful World
Livin’ on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Hokey Pokey
Cha Cha Slide - DJ Casper
Celine Dion
Shania Twain
At Last - Etta James
Every Breath You Take - The Police
Nickelback
Going to the Chapel
Let’s Stay Together - Al Green
Love & Marriage
Celebration - Kool & The Gang
We Are Family - Sister Sledge
Hot in Herre - Nelly
I Gotta Feeling - The Black Eyed Peas
Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)- C+C Music Factory

What are some of your must plays and do not play songs?

New Year, New Attitude

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:11:00 +0000

Photo via the spotted fox.

Well it’s a over a week into the new year. Are you keeping your resolutions? Like pretty much everyone else I want to work on my fitness, organization, budget, friendships and about a million other things this year. I may have found my key for staying on track with my goals. I’m going to attack them one at a time.

This month I am focusing on health and fitness. I started with getting my yearly checkup and going to the dentist. I used ZocDoc to find recommended doctors covered by my insurance and even booked my appointments online (and they have an iPhone app!). As for the fitness part I’m continuing to exercise with Bodylastics bands and liveevercise.com. It is the only workout routine I’ve stuck with longer than a couple weeks, so I’m not going try to fix what isn’t broken. I recently picked up a bike at a charity garage sale and I’ve started biking to work.

In February I’m going to work more on organization and de-cluttering my life. This is going to include everything from cleaning out my closet, keeping lists and even organizing my computer files. I’ll definitely use a lot more of my favorite app Wunderlist and I want to try 40 bags in 40 days.

Other areas I want to focus on over the year are budgeting/saving, reading more, starting a new hobby, hanging out with friends and continuing to surround myself with amazing and inspiring people. By tackling them and focusing on one a month I won’t overwhelm myself and I won’t try to do too much at once. I'll build on each month and slowly add more goals.

I’ve also created a GSD playlist on Spotify and a Pinterest board to help keep me motivated. What are some of your new goals? Any tricks or tips to staying on track?

Kitchen Confession: I Can't Cook (But I'm Learning)

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:53:00 +0000

Photo via flickr.

Frozen, pre-made, store bought, take out, just add water, instant and re-heat were the only words in my cooking vocabulary. If you looked into my fridge you would have found only a pack of ketchup, cookie dough, soy milk and maybe some sliced prepackaged cheese. I could count the number of meals I had made on less than one hand. I just didn’t cook.

I never liked to admit I don’t, and can’t, cook. I was embarrassed because I naively thought everyone could cook and I was the one who couldn’t and even thought guys wouldn’t want to date me. I’m sure we’ve all heard “the way to man’s heart is through his stomach.”

Over the last year I’ve finally been assisting in the kitchen. I have successfully learned how to slice, dice, simmer and saute. Aside from accidentally purchasing crème fraîche ice cream instead of crème fraîche, I’d like to think I’m getting pretty good in the kitchen. I’ve only made a couple meals from scratch solo, but I’m finally starting to enjoy cooking.

I’ll admit I am lucky enough to have a major foodie/practically gourmet chef teaching me but I’ve been learning a ton from Jamie Oliver’s 20 Minute Meals iPhone App, The Food Network’s YouTube channel and from the lovely Miss Sharon Vaknin’s Flavor Craft:

Hopefully I’ll share more of my own cooking adventures soon!

Wedding Wednesday: Save the Date

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Follow my wedding inspiration board here.

In attempt to not turn into a bridezilla who only talks, blogs, and tweets about her wedding, I'm only going to (hopefully) post wedding stuff on Wednesdays. One day a week for me to share what's inspiring me, where I'm at in the planning process, and anything and everything related to weddings, so save the date for Wedding Wednesdays.

Fast Food Never Looked So Good

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:29:00 +0000

If only fast food actually looked as amazingly delicious as the extreme makeover versions on Fancy Fast Food.

Kitschy Galantine of Chicken (Fancy KGC) by Erik of Fancy Fast Food

Ingredients (from KFC):

3 Kentucky Grilled Chicken breasts
1 small Coleslaw
PLUS: organic watercress (for an added touch of irony)

Read the full post on FFF here.

New Year's Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Well, it’s the end of another year. Time for a fresh start. Time to make resolutions that will last a few hours, a few days, or if we’re lucky a few weeks.

Why do we do this to ourselves? We buy books we won’t read, gym equipment and memberships we won’t use, and make huge promises to ourselves and others we won’t keep. We say this year will be different.

It’s time to get off your butt and make it different. Prove everyone wrong. Get out there and change what you want to change. Only your attitude and your actions will help you keep your resolutions and help you meet your goals.

Soundtrack to 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 02:28:00 +0000

Here's the soundtrack to help you say goodbye 2011 and hellllloooo 2012. Listen to my top 100 songs from 2011 on Spotify.

Some of the tracks include:

Hits Me Like A Rock by CSS

Lights by Ellie Goulding

Shake It Out by Florence + The Machine

Need You Now by Cut Copy

Get the full playlist here.

My Top 5 Movies of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

5. X-Men: First Class - I was about to write off X-Men movies for good, but Matthew Vaughn pulled it off! (Action/Sci-Fi)

4. Bridesmaids - HILARIOUS! I saw it the day before I got engaged I’ve had nightmares ever since. (Comedy)

3. Tinker Tailor Solider Spy - This was one of those films I was having trouble understanding while watching it but the more I thought about it the more I loved it and then couldn’t stop thinking about it! Such an amazingly talented cast! (Drama)

2. The Muppets - Adored the writing, songs, set design, and every single muppet. (Family)

1. Drive - Not just my favorite of the year, but now in my top 5 of all time. (AMAZING)

We Need a Cute Sweater Party

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:36:00 +0000

Sure, ugly sweater parties sound kind of cute or kitschy the first time you're invited to one. Then you're invited to another and then another and then the novelty starts to wear off. Then you find yourself swapping sweaters with a friend so you don't have to keep wearing the same ugly red sweater with tinsel and a giant reindeer with a blinking nose. After about your third or fourth ugly sweater party you start to shop for new ugly sweaters.

You go to Goodwill and other thrift stores to hunt for a sweater, but this time of year those hideous sweaters become harder and harder to find. It's difficult to find a secondhand ugly sweater because a million other high schoolers, college kids and adults who should know better have snatched them all. Once you've spent $40 on a disgusting Santa sweater with gifts stapled to it you know it's gone too far.I say we ditch the heinously tacky Christmas sweaters and played out party theme and start wearing cute sweaters again! Spend your money on sweaters you won't be embarrassed to be seen by anyone outside of the party.

I'm All Linears Sweater ModCloth.com

Comics I Love: Natalie Dee

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 03:09:00 +0000

No explanation is needed why I love these. I'm sure their awesome quirkiness speaks for itself.

Check out more from Natalie Dee here.

He Gives Me Butterflies

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:00:00 +0000

This is the most adorable and cutest freaking engagement video I have ever seen. Watching it gives me butterflies. Xx

tori and austin from sarah yates on Vimeo.

Je t'adore. My Favorite Beauty Products

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 03:00:00 +0000

Even if your bathroom is overflowing with beauty supplies and makeup and looks like a department store cosmetic counter, I'm sure there are a handful of products you can't live without. Over the years I feel like I've tried just about everything whether it's drugstore brand or designer. Here are the beauty products I always keep close by.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - $19 at Sephora.

Photo from makeup and beauty blog.

No creasing or clumping like a lot of other primers. This is the only product I've ever used that keeps my eyeshadow looking amazing all day long. I know it's a bit pricey, but it's worth it! A lot of products say they're long lasting, but this one actually means it.

Kiehl's Ultimate Hand Salve

Seriously, who wants dry cracked hands? Definitely not me. That's why I love Kiehl's Ultimate Hand Salve. It nourishes hands without leaving them feeling greasy and the fragrance isn't overpowering like hand lotions. This is one product I always carry with me, especially during the winter months.

Kiehl's Ultimate Hand Salve - $13 at Kiehl's.

Clinique Brush-On Cream Eyeliner

Clinique Brush-On Cream Eyeliner - $12.50 at Sephora.

Photo from sweet glow beauty.

I've never found a pencil liner that lasted all day and I never quite figured out liquid liner. Cream eyeliner is the best of both worlds. It's easy to apply, doesn't drip and you get a long lasting, waterproof and dramatic look. If you want multiple colors, I suggest getting Stila's Smudge Pot Collection (also available at Sephora).

Rosebud Salve

If you want to cure cracked chapped lips or if you just want super soft lips Rosebud Salve is amazing and unlike Carmex, it smells great. The vintage style tin is adorable and you can even use the salve on dry skin or sunburns. This stuff never leaves my handbag!
Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve - $6 at drugstore.com.

Cetaphil

Cetaphil is definitely one of the products I could never live without. It's extremely gentle and great for all skin types. My dermatologist first introduced me to Cetaphil products years ago and I haven't used another cleanser since. Another reason I love their cleanser is because you can use it as a makeup remover without water.

Cetaphil - $9 at Walgreen's.

What are some of your beauty must haves?

Must Have Jewelry: Marika King

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 01:45:00 +0000

Have you ever seen a piece of jewelry and thought "Oh my. I have to have that!"?? Well that's exactly how I feel whenever I see anything Marika King. Every piece is a mixture of vintage inspired and fashion forward. It's girly, sophisticated, classic, precious and most important, actually affordable. I always seem to fall in love with jewelry and accessories that are way beyond my price range, so finding Marika King was a breath of fresh air.

Brass Pin Up Girl Cuff

Check out the website for more... I bet you'll find at least a half dozen things you need to own.

A Decade of Favs: TV Shows

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:27:00 +0000

Next on my decade of favs is my list of favorite television shows. You'll notice there aren't any reality shows on my list because there are just WAY too many and that could take days. This took a lot of time and thought, but I managed to get my list down to my top 20. Once again, these are in no particular order. Enjoy!

Deadwood (2004-2006) A western drama set in 1870s South Dakota created, directed and primarily written by David Milch. It's extremely explicit and profane which helped it earn 8 Emmys, a Golden Globe and some serious space in my DVR.

Deadwood © HBO

Weeds (2005-present) Suburban widow in an affluent area of California becomes the neighborhood drug dealer. The amazing Mary-Louise Parker picked up a Golden Globe for her performance and became a poster girl for pot.

Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009) This Sci-Fi military drama is a re-imagining of the 1978 tv series. I know I'm letting my geek flag fly with this choice, but I LOVED this show.

The Office (2001-2003 UK and 2005-present US) Both versions made the list because they're two of the most hilarious shows ever. Funnyman Ricky Gervaiscreated, wrote and directed the British series with Stephen Merchant. Such a big hit! Yeah, that's what she said.

Undeclared (2001-2002) Another short lived Judd Apatow show (like Freaks and Geeks). Even though it only lasted one season, it was insanely hilarious and helped launch the careers of Apatow and Seth Rogan.

Scrubs (2001-present) After eight seasons on NBC, Scrubs is coming to an end early next year after switching to ABC. It was a great run you silly Sacred Heart docs! Not to mention Zach Braff is completely adorable.

The Wire (2002-2008) Creator, producer and writer David Simon says the show is "about the American city, and about how we live together. It's about how institutions have an effect on individuals." This Baltimore based crime drama could be one of the best shows ever.

30 Rock (2006-present) Tina Fey as Liz Lemon, head writer of the sketch comedy show TGS, is possibly the funniest lead woman on television today. Her writing also brings non-stop laughs.

Dexter (2006-present) Police forensics expert Dexter Morgan, played by Michael C. Hall, lives a double life as blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro PD and as a serial killer. The fourth season just wrapped with one of the most shocking finales.

Firefly (2002-2003) Writer/director Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) created a world set 500 years in the future with a renegade space crew traveling unknown parts of the galaxy. The series had a relatively short life, but gained a larger audience and fan base after being released to DVD.

MadMen (2007-present) This American drama centers around a fictional advertising agency and the changing social mores of America in the 60s. The historical authenticity and costume design alone make this one amazing show.

Arrested Development (2003-2006) The dysfunctional and eccentric Bluth family earned this show six Emmys, a Golden Globe, the biggest cult following ever and a spot on Time's 100 Greatest Shows of All Time. This show should have lasted a lot longer than 3 seasons!

Chuck (2007-present) After a campaign to "Save Chuck," the action-comedy spy show starring Zachary Levi is returning next month for a much anticipated third season. I can't wait to see what creators Josh Schwartz (The OC) and Chris Fedak have in store for Chuck Bartowski and his new kung fu moves!

Chuck © NBC

How I Met Your Mother (2005-present) Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Alyson Hannigan and Neil Patrick Harris have to be the best and funniest cast on tv right now. This show just keeps getting better and better.

24 (2001-present) This show is longest running espionage series in tv history and stars the amazing Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer. The most intense and thrilling show I've ever seen always leaves me on the edge of my seat.

The OC (2003-2007) I had to have at least one teen drama on this list! The beautiful cast, dramatic and comedic story lines and great music made this show a must watch. Although after Marissa died (*tear*) it started to go downhill, the series finale more than made up for it.

True Blood (2008-present) Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, American Beauty) is a complete genius and someone I've admired for quite a while. He took one of my fav book series and turned it into one of the sexiest, intense and graphic shows ever. Everything from the cast, to the writing, the special effects and even the soundtrack isAMAZING.

House (2004-present) While I'm usually not a fan of medical dramas, Gregory House (played by Hugh Laurie) is so sarcastic, antisocial, arrogant and witty this quickly became one of my favorite shows. Two Golden Globes and three Emmys don't hurt either.

The Flight of the Conchords (2007-2009) A two-man band from New Zealand trying to make it big as a folk band in New York. The show is ridiculously funny and their songs make you laugh so hard you'll cry. Another thing that will make you cry, the band announced there will not be a third season.

The Tudors (2007-present) This show is all about King Henry VIII, played by the gorgeous Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and his reign of England and many marriages. This Michael Hirst created drama gets better each season!

Glee (2009-present) The breakthrough comedy about a high school glee club is the funniest show to premiere in a long time. The laughs keeps coming and the musical numbers are absolutely fantastic. Sue Sylvester, played by Jane Lynch, is one of the funniest characters to hit the small screen.

Ok, you caught me. I had 21 shows (22 if you count both versions of The Office). Oh well, this is my blog and my list so I can do what I want :)

What are some of your fav shows of the decade? Any Lost, Grey'sor Friday Night Lights fans?

A Decade of Favs: Movies

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Lynette) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:15:00 +0000

Whether its movies, music, books or pretty much anything else, at the end of each year I love reading all the lists of the years' best. As we near the end of the 00s, I started thinking of all my favorites of the decade and wanted to make my own list.

The more I thought about it, the longer my lists got and the more difficult it became to rank them. So first up, in no particular order, are my favorite movies of the decade.

Memento (2000) Leonard, played by Guy Pearce, suffers from short-term memory loss and leaves himself notes (and tattoos) to help track down his wife's killer. Director Christopher Nolan keeps you on the edge of your seat in this thriller mystery.

Dark Knight (2008) Another Christopher Nolan directed film and possibly my favorite Batman movie (Sorry Keaton!). It's safe to say Heath Ledger stole the screen and entranced us all with his portrayal of the Joker.

Zoolander (2001) Ben Stiller is at his best when he plays crazy over the top characters and this has to be one of the most quoted movies ever. "What is this?! A center for ants!?"

The Hangover (2009) Any movie with Mike Tyson singing "In the Air Tonight"needs to be on a 'Best Of' list. If you didn't laugh during this entire movie, hopefully it's because you have some rare disease that makes you incapable of laughter.

The Departed (2006) The movie that finally got Scorcese his Oscar. If you need another reason besides that, here's 4... DiCaprio, Damon, Nicholson and Walhberg.

The Queen (2006) An intimate glimpse of how the Queen and Royal Family struggle to cope with such a public tragedy, the death of Princess Diana. Helen Mirren was such a tour-de-force and had to be on this list.

Moulin Rouge (2001) This movie made the musical relevant again. Not only is it just visually stunning, the modern music made everyone want to sing along. Director Baz Luhrmann is a genius!

The Last King of Scotland (2006) Forest Whitaker gave such chilling performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, the brutality was almost too hard to watch. He pulled us into his world and we couldn't look away.

City of God (2003) The story of two bothers growing up in violent Rio de Janiero as their lives take different paths. Like Last King of Scotland, this is another brutal but completely beautiful film. If this list were in a numbered order, this would be number one.

Tropic Thunder (2008) Words can not explain how hilarious this film is. It's crude, offensive and at times, extremely tacky... but that's what makes it so good. It doesn't take itself too seriously and just wants Hollywood and all the retards to lighten up.

High Fidelity (2000) The ever adorable John Cusack plays Rob, a record store owner and compulsive list maker, who retraces his past girlfriends and top 5 breakups. Another extremely quotable movie. "John Dillinger was killed behind that theater in a hale of FBI gunfire. And you know who tipped them off? His f**king girlfriend. All he wanted to do was go to the movies."

Grizzly Man (2005) Nature loving Timothy Treadwell documents his journey living with wild bears in Alaska. Sounds like a boring documentary, right? Dude gets eaten by one of the bears.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006) Meryl Streep, who is normally the queen of drama, knocks every laugh out of the park with this hilarious comedy. Anne Hathaway proved she can hold her own against such a Hollywood dynamo.

Mystic River (2003) An investigation of into the death of a young woman reunites three childhood friends and a tragedy from their past unfolds. Oh, and it's directed by Clint Eastwood and won a couple of Oscars.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Dysfunctional is a understatement when describing this goofball family and their road-trip to the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant in a run-down VW bus.

Donnie Darko (2001) Donnie, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is a teen troubled by visions of Frank, a large bunny rabbit, which manipulates his fate. Time travel, alternate universes, hypnosis, mental illness and supernatural events make this movie a must see.

Iron Man (2008) Billionaire inventor Tony Stark builds a high tech power suit and vows to protect the world as Iron Man after being kidnapped and forced to build devastating weapons. Robert Downey Jr. had the comeback of the decade!

Billy Elliot (2000) An adorable and heartwarming British drama about a little boy and his love for ballet dancing. This inspiring tale is all about finding your passion and following your dreams.

Kill Bill (2003) This film was so epic it was broken up into two installments. Tarantino's homage to older film genres is all about an assassin named The Bride, played by Uma Thurman, and her revenge for the team that betrayed her.

Almost Famous (2000) A teenage journalist is given the chance to go on tour with rockband Stillwater and write for Rolling Stone. Writer/director Cameron Crowe was once a writer for Rolling Stone and the film is somewhat auto-biographical... and completely amazing.

Children Of Men (2006) In the not too distant future, humanity faces extinction as the entire population is infertile and unable to procreate. This film is on it's way to becoming a Sci-Fi classic.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) Ironic and completely absurd is the only way to describe this Wes Anderson film. Not just a top film of the decade, could possibly be one of the best of all time.

American Psycho (2000) Christian Bale plays a man with a psychotic serial killing alternate ego in this thriller. Let's just say Patrick Bateman was Dexter before Dexter.

Juno (2007) A coming-of-age story about unplanned teen pregnancy. This comedy is incredibly offbeat but has the best writing and one of the best soundtracks of the decade!

Y Tu Mamá También (2001) Another coming-of-age story about two teen boys who take a road-trip with an older woman. The sexuality of the film made it controversial but also made it one of the best films of the decade.

Mulholland Drive (2001) Watching the film is like having an insane dream. After a car accident on Mulholland Dr a woman becomes amnesic and tries to find clues about what happened and who she is.

The Incredibles (2004) An animated superhero movie, what's not to love? After being forced to live a quiet suburban life, a family of superheroes have to save the world.

Bubble Boy (2001) A young boy born with no immune system, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, has to live in a confined bubble in his parents' home. He makes his own bubble suit and ventures out into the real world to chase after the woman he loves. Yes, it's as ridiculous as it sounds.

Old School (2003) Three thirty-somethings try to re-live the youth of their college days by starting a frat. This movie has some of the best one-liners and quotes.

The Notebook (2004) There are a couple tearjerkers on this list, but this one has to top them all. Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks (also wrote A Walk to Remember), this film is the story about two young people from very different backgrounds falling in love.

Amélie (2001) A whimsical Parisian tale of a young waitress who decides to help those around her and falls in love along the way. Audrey Tautou couldn't be more adorable.

What are your favs?