One of the things that I have a weakness for in terms of movies and TV is if the story revolves around dance. That is the reason why I decided to check out the Netflix series title Tiny Pretty Things, which is based on a book of the same name. Based on the lives of people involved in a Chicago ballet school, the series is jump-started by the literal fall of their top dancer, Cassie. Her incident triggers the arrival of a new dancer Neveah, who enters on a scholarship. 

The series is a quick watch at only ten episodes for the first season. I have no idea so far if there will be a second season. I guess it was not as big as Bridgerton to get an immediate renewal. There is no news that it was canceled or that it was a limited series so there is still a chance that this is a show that will still have more stories to tell. The way it ended gave it room to have a second season, but it was also satisfying enough to end with just one season.

Most of the characters in the show are dancers. There is Cassie, who is lying in a hospital bed for most of the series. It is what happened to her that becomes a curiosity for all the other dancers. Neveah is the new girl who takes Cassie’s place on a scholarship, much to the dismay of Bette, who thought she was good enough for the position as she is the younger sister of Delia, a graduate of the school and a ballet star.

There are also the boyfriends: Nabil — the French-Muslim boyfriend of Cassie, Oren — Bette’s boyfriend, Ramon — one of the top choreographers in the world and boyfriend of Delia, and Caleb — who is secretly sleeping with the school’s director, played by veteran actress Lauren Holly. 

Other main characters include June, the dancer who becomes Neveah’s roommate, Isabel, a detective who wants to find out what happened to Cassie, and Shane, a gay dancer who becomes Neveah’s confidante (and is in a friends-with-benefits secret relationship with Oren). 

The show features a lot of dancing, but for some reason, I cannot get myself interested in the dancing as much as I am with the complicated stories that each of the characters is involved in. There are a lot of stories in this series. Maybe a little too much for ten episodes.

There is so much about how big the loss of Cassie in the school was as she lies in a coma in the hospital, about the determined detective wanting to find answers about what happened to her and who and why she was pushed from the roof of the school. There is the fight to be the top girl in school, which Bette is determined to be no matter what it takes. There is also the complicated relationship between Oren and Shane, and the rift between Oren and Nabil, and the secret relationship of Caleb and the school director. Add to that the secretive background of the choreographer Ramon and you have this large mishmash of stories that sometimes makes it feel so hard to keep up with. 

I also have to say that there is a lot of sex scenes in this show. Way too much considering how old the kids in the show are supposed to be. Maybe I am being too conservative in that observation. I know that kids are having sex. It is just that there seems to be way too much in this show for me to wrap my head around. 

While the dancing is good – apparently all the actors are dancers themselves – I do not think that the acting was up to par. The acting seemed very cheesy and soap-opera-like for the most part, which was something that I did not expect from the show. 

If you are in it for the dancing like I was, I think that you would appreciate the show. But if you are looking for good material, this may not be the show you are looking for. 

I say watch it, but keep your expectations to a minimum. 

If you haven’t heard of Lin Manuel Miranda, I think I need to ask you where you’ve been these past few years first before reading this post. I mean seriously, where have you been?

I’ve been a fan of Lin since I fell in love with the music from the musical Hamilton, something that I first listened to on Spotify. I’ve followed his career since then and have taken to following him on Twitter, where he shares snippets of his life as well as inspiring tweets for his fans.

It is the inspiring tweets that he shares every morning and evening (US time) that make up the content of his new book, Gmorning, Gnight. Illustrated by Jomny Sun, the book shares some of the best good morning and good night tweets that Lin has shared with his Twitter followers these past few years. When he first started doing those tweets, I was already attempting to save some of my favorite ones (saving them for a rainy day, for days when I need them most). Turns out that I wasn’t the only one doing that, because the reason this book came out was that people wanted to have a saved copy of their favorite tweets too. 

The movie Red Notice starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot was one of the movies that I was most looking forward to when they announced that they would be making it. The day it got released on Netflix I watched it and, sadly, I was very disappointed. 

Maybe I was expecting too much and thought it would be more of an action-adventure film but it turned out to be more of an action-comedy film. I thought the movie was well made and it did have the right amount of action, but I felt that something was missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something felt lacking when I was seeing it. 

To be fair, the actors did their best with the roles that they were given. I think the way that the story was written was where things just did not go very well. At times I felt that the story was too predictable and too cheesy – I mean, I am aware that it is a comedy but still, I felt the story went over the top with it. I felt that the actors were underutilized in this movie. They could have done more if the material gave them the opportunity to. Sadly, they seemed to be cast into their stereotypical roles with Dwayne Johnson doing what he always does in most action comedies, Ryan Reynolds is the fast-talking funny guy and Gal Gadot being this serious action diva. If you expect them to act differently from their other movies, you will be disappointed. I’m not saying that those roles would not be a good combination, but given that Johnson has done strong guy with fast-talking funny guy movies before (with Kevin Hart), I’d choose that combination over this one anytime. 

Don’t get me wrong, when it comes to the action, this movie delivered. The heist scenes, the chase sequences (one of which reminded me of an Indiana Jones movie), that whole escape from prison scene…there is a lot of action to enjoy in the movie. I felt that there was something missing with the movie, but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t entertaining at all because it was in some parts.

One thing that I’d have to give to the movie was the twists on the characters and how nothing was ever as it seemed with everyone at any given point in the movie. I thought that was a good way to keep the viewers guessing when the other parts felt predictable. I thought the whole idea of the jeweled eggs from Marc Antony to Cleopatra was a good start to the story. For some reason, I think Hollywood has a thing for the story of these two historical figures because I remember a TV action/adventure series called Blood and Treasure that featured the search for the lost tomb of Marc Antony and Cleopatra. As a bit of a history nerd, I was interested in this part of the story. It’s too bad that it wasn’t really given that much focus. Not that I can blame the movie, since going too serious with that part might have ruined the comedy of it all. 

The part that I found annoying about the whole movie was how at the end of the film the theft was all so that the eggs could be a wedding gift to some wealthy guy for his daughter, who did not really care for them anyway. The kicker was how (SPOILER) the bride and her father were arrested for the theft of the eggs during the wedding reception along with Ed Sheeran (in a cameo as a special guest during the wedding as himself), all this happening while Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot watch from a safe distance. 

Would I recommend this film? Maybe not. My family seemed to enjoy it though so it may be a personal taste thing. Maybe I just don’t enjoy movies like this anymore. Best I could say is to try at your own risk. 

What’s better than two versions of Vanessa Hudgens in a Christmas movie? Apparently, if you ask Netflix, the answer would be to have three. Their latest movie, a sequel to Princess Switch, has Vanessa Hudgens playing triple duty as Princess Stacy, Lady Margaret, and Fiona in Princess Switch: Switched Again.

The movie starts where the last one left off: Stacy is now married to Edward and has become Princess of Belgravia. They are off to Montenaro to attend the coronation of Margaret as Queen. It turns out that the King had passed away and with the heir abdicating, she was next in line. This led her to break up with Kevin, who she invited to coronation anyway.

Stacy, who believes her best friend Kevin and Margaret were meant for each other, tries to convince them both to spend time together to be able to talk about their feelings before the coronation. She proposes that they switch again so that Stacy can take care of Margaret’s royal duties while Margaret has the time she needs with Kevin.

The only problem with this switch is that Fiona, Margaret’s cousin and another doppelganger, has other plans. With the intent of getting crowned as Queen so she can steal money from the kingdom and run away to a country without extradition, she executes a switch with Stacy, who was pretending to be Margaret at the time. By the time she realizes that something has gone wrong with her plan, it was too late so she instead tries to get crowned right away with the help of Margaret’s conniving Chief of Staff Antonio.

Being a Christmas movie I think we all know what to expect from this in the end. All the characters get their happily-ever-after, with a surprise cameo from King Richard and Queen Amber of the Christmas Prince movies at the end, confirming fan speculation that all the Netflix holiday movies are in one cinematic universe — that means there are not just three versions of Vanessa Hudgens in this universe, but four (she also played Brooke in The Knight Before Christmas). I guess Netflix loves Vanessa Hudgens a lot then!

The first movie was more about the romance between the two lead couples, this second film, while it did have the romantic element, was more about their misadventures after having another switch. I can’t imagine how difficult and confusing this must be to film (and edit) since there are three versions of Vanessa. The person in charge of continuity for this one needs a bonus for doing such a good job! Usually, when I watch films or shows with one actor playing multiple characters you find inconsistencies in their scenes together. I did not find one (none that was easily noticeable anyway) in this movie.

It must be exhausting for Vanessa Hudgens to play all three roles since they all have different personalities (and accents). I would be so confused about who I am playing if I were in her place, especially during scenes where she was pretending to be someone who was also pretending to be someone else!

I already thought in the first movie that her leading men were a bit boring, but at least with this movie not being that much about the romance element, it did not matter. Vanessa had better chemistry with her leading man in A Knight Before Christmas (Josh Whitehouse) but to his credit, I did like Edward better in this one, although I can’t really pinpoint why.

Recommending this might be a bit of a stretch. I’d say watch at your own risk since it can be a bit slow-paced and slightly boring (I wanted to speed it up at several points to pick up the pace). While this movie is not the best holiday movie out there, Princess Switch: Switched Again was still entertaining with its equal parts of feel-good, romantic, cheeky, and funny sides. But if you have something better to do, maybe go do that instead. 

To readers from the Philippines, have you registered your SIM card yet? As we all know, July 25th is the deadline for registration of your SIM cards in compliance with the SIM Registration Act. This is the Philippine government’s way of attempting to curb cybercrime in the country and address issues regarding hate speech, disinformation, and abuse that use mobile phones. I guess the idea is that if people can be easily identified by their mobile numbers it would be harder for them to scam or troll people. 

As someone who has had experience with a stranger who used to text and call me incessantly, I appreciate the intent of this, if this is what it is about. I remember having such a difficult time with this person. I couldn’t change my number because I was on a planned line, and it was a number I also used for work so I had a lot of important contacts I would have to inform if I were to change my number. I tried ignoring the calls and the texts, but they got to the point where they were so creepy that I had to reach out for help. A friend had referred me to a government agency to try to block the person’s number, or at the very least, have some government entity to report the harassment to. It was a long and difficult experience and I guess because there were no laws yet regarding issues like this, nothing was done about it and I gave up my phone line/number (and even switched networks) to get rid of this person.

While I see the possible benefits of this, I also understand other people’s concerns about it. Having a government agency have access to the phone numbers and other personal details of almost everyone in the country (because almost everyone has a phone) is a lot of power for one group of people to have. There are so many privacy concerns that are understandable. Yes, we should trust our government, but also yes, not everyone in the government can be trusted. How can we be sure that these names and numbers will not be sold by some “enterprising” person to a new set of scammers who will bombard us with phishing texts and whatnot? Given how surprising it is right now that some of these people already have our names and numbers and are texting us with scams daily, what more when there is a consolidated list of EVERYONE out there? It’s a scary thought, but it is possible. Plus, there are also parents concerned with registering their children’s numbers. The number may be under the name of the guardian/parent, but I think it is natural for a parent to have some concerns about sharing their child’s number. 

According to the SIM Registration Act, any number that was not registered by the July 25 deadline will be discontinued/disconnected permanently. This is why everyone is being urged to register their numbers as soon as possible. Phone networks from my experience have done their best to make the registration process as easy as possible for all users. People can register online and for those who are not as internet-savvy, there is the option to register with their assistance at the nearest branch of their network. There is also a much easier option for those who are currently signed up for a phone plan because the networks already have all their details, and all the person must do is give their consent for the network to forward their info as their compliance with the registration requirement. 

If you search the number of people who have registered their sim cards compared to the number of active mobile numbers in the country, it is estimated that 49.31% have already registered as of April 23rd. That is not even half of the active mobile numbers. I think this is why the deadline for registration was extended to July. The government is hoping that more people would register. I think many have their concerns that make them hesitate and there may be some who just do not understand the impact of not registering their numbers by the deadline. I have had my number for years; I can’t imagine changing it because it got disconnected due to my not registering it. If there is a bit of a hassle registering to comply with the registration act, it is an even worse inconvenience to change your number and inform everyone concerned of that change later if you didn’t do it and got your number disconnected. 

At this point, I don’t think anyone really has a choice. It is a law, after all. Register or deal with the inconvenience that follows. You would have to register your new sim if you got one anyway. Same thing. I have already registered. I just hope that the data I have provided would be used correctly and that this law can help us avoid these spam texts and calls. Fingers crossed.

In an earlier episode of The Fandesals Podcast (currently on Google, Apple and Spotify and also on YouTube), we discussed The Men Who Made Our Hearts Flutter. I decided to recycle an old post from an earlier version of my blog related to this.  The Fandesals episode from Season 1 Episode 11 on Spotify is embedded at the end of this post. Enjoy!

It’s rare for me to be a big fan of any celebrity. I may like one celeb here and there but no one has ever made me go on the whole “showbiz fan” ride except for one actor: Dennis Trillo.

The first time that I noticed Dennis Trillo was in his role in the move Aishite Masu 1941. I thought his portrayal of Ignacio/Inya was amazing. I was such a fan of his performance that when I learned that he was going to make an appearance at a nearby mall, I had to drag my sister over so that I could have my DVD of the film autographed. I met and befriended a few of his fans from that day and it all just went super crazy from there. Dennis Trillo movies and TV shows became an addiction for me.

I watched Dennis Trillo in Mulawin (TV and movies) and in all the other shows where he was made into all sorts of supernatural or superhero characters, no matter how corny some of the shows may be.

I never imagined that I would be that kind of person who would go to the mall shows. I traveled to see him in his personal appearances, although for the most part, it was for appearances that were not too far from where I lived. I’ve even been to GMA 7 to watch him on the Sunday afternoon show he was part of. I’ve also been to a show/ mini-concert featuring Dennis and other GMA male stars, I even dragged my co-workers along for that one.

The thing that I like about Dennis Trillo is that he is a truly talented actor. I wish he could be given more projects that show his range and that he could be given more credit for his work. My Husband’s Lover was for TV and while I loved his portrayal as the gay lover, I’d love to see him do a role that would be different because he’s done a challenging gay role already in a movie. I’d love to see him in a movie role again. Something meaty, something challenging for him because I know he’s capable of doing it.

As a fan, what I like about him is that he has this approach with people not as an actor or celebrity but as a person. He doesn’t have that attitude that some other celebrities have (I’ve experienced my fair share of this when I was working in marketing). He has that realness, that genuine approach to his fans and I really appreciated that.

After a while, though the whole fandom thing had to end for me. I was getting older. I was becoming busier with work and family responsibilities. I had health issues that needed to be a priority. He has changed through the years as well. Dennis Trillo now has a son and in what seems to be a very happy relationship with actress Jennylyn Mercado (who I love in the romantic comedies that she does in movies and TV). Life happens. Last time I saw the guy was during his birthday celebration with his fans ages ago. 

Still, after so many years, I think I can say that I’m still a fan. I may not be able to go to his personal appearances and all that but I’m still a fan. I still follow Dennis Trillo on Instagram, if that counts for anything.

I think he’s one of the more talented actors we have right now, most of the other actors now may be more popular but they do not have the talent that this guy has. I hope to see more from this guy in the future. I’ll be looking forward to it.

Oh, and Dennis, if you’re reading this, if you’re ever in my side of the country I hope I can see you again! It’s been too long!

I love reading. I love books. I love it when books come to life on TV and in movies, especially if they get it right. One of the books that turned into a TV series that I enjoyed was the adaptation of the series A Discovery of Witches.

The series, as I have mentioned in a previous entry, is adapted from the All Souls series of Deborah Harkness. The first season covered the first book, and recently, they aired the second season, which is based on the second book, Shadow of Night. 

While the first season had only eight episodes, the second season had 10. The last season, which will air next year and features the last of the trilogy, will only have seven. A lot of fans are disappointed about that, but I also understand that it takes a lot of money to produce a show like this that is filled with fantasy and special effects so because of that, the episodes must be trimmed, and the content adapted does not cover everything that is in the books. 

The amount of money it must have cost to ensure such spectacular sets and costumes as well as the noteworthy cinematography of this show is enough for a fan like me to be content with the number of episodes that it has. They did the best they could with what they could, and for me, that is enough.

Taking that into consideration, I felt that they did a good job adapting the second book. There were still a lot of elements that I wish I could have seen, but the essence of the book and the main plot was intact. I felt that they were able to do justice to the journey of the characters back in time to several locations and meeting a whole new set of people while at the same time giving a look into what is happening to the rest of the cast in the present. 

While their appearances were not as much as I would have liked, I was happy about seeing Gallowglass and Jack Blackfriars in this second season. Most of the readers who became fans of the books have fallen in love with Gallowglass, so seeing him on screen is a special moment for everyone. I am happy that Steven Cree did the role justice. I cannot wait to see what more he can do for the character in the next season. The same goes with Jack Blackfriars. While the role was recast for the last season because of the storyline, I felt that Joshua Pickering was adorable enough for viewers to want to root for him when the next season comes along. 

I loved how they honored and respected the characters from the past. The way that Philippe was presented was full of respect to what this character represented to the entire story. The way the show introduced him and, more importantly, said goodbye to him was very moving. I had tears in my eyes during the episode where the viewers said goodbye to him. It was beautiful.

Another character that was given a similar honor was that of Queen Elizabeth I. I loved how they showed her as a ruler who did not want to die because of how concerned she was about her kingdom when she passed away. The part where Matthew reveals to her how she is remembered hundreds of years into the future is a moving scene, especially to people who are fascinated with the Tudors like I am. 

As sad as it was to say goodbye to the stories of the past when the season ended, I am also extremely excited to see what will happen in the third and final season. Two of my favorites from the past, Gallowglass, and Jack, will make their way to the present. I am looking forward to seeing how the show will manage to make their presence felt in the shortened season given how much goes on based on that final book. I hope that Gallowglass’s moment from the books makes its way to the series, and I look forward to seeing one of my favorite actors, Toby Regbo, play Jack this time around.

If you are a fan of fantasy books, the All Souls series is highly recommended. If you like the books, the TV series is a must-see.

Now if only they can make streaming this available to us here in Asia…we used to have this on the Fox app but that disappeared, so I had no other option but to watch it when it aired! I want to rewatch but I can’t purchase it online from Asia either. I someone knows what to do, please leave a comment and help me out!

I first discovered Colleen Hoover when I read her book, Ugly Love. It was equal parts sexy, romantic with dramatic moments that move you to feel for her lead characters. When she announced the release of her new book It Ends with Us, I knew that I had to have it. If you’re looking for good books to read, this is one of them.

The Story

It Ends with Us is the story of Lily and the relationship she had with two men: Ryle and Atlas. To Lily, Ryle is the dream guy: handsome, wealthy, has a successful career (as a neurosurgeon, no less), and is the brother of the woman who eventually becomes her business partner and best friend.  But then there’s Atlas, the guy from her past. He’s her first love and someone she has known for a long time.

As with most triangles, just as Lily has established a relationship with Ryle, Atlas re-enters her life and complicates things for all of them. This starts what turns out to be not just a story about love and relationships, but about living with domestic abuse as well. Yes, I know — spoiler alert – as much as I want to avoid mentioning it, most of my thoughts about the book revolves around that aspect of the story.

What Moved Me: Living with Domestic Abuse

What I loved about the book is that it was very sensitive about tackling the abuse that Lily had experience with Ryle. It wasn’t just about the abuser being this evil manipulative monster, it was about a real person who had issues and problems that he could not control or resolve.

The story was also about someone who had seen domestic abuse first-hand and was now experiencing it herself, thus seeing what was going on from two different points of view. That for me was an eye-opener…to see the heartbreak from all these different perspectives gave me an entirely different opinion about what might happen in cases of domestic abuse.

I must admit that when I started reading the book, I thought that this was a typical love story with a little conflict on the side. But when the abuse started, when the book really got into the head of Lily and how she was trying to make sense of everything, I knew this was going to be different from the other books from Colleen Hoover. This was intense. This felt very real (and by the time I read the author’s notes at the back of the book, I realized it was real). I remember crying along with Lily because I could feel how much she cared for Ryle and how much she wanted their relationship to work. How she wanted to help him to change and how much she wanted him to still be a part of the life of their child.

Best Moments 

As much as I loved the character Atlas (who I seemed to picture as Chris Pratt the entire time I was reading the book for some reason), the best moments of the book did not involve him. The best moments involved Lily, her mother, and Ryle.

The part in the book when Ryle found out that Lily was pregnant was heartbreaking for me. I could feel the conflict that the couple was feeling at that moment. There was a conflict in how Lily wanted Ryle to still be in her life but at the same time, she feared him and scared for their child. Ryle’s emotions and how he was processing the knowledge and love he was feeling about being a father and the remorse he had over what happened between him and Lily…that was moving. I could feel how they both wanted to make things work but at the same time, they both knew they could not undo the damage that has been done to their relationship from the abuse.

I cried when Lily told her mother about her pregnancy and what happened to her and Ryle. The tears just started flowing when Lily’s mother opened up and told Lily that she should not allow the abuse to go any further. Knowing what she has been through and telling her daughter not to let the same happen to her…my heart just went out to them. If I could reach into the page and hug them both, I would have.

But the best part of the book for me would have to be the birth of Emerson when Lily asked Ryle for a divorce. THAT made me cry like crazy. It was a brave moment for Lily to let go of Ryle knowing that she still loved him but she did it for their daughter. The tears and the realization that Ryle had of the pain he has put Lily through, something he would never want for his own daughter, was moving. I felt for Ryle, I felt that he knew he had a problem but he just didn’t know what to do about it. I guess that’s why he never wanted to be in a relationship in the first place. I love that in the end, he took responsibility for it and accepted Lily’s decision.

I love how Lily chose to end the cycle of abuse that started with her mother in this way. That’s why the book had the title “It Ends with Us” … the cycle ends there.

I truly, truly loved this book. Out of all the books that Colleen Hoover has written, this by far has become my favorite.

Has anyone else here read the book? What did you think about it?

Cover Credit: Simon & Schuster

I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that this pandemic has caused many to go on an online shopping binge. I do not know why that is but with all the anxiety that this period in our lives has been I could not help but keep clicking the “add to cart” button on several online shopping sites. I do not necessarily end up buying everything though. I try to weed out my cart to make sure that my purchases are needs and not wants. Sadly, that means that most of the things that I really, badly want end up waiting in my cart for the day when I can afford to buy them.

It’s all a matter of needs versus wants. I want some things because I would love to own them, and I can probably afford to buy them one by one over the course of months (or maybe years) but it is just not practical to do so during these times. A want is not a need and there are always needs that have to take priority over these wants. Maybe someday I can purchase some of these things…just not today. Maybe if I win the lottery I can buy all of these wants but for now, I will just keep on looking at my cart and wishing one day I can finally click check out. 

What are the items that are on my wants list? Here are some examples:

• Canon M50 Mark II – I have the original M50 and I have been frustrated that I have not been able to get it repaired. While I can still use it, the LCD screen no longer works and I have had people tell me it may be better to buy a new one than get it repaired so this newer version is something that I have always wanted to have. I have been loyal to Canon since I first started taking photos and I cannot imagine using another brand. Maybe one day I can afford to buy this one since my niece now uses the first one more than I do. 

• Oculus Quest – This is something I have always wanted to own but because of the high price tag, I have never gotten around to buying it. Out of all the types of gaming options out there, this is what interests me the most since I do not have to sit for prolonged periods of time. I want to play Beat Saber using BTS songs on it so bad! This is a definite wish list item for me!

• Samsung Frame – I have been in love with this TV since I first saw it. The price point and the size of the TV (while Samsung says they have a 32-inch model, the smallest available in stores is usually the 55-inch one) is the thing that turns me off. I cannot afford it and it is too large for my tiny room. The fact that the frame itself is bought separately is another factor. It is a beautiful TV though and it would be nice to own it. 

• Comfort Living Hybrid Mattress – I have been using a 6-inch mattress for my bed for the past 10 years. It was something I bought on my own and now I am thinking I need an upgrade. I have been eyeing a 12-inch mattress from Comfort Living for some time now. My back has been asking for more comfort when I sleep and this mix of a spring and memory foam mattress is just the thing that I need. I am still on the fence about buying this because of the price but I think that when my current mattress gives out, I would have no choice but to buy this. 

• Massage Chair – With all the stressful things going on, I would love one of these to sit down on at the end of a long day. Again, this is something that I cannot afford but if I could have one, I would love to own one for sure. 

• Coffee/Espresso Machine –  As most of my friends and family know, I am a big coffee drinker. Owning one of these has been a dream for me. I saw that a friend of mine recently bought a DeLonghi one and I am wishing that I can have one for myself one day. I saw a more affordable version from Asahi but at this point, I want to find out more before I take the plunge on that one. 

• Adidas Mint Green Sneakers – I have been wearing flats to work daily and I find that my ballet flats do not cut it anymore so these would be perfect for me. These mint green sneakers from Adidas are something I have been in love with since I first saw them online. I have been hesitant about buying them since I tend to have different sizes depending on brands so I am scared of getting the wrong size. I really want this pair…I wonder how I can be sure that I get the right size?

There was actually one more item on my list that I just deleted: a 100L electric oven from Kyowa. It was on my cart for so long and when it finally became available at a price I could afford, I decided to take the plunge and buy it. I’m looking forward to using it to cook some of my favorite recipes soon!

What about you? What is on your cart or wishlist? 

The Bridgerton series is one of the shows that I have followed through the years since it came on Netflix. It’s not a favorite, but there are certain elements about the concept that I have enjoyed watching so far. One of those favorite elements for me has been the soundtrack, where they make use of pop music that is given a classic twist using instrumental music that fits the period of the show.

The first time I heard the songs in the show I was amused not only by how the songs were transformed to fit the era that the show is set in but also by how the themes of these songs fit into the scenes that they were placed into. I think it helps that the songs that were chosen have lyrics that are familiar to a lot of people that you don’t need to hear them to recognize the message they were giving a scene when the song is played.

From what I’ve been able to search on streaming sites so far, it seems there are three albums for Bridgerton soundtracks. The first one is called Bridgerton (Covers From the Netflix Original Series) – EP by the Vitamin String Quartet, Kris Bowers and Duomo.

The first album contains versions of Thank You Next (Ariana Grande), Girls Like You (Maroon 5), In My Blood (Shawn Mendez), Bad Guy (Billie Eilish), Strange (Celeste), and Wildest Dreams (Taylor Swift). While all these songs were good, my favorites would have to be the version of Wildest Dreams. It sounded so different at the beginning that I did not recognize the song until it got to the chorus and by then I was hooked. It sounded so good on strings like that! I’m sure Taylor Swift never imagined her song would end up sounding like that. I loved it!

The next album of covers is called Bridgerton Season Two (Covers from the Netflix Series). It features more songs this time, again featuring Vitamin String Quartet, Kris Bowers, and Duomo. Other artists included are Hannah V and Joe Rodwell, Tomas Piere-Serrate, Steve Horner, Kris Houston, and the Midnight String Quartet. There are ten songs included in the album, namely: Stay Away (Nirvana), Material Girl (Madonna), Diamonds (Rihanna), Dancing on My Own (Robyn), You Oughta Know (Alanis Morissette), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Sign of the Times (Harry Styles), What About Us (Pink), How Deep is Your Love (Calvin Harris & Disciples), and Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus). While I love all the covers in this album and there are a lot of songs on the list whose originals I loved back when they first came out, my favorites on this album would have to be Material Girl, Stay Away, and Wrecking Ball. I thought that Material Girl’s sound fit right into the scene it was in, and that the classic sound made it sound even more fun to listen to. The Stay Away cover was unexpected, but it also sounded perfect in a classical sound. It goes to show that good music will always be good no matter how you transform it. As for Wrecking Ball, it was something that sounded so good on strings. I enjoyed listening to that one. 

The latest Bridgerton covers album has been for the spin-off series Queen Charlotte. The album features Alicia Keys, Kris Bowers, and the Vitamin String Quartet and is called Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (Covers from the Netflix Series). It has eight songs: A Feeling I’ve Never Been (an original, NOT a cover), Halo (Beyonce), If I Ain’t Got You (Alicia Keys), Déjà Vu (Beyonce), Run the World (Beyonce), Nobody Gets Me (SZA), I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston), If I Ain’t Got You (featuring Queen Charlotte’s Global Orchestra). I loved the series so much and I think the covers all fit perfectly in the scenes they were in. In terms of how perfect they were for the show and the scenes they played in, my favorites for this one were If I Ain’t Got You, Deja Vu, and Nobody Gets Me. 

If I Ain’t Got You seems to be the carrier single of this album, with two versions: one that was purely instrumental and another that featured the vocals of the original artist, Alicia Keys. The song has always been good but giving it a classical sound made it sound even more beautiful. Déjà Vu sounded surprisingly good as a classical song and listening to it now takes me back to the scene in the series where it was featured. What really surprised me was loving the song Nobody Gets Me. I have never heard the original, but this cover made me look it up and listen to it because I enjoyed it so much.

If you enjoyed the Bridgerton series and loved the music on it, these three albums are highly recommended. If you love pop music, the covers here might be a pleasant surprise for you to listen to. 

Has anyone else listened to these albums? What did you think of them? Love me a comment and let me know!