Hungry for Change

As you are probably well aware at this point, I have developed an unhealthy obsession with documentaries. I have at least ten queued up, just waiting for me to watch. However, my most recent screening was of Hungry For Change
and it might have changed my life completely.

Basically, the film is comprised of a number of experts-in health, dieting, nutrition, whatever- discussing the state of nutrition. Then, they basically say the best way to a healthy body is feeding it full, whole unprocessed foods. Their recap of the chemicals and processing of so many common and popular foods was horrifying. Food today is actually manufactured to make up want more and nothing less. Foods that are manufactured have little to no nutrition and that really struck me.

After these experts horrified me with the state of the food industry they offered their solution: real food. Our body is programmed to know what to do with whole vegetables and real fats. Of we eat that our bodies will shine from the inside out.

Finally, these experts emphasized the value in loving ourselves. If we do not love and accept who we are right now we will never change. If we don't deal with what's eating us from the inside out, we will never gain control of our health.

The whole concept of the film really changed how I think. I've always been pretty health conscious, but it showed me I've been going about it all wrong. There is so need to be restrictive. Just eating the foods my body is built to digest and loving myself will help me be healthier and happier, and my body will continue asking for more good food.

I really enjoyed this film and I learned so much. I actually want to watch it a few more times, just to fully understand the methods and practices they advocate.

This film changed me. Now I too am hungry for change.

#NYFW

I'm not that huge on fashion, but I also don't live under a rock.  I know its Fall Fashion Week.  Although I'm not that interested in attending any shows, I wouldn't say no if say, J. Crew or Kate Spade invited me to come along to one of their presentations.

However, in honor of my complete love for documentaries and for Fashion Week, I watched The Tents on Netflix.  Essentially, this film documents the last season of fashion shows in the tents at Bryant Park, before they made the move to Lincoln Center.

I really liked this film.  It was interesting to hear the individuals who had been involved with fashion for so long discussing the way Fashion Week had revolutionized fashion in America.  I never really thought about it, but I never realized that there was a time before Fashion Week really existed, and a time before people took NYC and America in general seriously in regards to their fashion.

Now, these things are so well known and such big deals that it feels like its something that always happened.  It was intriguing to see how it all started and to see how it all came together.

While I may not necessarily agree with the fashion industry and the importance they put on clothing and fashion, I understand their world, even more so after watching this film.  I love the way they explain high fashion and how it precipitates down to commercial fashion, and the way designers really put a lot of thought and consideration into not only their collections, but into their presentations of these collections as well.

"New York is a fluid city," the film said.  And its completely true.  In only twenty years, it has changed from, essentially, a joke in terms of fashion, into a powerhouse and an authority around the world.

Documentaries

My mom finally gave into my sister and I's begging and subscribed to Netflix. And yes, there are lots of shows I'm dying to watch, but what I was most excited for we're the documentaries. I had read a lot of great things about a lot of them and I had been dying to finally have the means and the time to do so.

The first day with the subscription, I watched 2 films. The September Issue about Vogue and Anna Wintour. I had literally wanted to see this since it was made in 2007. It was such an interesting and beautiful movie. I loved seeing the passion all of these people working at the magazine have for fashion and their publication. It was amazing to see their dedication. And it was also interesting to see Anna's own daughter saying how foolish and pointless she thought fashion was. While the entire film was intended to shed light on the inner workings of the most influential magazine, probably ever, they allowed the little snippet to slip in and just suggest that maybe this thing everyone is dedicating their life to is actually very trivial.
Nevertheless it was an amazing film and I loved every single second of it.



The second film I watched was called Life in a Day. The concept of the film was that people all over the world took videos of their daily lives on the same day--July 24th, 2010-- and sent it in to nat geo where they created a film. It was absolutely beautiful. While it did depict how different people all over the world are, what I noticed more was how similar they are. It was stunning and there were so many amazing moments linked with run of the mill ones. It made life seem like such a beautiful thing. A kind of stark contrast to The September Issue, but amazing.

Though its very time consuming, watching documentaries is preferable to fiction films sometimes because its amazing to see things as they really are, before the scripting and the editing and staging, there is something about a documentary that is so raw and compelling. They almost always open your eyes, and make you consider life in a different way.

Currently...

Just cuz...here are a few things I'm currently ______(fill in the blank-ing).

Watching: The September Issue on Netflix. I am literally in love with this documentary.  It was absolutely enthralling to get a real view into Vogue, and see the people who are so passionate about what they do.

Eating: Luna Bar, Chocolate Covered Bananas from Trader Joe's. I've loved Luna Bars for a while now, may favorites being Peppermint Stick, S'Mores and Lemon Zest.  I recently discovered frozen banana bites when I was home and I am ob.sessed.  They're so good and they're not even that bad for you.  They are bananas, after all.

Wanting: (P)Leather leggings.  I'm not usually super edgy or hip, my style errs more on the side of safe and preppy, but after a lot of contemplation, I think a pair of faux leather pants could really work in a lot of ways.  The search begins.

Obsessing Over: Finding a navy blue skirt, as similar as possible to the J. Crew City Mini, and updating my makeup collection from drugstore brands to something a little more...grown up.

Dreading: Grocery shopping.  Waiting in a line at Trader Joe's after class and then lugging my food back to the Bronx is not my idea of a fun time.

Looking at: The cutest dogs in the world .  I think I've mentioned this blog before, but I don't care. Corgis are perfect.

Wishing I could afford: This bracelet, this shirt, these earrings, this necklace, this duffle bag, these flats, and these glasses.  I guess I went a little C. Wonder crazy...

Listening to: Mumford & Sons.  Its the perfect rainy day music.  Its always perfect, no matter what kind of mood I'm in.