NETFLIX PICKS {APRIL 2017}

If April showers are beginning to hamper your Spring time outings then you may well need to stay in and watch a little bit of Netflix. I was recently bedridden with the skanky flu that has been flying around. The only benefit to flu is that you can unashamedly binge watch lots of fantastic, or not so fantastic TV. Here is what I loved the most this month.

13 REASONS WHY

Wow, what a show!!
There is so much buzz and controversial chat about this show at the moment. There are lots of discussions about whether of not the show glorifies suicide, depression and rape or not. I feel like these people have maybe not actually watched the show. I think the heart wrenching topics actually allow the conversation which needs to be had to be started. Although based around teens, this show is for everyone. If you are worried about your children watching this then I would suggest watching an epsiode ahead of them or watching it with them. Each of the thirteen episodes is more harrowing than the next, the last two are incredibly upsetting and leave you wiahing and praying that everyone could just be a little nicer to each other.

GIRLBOSS

#GIRLBOSS is having its moment as the buzzword of the year and has now been made into a TV show. Based in 2006/2008 it follows a young woman trying to make a living out of selling clothes on eBay and then on her own website. I found this show incredibly inspiring as an internet loving millennial that has her own little corner of the internet. The pace of the show is zippy and full of funny moments. Perfect for young teens to tech interested adults.

SPANGLISH

This movie is pretty old and you are most likely to have already seen it. I had seen it before but so long ago that every joke was funny again and I wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen next. Do you watch The Good Wife or The Good Fight? Eli Gold’s daughter Marissa (Sarah Steele) is insanely talented and hilarious, she plays the daughter in this movie as her first acting role. I can’t get over what a wonderful young actress she is. This movie is worth watching simply to coo at Sarah Steele but also for the feel good vibe you get after watching it. Perfect film for all the family.

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS

I know I seem to wang on about Pretty Little Liars in almost every Netflix picks that I write but I can safely say this will be my last time as it is finally coming to an end. Even as a big long time fan I am personally sooo ready for it to be over as we are constantly being strung along with “this is A”, “oh, no, this is A”. Wahhh…just tell us already! Next week is the FINAL FINAL FINAL episode and we will finally find out all of the answers, well I hope so anyway. If, like me, you struggle to remember every little bit of info from all of the episodes then watch this video to see a who’s who of who dated and killed each other.

What have you been watching? If you need any more inspo then check out my past Netflix Picks here.

❄ Boxsets To Binge On This Christmas Holiday ❄

Merry…almost…Christmas. It is the time to be merry and relax and what a better way to relax than to binge on TV boxsets. There are so many that I have been loving this year and I am sure there will be one that you will enjoy as well. Grab yourself a cup of tea, have a read of my boxset picks and watch the linked trailers to see what you think. Here are my pick of boxsets to binge on this Christmas.

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DESIGNATED SURVIVOR

Aa fairly new program to Netlfix is Designated Survivor and I am loving it. Keifer Sutherland is the lead in the show and ever since he played Jack Bauer in 24 I have been a huge fan. A designated survivor is a person that is next in line to become president if anything happens the the president or deputy president. This survivor happens to be Keifer and we watch him contend with becoming an unelected president and try to work out who blew up the capital.
I always knew Jack Bauer would be president one day!
Trailer
Netflix

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SHOOTER

This show is another of the once a week released shows on Netflix which is based on the Mark Whalberg movie Shooter. Ryan Phillippe has come out of hiding to play Bob the lead of the show. I am on episode 5, episode 6 airs tonight It is a little bit boisterous and boyish but I am still loving it. If you haven’t seen the movie, the storyline revolves around Phillippe playing a shooter who is framed for shooting the president.
Trailer
Netflix

THE GOOD WIFE

Quite an old show with 7 seasons to commit to yet definitely worth it and you will shoot through the episodes in no time. Everyone I have recommended this show to has loved it. I am still yet to watch the final season which aired earlier this year…I am hoping to receive the final season as a Christmas present. Did anyone used to watch Sex & The City? Big plays the husband in The Good Wife and publicly scorns his wife. His wife then has to go back to work as a lawyer whilst her husband goes to prison. Every character is wonderful and you are bound to know loads of the famous actors in this star studded show.
Trailer
Netflix

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SUITS

If Meghan Markle is good enough for our Prince Harry, then she is definitely good enough to binge watch in Suits. This is an old program I have been begging everyone to watch for years and is still ongoing so you must catch up as soon as possible. Suits is another lawyer based program but with a lot more glam than the Good Wife. The protagonist is Mike (the actor, Patrick, has just married Spencer Hastings, Troian, from Pretty Little Liars!! ) who has an incredible memory and manages to get a job in a law firm with his incredible knowledge, yet he has never actually passed the bar. Fast paced and addictive watching.
Trailer
Netflix

SCHITT’S CREEK

A new program to Netflix which is a bit like Marmite, you will either love it or hate it. With many famous actors and actresses I swiftly gave it a go and I am still undecided. It is very dry and quite peculiar yet I am strangely hooked. The story follows a rich family who lose all their money and have to go and live in a strange quiet town in America.
Trailer
Netflix

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THE CROWN

This is the show everyone is talking about yet I still haven’t had time to watch it. A period drama based on the true Royal events watching the Queen faced with leading the country. I have only heard great things about this program. If you fancy a chilled and more relaxing program then this is the one to watch.
Trailer
Netflix

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GOOD GIRLS REVOLT

I am so excited to have some time off to watch this show this Christmas. This show is based on real life events and a book. It shows us how women were not allowed to be editors or writers back in 1969 even when they were incredibly talented. With an interest in the writing world this show definitely interests me.
Trailer
Amazon Prime

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Have a wonderful relazing Christmas and let me know if you get sucked into any of these shows. Are there any other shows you think we should all binge on this Christmas break?

NETFLIX WEEKEND PICKS {April 2016}

My Netflix picks posts are proving to be rather popular on my stats table so I am back here with another for April. I have to say, choosing my Netflix Weekend Picks for this month has been tricky. Real slim pickings! I have started a few shows on Netflix but never come back to them because they didn’t quite grab my attention. As the nights are staying lighter for longer I am finding myself wanting to go out for cocktails by the river rather than stay in and watch TV. This being said we always need to watch a little TV to chill out to. Except for one show all this months picks are all Netflix originals.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Season 2 (15th April)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is back for season 2 on the 15th April and I can’t wait. I am sure I will binge watch it over the weekend. The trailer hints that Kimmy is to work in a Christmas shop so it is bound to be wonderful. Every character in this show is hillarious. The perfect show for a giggle.

The Ranch
Ashton Kutcher stars and produces in this new Netflix production. Kutcher plays a semi-pro football player that comes home to run the family business on the ranch. The first episode is slow in introducing us to the story but stay with it, by episode 2 you will be hooked.

Master Of None
Writer, lead actor and producer of the show, Master Of None is Aziz Ansari. I watched him interviewed on British TV and feel his humour was a little lost on the British audience. I gave the show a go and watched two episodes. I am not sure I was in the right frame of mind to be watching this slow paced show yet there were definitely some great scenes.

Siblings
‘Fresh Meat’s’ Charlotte Ritchie plays the lead in BBC’s Siblings and is all kinds of hilarious. Ritchie is given the chance to shine in this program. Brother and sister Hannah and Dan are fantastically disgusting and horrible but hilariously so. I am so pleased Netflixs are now showing Siblings because BBC didn’t keep the show on iPlayer for very long. Siblings is an absolute must watch for lots of laughs.

I hope you enjoy my picks. Can you suggest any shows or movies that I may have missed? I am really excited that next month Orange Is The New Black is back for season 4.

Netflix Weekend Picks {March 2016}

Back by popular demand I have compiled my second instalment of my Netflix Weekend Picks. A lovely friend of mine texted me this week asking when I was going to write another Netflix Pick. Then I realised my last Netflix post had a very high click rate, so I am not sure why I hadn’t thought to write another one. I will try and write a new one each month. My favourite pick would be the new Netflix produced show Love but I have also added a bonus show from iPlayer. Click on the below titles to see trailers for the shows and movies.

TV PICKS
1. Love
Love is a new Netflix made show. The trailer sucked me in but then twenty minutes into the show I had no idea what I was watching and I was bored so turned it off. A week later and lots of celebrities tweeting about how fabulous the show is, I turned the show back on to give it another chance. By the middle of episode two I was hooked. The dry tone is catching and incredibly funny. We watched the whole series over a few days. Gillian Jacobs plays the lead female, Mickey who is at times infuriating and but loveable at the same time. Claudia O’Doherty plays the hilarious and loveable best friend who you want to keep watching.
Give the show a bit of chance to get past the first episode which draws out setting the scene. The following 14 episodes go by in a flash and you will be left wanting more.

2. Suits
If you haven’t yet started watching Suits then put down everything you are doing and start watching now. I adore Suits and best of all the first three seasons are all there waiting for you to watch on Netflix. Randomly, Suits airs on Dave in the UK…pretty sure this is the only TV show I have ever watched on Dave. It normally seems to be airing reruns of Top Gear every second of the day.
Every character in Suits is incredible. Mike is the genius that becomes a lawyer without having ever been to law school and can remember everything and anything. Donna and Lewis Litt are the most hilarious characters of the show and Harvey Specter, well, he is God!
Go and watch and enjoy every second.

FILM PICKS
1. Wolf Of Wall Street
I know Wolf Of Wall Street is meant to portray greed and bad behaviour but I can’t help but be inspired by this movies. I love seeing how people work hard and succeed with such incredible monetary gain. Let’s just concentrate on how incredible Leo and Margot Robbie are as actors. LOVE LOVE LOVE this movie.

2. Walk Of Shame
We put this movie on during a lazy Saturday to have on in the background thinking it would be a bit of trashy rubbish yet ended up loving it. I laughed so much. Elizabeth Banks is always incredibly funny, oh and one of her best friends just happens to be Gillian Jacobs who is the lead in the show Love, mentioned above.

3. Chef
Written by Jon Favreau who directed Elf (my most favourite movie of all time) and is an incredible actor. Favreau plays the lead in this heartfelt and understated movie. Every actor is perfectly cast and adorably quirky. A must watch for the adults.

iPLAYER PICK
1. Thirteen
Thirteen is BBC3’s first major show since it has switched to online only and they have outdone themselves with brilliance. I tuned in for two reasons, number one being the trailer hooked me in immediately and number two because I adore Jodie Comer as actress. I first saw Comer in My Mad Fat Diary as Rae’s best friend and knew she was great back then but she takes her acting skills to another level in Thirteen. The show follows the story of a twenty six year old girl that has just escaped her capturer of thirteen years. Comer shows her vulnerability of her thirteen year old self when she was snatched and the fact that she has actually grown up a great deal since she was last living at home.
A gripping and heartbreaking must watch.

Have you got any suggestions for me to watch?

{Images sourced from Pinterest}

5 Cheap Dates

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching and coinciding with the horrible tax bill, money has been on my mind a lot.
I adore Valentine’s Day. Even when I was younger and didn’t have a boyfriend I just loved the day.
There is always a much stronger sense of happiness everywhere you look (maybe that’s just me and my rose tinted glasses?).
To be honest I just love any excuse to celebrate.
Below I have listed 5 cheap date ideas that you can do with your boyfriend/girlfriend, family, friends or even have a solo romantic date…in fact a little me time can be the best remedy.

1. High Tea
You don’t need to pay a fortune for high tea at a posh hotel (although it is a lovely experience).
You can recreate the experience in the comfort of your own home.
Buy a bottle of Prosecco, make some cupcakes and sandwiches with their crusts cut off.
Put on a tea dress dress and you’re all set.
Best of all, when you finish and are full to the brim you can get into your tracksuit and have a post food slumber.

2. Movie Night
Fill a large bowl with homemade popcorn. (Here is my yummy recipe).
Fill your living room with pillows and duvets and find your favourite movies on Netflix.
Snuggle up and watch endless movies.
Romantic Movie Recommendations: Elizabethtown . A Lot Like Love . Love & Sex

3. Home Spa Evening
It can be very expensive to go to a spa but you can recreate one at home for a fraction of the price.
Buy a cheap face mask and some body oil.
You and your partner could give each other massages or you and your friends could have a face mask.
If there are a big group of you having face masks buy this one from Balm Balm as it is in a powder form and goes a long way.
You just add a little water and mix it in a bowl and won’t go off if you don’t happen to use it all.

4. Cocktail Evening
This is one of my favourite date nights to have at home.
It can be very expensive to go out for cocktails, costing anywhere between £5-£30!
A bottle of rum from the supermarket could cost you around £20-30 but make you loads of cocktails.
Have a cocktail night with friends and get everyone to bring one spirit and one mixer.
Take it in turns to create a cocktail for everyone with all the ingredients.
*drink sensibly*

5. Games and Art Evening
If you are on your first few dates and are still getting to know each other, playing games and creating something arty can be very relaxing.
You will find yourselves chatting away for hours on end with ease because you are occupied doing something fun and creative.
At Christmas we used dry clay to create our own bowls, plates and decorations.
This was a lot of fun. For your next date you can have fun painting your pottery.

If you have a date inspired by my blog post please do let me know and share pictures with me on Instagram
@itsmegantaylor

I hope you all have a lovely Valentine’s Day
…19 days to go ❤︎

Netflix Weekend Pick

Happy Weekend Everyone.
If like me you have had a jam packed week you may be looking forward to relaxing this weekend and having a little Me Time.
How about sitting back in your PJ’s to watch a little Netflix this weekend.
Here are my top TV and film picks for you which are streaming right now.
(Click on the titles for their trailers).

TV PICKS
1. Pretty Little Liars
Now airing the second half of season 6.
Having invested a lot of time watching every season of this show I am addicted and can’t give up.
If you have never heard of this program before it follows four teens that are being tormented by someone called A.
Gripping and at times scary.

2. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
A Netflix production created by Tina Fey, the genius behind Mean Girls.
This is an incredibly weird program that I was hooked on and binge watched within a week.
It follows a woman that was trapped underground by a man from a young age so sees the world from a childish perspective.
Incredibly funny.

3. Jessica Jones
I am not a know all Marvel comic fan and had no idea who Jessica Jones was before I watched this program.
Jessica Jones is a private investigator with special strength and a man called Killgrave that can control everyone and anyones mind.
It is gripping and I loved the series but it is a little violent a times so maybe wash it down with an episode of Friends.

FILM PICKS
1. Bachelorette
A bit like Bridesmaids but a bit more crude and grown up.
Full of hilarious actresses.

2. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Across between James Bond and Mission Impossible.
Gripping.

3. 22 Jump Street
Hallarious and kind of disgusting at times.
If you want a laugh out loud movie this is perfect.

Instagram: @itsmegantaylor