Movie Archives - My Inner Shakti

What I’ve Been Loving Recently

1. Buxom Lip Gloss

This lip gloss is pretty much the best thing ever. It delivers the perfect amount of shine, creates the illusion of fuller lips, and keeps lips soft and smooth for hours. And the best part is the slight tingle you feel upon applying the gloss.

I was actually able to try this via a free gift at Sephora, and the color I got was called Sugar. Unfortunately, I lost my little sample while out in Atlanta with my cousins but plan on picking up a full size gloss soon. You won’t regret this purchase. Promise!

2. Zac Efron in The Lucky One

Anyone else? After catching 17 Again on TV this Sunday, I was even more excited for The Lucky One to hit theaters. The movie is based on the Nicholas Sparks’ novel and is set to be released next Friday! When I first heard that Zac Efron was playing the male lead, I didn’t think too much about it, but after seeing the trailer, I’m kinda in love…with him. And yes, Vishnu knows. I don’t care what anyone says, he’s dreamy!

3. The Big Bang Theory

I can’t get enough of this show lately. Every episode cracks me up. And I have to admit, Sheldon Cooper is my favorite. His inability to comprehend basic human emotions is endearing….most of the time. Oh and “bazinga!” Ha ha!

4. Knowing that in 48 hours I will be in Miami with my girls!

Oh, South Beach, we meet again!!!

So tell me, what are you loving right now? Any new products I should check out?

Adventures at Costco

written by Parita 16 Comments

If you had to pick one store that characterizes your family, which one would you choose?

Hands down, I would have to say Costco is that store for my family. My parents joined quite a few years ago, and since then, we’ve made weekly trips to pick up milk, granola bars, and other staples. Quite often, we go just because! My mom has singlehandedly recruited 10 new members in the past year. You’d think she works in the sales department!

For those of you who have never stepped inside of a Costco, it’s a wholesale warehouse (just like Sam’s and BJ’s) and a shopper’s paradise. Besides food items, you can find books, electronics, health and beauty items, furniture, clothing, etc. all under the same roof at discount prices.

There are actually a few things that I will only buy there – contact solution, Aveeno body lotion, and ground flax. And yesterday, I added a few more items to that list.

It had been a while since my last Costco trip, and I was excited to see that new products have been added to the shelves (new to me at least). The [pre-rinsed] quinoa was a steal at less than $10. And in the dairy section, I was happy to find a case of my favorite almond milk. Three half gallon cartons for under $8! I also bought a 10 lb. case of Quaker oats, some flax, sliced almonds, tangerines, bananas, and blueberries (not pictured). My entire purchase came in under $50.

WARNING: It’s easy to get carried away and spend lots of money on things that seem useful at the time, so go in with a plan and stick to it! Not that I would know or anything. Winking smile

*****

On a completely different note, if you haven’t already seen The Adjustment Bureau, I highly recommend it!

Funny story actually…although I had heard of the movie, I didn’t really know what it was about. I honestly thought it was a political thriller! Needless to say, it isn’t. In my opinion, the movie is a mix of different genres – suspense, drama, a touch of comedy, but mostly romance. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt share a wonderful, natural chemistry that will make you believe in love at first sight. This is the kind of movie I wouldn’t mind watching multiple times.

Do you shop at Costco? Any product recommendations?

Have you seen The Adjustment Bureau? If so, what did you think?

Monday Matters

written by Parita Leave a Comment

My mom sent me a fun and applicable quote today – “Why is Monday so far from Friday but Friday so close to Monday?”

Personally, I don’t hate Mondays because I love the feeling of starting fresh and getting back into a routine. However, I will admit that some Mondays are easier to take on than others. For example, I wasn’t 100% ready for today.

So, in honor of it being Monday, I thought I would provide some fresh updates on what’s been going on in my neck of the woods.

1. Social Media. Social media can be a lot of fun, but oftentimes it can be a bit overwhelming as well.

For example, once upon a time, I started a Facebook page for myinnershakti. And then I took it down because I didn’t feel it was adding value for anyone, and it was honestly causing me a little stress (weird I know). But then, this past weekend I was thinking about all of the things I want to share and talk about on my blog but just don’t have time for, and it dawned on me that Facebook would be a great venue for sharing that information. So, I republished the page, and since then, I’ve been sharing some of the articles/blog posts that sparked my interest, along with my blog posts that automatically publish on their own.

If you’re interested in healthy living (recipes, workouts, nutrition, relationships, stress relief, etc.), feel free to like my page (there’s a box in the right sidebar).

I’ve also added a few other social media buttons for easier following – Pinterest and Goodreads (if you love to read, check out this site!!). Like I said, feel free to follow if you want!

2. Hip Hop. I had my second hip hop workout class today, and it was much more of a workout this week. We learned a new routine, and by the end, I was actually a little out of breath. I did do 30 minutes on the arc trainer beforehand just to be on the safe side. Overall, great workouts today!

3. Yoga. I think I need to add a yoga class to my weekly workouts. Over the weekend, Vishnu wanted to try out some of the techniques he’s been learning in class, so I gladly volunteered. Who would turn down a free massage!?

Before I even said anything, he told me that my muscles are really tight. He said they feel like pieces of twisted rope (which is really gross to me and not normal). I need some major stretching in my life. Wednesday night yoga class, here I come!

One day…in my dreams!

4. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This is the first book book Vishnu read based on my personal recommendation, so to honor that, we went and saw the movie this weekend. And in my honest opinion, I would say that this is the best movie based on a book I have ever seen. David Fincher did an amazing job directing, and the cast was superb!

And if you haven’t seen a copy of the book, it’s approximately 600 complicated pages long. So to take a story like that and condense it into a 2 hour and 34 minute movie is just incredible. Consider yourself warned though (especially if you haven’t read the book yet) – there are a few intense scenes. Let’s just say I hid behind Vishnu’s arm a few times.

I think that’s it as far as my “Monday Matters” are concerned. I already have a feeling this week is going to fly by. So much to do…

Do you like Mondays? Have you read/seen Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? Thoughts?

“The Thin Commandments’”

written by Parita Leave a Comment

The other day I was reading a few articles on CNN.com’s Health section and came across something about the “The Thin Commandments.” I had never heard of this before so naturally I was intrigued. The CNN article was an interview with Darryl Roberts, the documentary filmmaker, behind “America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments.” After reading through that, I started researching more about the idea behind the documentary (let it be known that I love documentaries, especially ones about health topics).

Apparently, the documentary is based on the premise that America has a health problem and not a weight problem. Roberts isn’t trying to downplay the obesity epidemic, but rather, is saying that we aren’t using the right tools and following best practices to battle the underlying health problem our country is facing.

For example, Roberts believes that the BMI scale should not be used at all. If solely looking at BMI, Roberts, along with popular athletes and movie stars, is obese. From what I read, he believes that the BMI scale is incorrect and misleading, and a lot of people are getting rich off of this.

He believes that by making better choices and exercising, we can improve our health and not have to worry so much about the number on the scale.

Based on the trailer, the documentary also raises points about body image and America’s obsession with being thin.

I don’t know if I’ll agree with all the points in this documentary, but the one thing I definitely agree with is that the word “healthy” is subjective. Personally, I know very thin people who have health problems, and I also know heavier people who’s doctors have given them a clean bill of health. And really, who am I to judge someone based on his/her weight (or anything really).

And trust me, I’m not trying to discount the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, but I do think that if we collectively redefined the word healthy, a lot of the problems and health issues we are facing right now would start to decrease. And again, I’m not going to lie and say that the only reason I work out is to maintain my health stats. Part of the reason I workout and eat the way I do is because I strive to be thin and fit. And I think it’s ok to want that as long as the plan to get there is taking into consideration all the different factors that make up good health – not just the number on the scale.

Have you seen this documentary? What are you thoughts? Do you use your BMI to help gauge how healthy you are?

Quite the Debate

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Thank you VERY much to whoever thought of weekends. Best idea ever!

I started my weekend off with an oil change after work. A one hour stop at the dealer turned into two, but I didn’t have to pay a cent. My dad was very excited about this, but I, on the other hand, was a bit irritated because my time is worth more than a $20 oil change. Oh well, it had to get done.

Yesterday was actually really fun. A coworker and I went to the Orlando outlets for a fun little shopping trip. (We are a company full of shopaholics!) I got some workout clothes and skirts for me and my sister and jeans for Vishnu.

Neither of us had plans later on that night so we decided to make it a homemade pizza and movie night….

Extra sauce and veggies please!

Source

So much fun!

And for those of you who haven’t watched Horrible Bosses yet, do it now! I actually watched this for the first time a few weeks ago in Boston with my friend Monica and her roommate. We loved it and thought it was hilarious, so we picked it up again last night. And I honestly thought it was ever funnier the second time around. My coworker and I both thought it was very comparable to The Hangover. Funny stuff!

So…on to the debate that the title of my post is referring to….

Last night, Vishnu and I were talking about the song we want to walk in to our wedding reception to. And we’re having a bit of a hard time deciding on a genre, never mind song. He loves the idea of it being a rap song or a rock n’ roll song. I love the idea of it being a hip hip song or a late 80s/early 90s song. And when I say early 90s, I mean C&C Music Factory. How fun would that be?!

After throwing out a few other ideas, watching countless YouTube videos, and vetoing each other’s songs, we called it quits…for now. However, I think we agreed to the following criteria – the song must be upbeat, contain no curse words (or we can use the radio version), and be a reflection of us as a couple in some way, shape or form.

I think I have a good one picked out that meets all of the criteria and our individual preferences for the genre! Let’s see what Vishnu thinks though…

More updates on this great debate a little later. Ha!

Well, I’m off to start my day with my very first Zumba class at my new gym! Woo hoo!

If you have any song ideas for me and Vishnu that at least meet the first two criteria (since most of you don’t really know us as a couple), let me know! We need help!!!

A Girls Day

written by Parita Leave a Comment

When I jive with a person, it’s inevitable that I’m probably going to get close to him/her. My mom says that I get ”attached” to everyone…I would say that’s a bit of an exaggeration! Honestly though, I wouldn’t have it any other way because by being an open person, I’ve made some awesome friends.

Speaking of awesome, I spent the entire day (literally from 9-9) with my coworker and great friend. Her husband was out of town, and I am currently a one person family, so we decided to make yesterday a girls DAY. I still can’t believe we did all that we did.

First up – outlet shopping!

My purchases included…

A Vera Bradley duffle bag

Two VERY comfortable pairs of shoes

And a blouse from Banana Republic that I forgot to photograph.

We worked up an appetite from walking around for a few hours, so I decided to open up a whole new world for my friend by introducing her to the Whole Foods hot bar. YUM! Unfortunately, I remembered the whole picture thing after we finished eating.

We also made a quick pit stop at Starbucks so I could introduce my friend to the wonderfulness that is the Salted Caramel Mocha. This little drink has become quite the dangerous addiction for me. Smile

Next, we headed to the movies for some eye candy a la Mr. Gosling and Mr. Clooney…

Source

For those of you who haven’t seen this movie yet, I highly recommend it. Not only does it have a powerhouse cast, but the story is well written. It takes you into the gut of a presidential campaign (and kind of makes you sick <— once you see the movie, you’ll get what I mean by this).

Finally, we met up some coworkers for dinner at Solea – a fun tapas restaurant.

The food was perfection, but the lighting was horrible for pictures…

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Brazilian Cheese Bread – I die! Every bite was pure heaven – light, doughy, cheesy.

French Fries sprinkled with cumin.

Patatas Bravas – a classic tapas dish.

After dropping my friend off at her place, I headed back to my hotel and pretty much crashed. I. Was. Exhausted!

Yesterday just proved how bittersweet this move is going to be for me. I’ve made so many great friends up here in Boston. Smile

However, knowing I won’t have to experience a cruel NE winter keeps me smiling!

What’s your favorite way to spend time with friends?

3 Things

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Hi, y’all! Today is my Friday because I have the day off tomorrow! Vishnu’s coming to visit! YAY!!! If today is not your Friday, I hope the work/school day flies by for you tomorrow. Smile

Today I want to share 3 things I’m really loving right now, and 3 things that I’m disliking.

Ready…set…go!

Love 1:

Source

The minute I saw my friend Monica’s Longchamp bag a few months ago, I fell in love. This is the perfect travel/work bag. It’s so roomy, and the material is very durable. Pretty much the perfect bag. The only downside is the price tag. But honestly, for what you’re getting, it’s not too bad. Now, I’m just debating on when exactly to purchase this beauty.

Love 2:

Source

This moisturizer is awesome. See, I suffer from combination skin. Some parts of my face are always super dry and some parts (read: t-zone) get oily VERY quickly. My skin is also acne prone, so I have to be very careful what products I use because I never really know what will set it off. This lotion does a good job of keeping both the flakes and the oil away. I still have to blot my face a little bit in the afternoon, but it’s much better then what it used to be.

Love 3:

Source

“Love Actually” is one of Vishnu’s favorite movies…not sure if I was supposed to reveal that on here, but it’s ok. My man is a romantic, and I love it! I watched this with him five years ago, but it was on his computer, and I was so tired that I didn’t fully devote all my attention. I watched it again this past Sunday, devoting all my attention, and can I just say that this is one of the cutest movies ever made! My favorite thing is that it addresses love in all its forms in a very simple and relatable way…such a well-made movie! If you haven’t seen it yet, please do…I promise you’ll love it regardless of your movie genre preference.

On to the dislikes…

Dislike 1:

Source

I very very very much dislike bugs…of all kinds! I’m not going to go into too much detail here, but they freak me out, they’re ugly, and they find a way to get everywhere. If a bug lover is reading this, I’m sorry, but my mind can’t be changed. They’re just plain gross, and I want them as far away from me as possible.

Dislike 2:

Source

In the words of Stephanie Tanner…”how rude!” I dislike rude people very much. The ones who try to talk over you. The ones who tail you on a 25 mph road. The ones who make out in the middle of the airport atrium. The ones who cut in line. The ones who smoke around little kids by the pool. The ones who don’t wipe down their machine at the gym. The list could go on forever, but the point is that I dislike rude people. It’s 100% okay to be in a bad mood, but please do your best not to spread it. Thanks.

Dislike 3:

Source

I dislike LIARS. I think this picture speaks for itself.

Sorry, Weiner, no one feels bad for you. No one.

**********

Well, my friends, there you have it…my current loves and dislikes. I hope you have a great night. And I may or may not make an appearance again until Monday, so if that’s the case, have a terrific weekend (I know I will Winking smile )!!!