9 BINGE WORTHY SHOWS TO STREAM DURING SELF ISOLATION

Since we are all stuck at home and are in need of creative ways to keep ourselves entertained, I thought I would create a list (in no particular order) of shows that I have recently watched and liked that are available for streaming online. If you are in need of a new show to binge-watch during self-isolation, check out Adam’s and I’s list below!

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THE PHARMACIST - NETFLIX

The Pharmacist is an incredible American true crime documentary series about one man’s journey to find his son’s murderer and shed light on corruption in his community during the onset of New Orleans’ opioid addiction crisis pre-Hurricane Katrina.

Dan Schneider, a small-town pharmacist in Poydras, Louisiana, first took the investigation of his son's tragic death into his own hands after police were unable to identify a killer. Little did he or his family know that this path would later also lead him to gather evidence on and expose prolific Oxycotin pill mills and the corrupt doctors running them.

WHY I LOVED THIS SHOW - not only does it captivate you right from the start with the death of Dan Schneider’s son but the momentum of his investigations into exposing his son’s killer and the corrupt doctors will have your head reeling. If you like true-time documentaries, you will enjoy this one!

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SELF MADE - NETFLIX

Self Made is a motivational ‘based on a true’ story series about America's first empire-building, barrier-breaking, self-made female millionaire.

Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker and adapted from On Her Own Ground, a biography by Walker's great-great-granddaughter A’Lelia Bundles, Self Made is a rags-to-riches tale of Sarah Breedlove played by Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer.

The story follows Madam C.J. Walker, an African American washerwoman who rises from poverty to build a beauty empire after creating a line of hair products for black women which would later lead her to become the first female self-made millionaire in America.

WHY I LOVED THIS SHOW - As an entrepreneur myself, I found Madam C.J. Walker’s life story and rise to success extremely empowering and motivational. If you are a hopeful entrepreneur like me who feels impacted by COVID-19, her story is a fierce call-to-action that fills you with hope and makes you want to keep going.

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THE LAST KINGDOM - NETFLIX

The Last Kingdom is a British historical fiction series based on The Saxon Stories, a series of novels by Bernard Cornwall.

The storyline follows the protagonist, Uhtred of Bebbanburghe's life journey starting from childhood in Season one, in the late 9th century AD when England is divided into seven separate kingdoms. Born into a Saxon family which was eventually attacked and ruled by Viking Danes, Uhtred is taken as a slave by Earl Ragnar who later becomes almost like a father figure to him. In the seasons to follow you see the struggles Uhtred faces as he is pulled between the two enemies and forced to show where his allegiance truly lies.

Netflix recently announced that the 4th season will be released on 26 April 2020 (this coming Sunday!)

WHY I LOVED THIS SHOW - Adam and I caught on to this show a little late but both fell in love with it right from the beginning. We burned through the first two seasons quite quickly and have been waiting with bated breath for each one that followed. While most series storylines have there ebbs and flows, The Last Kingdom has kept both of us enthralled the entire way through. If you like period pieces and/or are a fan of Game Of Thrones, this show has many of the same themes minus any supernatural elements.

Season 1 Trailer

Season 4 Trailer - Premiering on Netlfix Sunday April 26th, 2020

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THE NIGHT MANAGER - AMAZON PRIME

If you haven’t seen The Night Manager yet, I highly recommend it! Originally based on the novel by John Le Carre, The Night Manager is a modern-day, six-part adaptation series that originally aired on the BBC (now available for streaming on Amazon Prime) and won two Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes.

The Night Manager is a captivating story about espionage. It follows Jonathan Pine, played by the unbelievably handsome Tom Hiddleston, a luxury hotel night manager with a military background, on his journey as he is recruited by British task forces to become an intelligence spy. The story follows his transformation from hotel manager to spy and his mission to embed himself in the lucrative, illegal arms trade.

WHY I LOVED THIS SHOW - Without giving too much away, not only is the story unbelievable compelling, layered and fast pace, but Tom Hiddleston plays a compassionate Bond-like character that falls for many of the women who enter his life, which makes you love him and his character even more - not to mention he’s beautiful to look at! Also the scenes/shots are beautiful and cinematography is very well done.

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SEX EDUCATION - NETFLIX

Sex Education is an absolutely hilarious British comedy-drama that follows the life of a socially awkward teenager Otis Milburn, whose mom is a sex therapist.

After inadvertently helping the school bully with his sexual performance anxiety, Otis is convinced by his classmate Maeve to join her in setting up a sex advice business that helps fellow students deal with their own sexual problems/anxieties. Combine this with the normal pressures of high school, teenagers exploring/learning about their sexuality, and social issues that arise along the way, this series not only touches on some hard topics in a sincere way but makes you feel for each character while finding the light-hearted humor in their coming of age plight.

WHY I LOVED THIS SHOW - I love this show mainly because of its relatability. Nobody goes through life without having a coming of age chapter and this series sheds light on so many different characters’ struggles that you will without a doubt be able to find yourself in one of them. This series also allows the viewer to take a step back and see the humor in life’s growing pains as well as find compassion for those who struggle with accepting and expressing their sexuality.

Season 1 Trailer

Season 2 Trailer - Premiered in January of 2020

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I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE WITH TIM ROBINSON - NETFLIX

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is an American sketch comedy television show that stars Tim Robinson, who also co-created, wrote, and produced the show.

WHY I LOVED THIS SHOW - I love sketch comedy and this show had Adam and I both in stitches after watching the absurdity of some of the situation/story lines. The sketches are short and its constantly moving so if you are not into one, it quickly moves on and I can guarantee you will get a good laugh out of it.

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THE GOOD PLACE - NETFLIX

Now entering its fourth and final season, The Good Place is an American fantasy comedy television series about Eleanor Shellstrop (played by Kristen Bell), who arrives in an afterlife utopia called ‘The Good Place’ following her tragic death on earth.

After discovering that ‘The Good Place’ was created as a reward for a highly selective group of people for living a righteous life on earth, she soon realizes that she was sent there by mistake and now has to hide her morally imperfect behavior while trying to become a better and more ethical person.

WHY I LOVED THIS SHOW - I loved this show because it explores and explains ethical philosophies in a creative way while interweaving humor throughout. Each episode holds good lessons on how to be a better human while still being entertaining and motivating.

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ZEROZEROZERO - AMAZON PRIME

ZeroZeroZero is an 8 episode television crime drama series based off a novel by Roberto Saviano. The series follows the American Lynwood family who owns an international shipping company that brokers the sale of cocaine between Mexican narcos and Italian organized crime.

The series follows the grueling journey of a large shipment of cocaine and the battle for power in both Italy and Mexico when the grandson of Don Minu La Piana tries to take over, and a group of corrupt military-trained soldiers tries to overthrow the drug cartel.

WHY I LOVED THIS SHOW - Not only is the series beautifully shot but it’s not your typical glorified ‘drug cartel/organized crime’ storyline. It has three family succession stories intertwined within it, each of which provides a human aspect while also demonstrating the great sacrifices each family must make.

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RAGNAROK - NETFLIX

Ragnarok is a fictional Norwegian fantasy television drama (with substitutes) set in the fictional town of Edda in Western Norway. Inspired by Norse Mythology, the storyline follows the journey of Magna, a teenage boy who moves with his family back to Edda only to find that he is the embodiment of Thor.

After moving back to Edda he quickly becomes friends with a girl who is a climate change activist that wants to expose the industrial pollution caused by the town’s largest employer, and the fifth richest family in Norway - the Jutul. Following her bizarre death, Magnas becomes aware of his powers and tries to figure out what really happened to his friend. The Jutul’s who are actually ‘giants’ posing as a normal Norwegian family tries to stop Magna from exposing their true identities and the destruction they bring.

Netflix recently signed on for a second season

WHY I LOVED THIS SHOW - I loved this show because it has a mystical, almost Twilight element to it. Adam and I watched the show with English subtitles and although I believe it is available in English it is dubbed and therefore doesn’t feel as authentic. I am not a huge comic book person but I loved the storyline in this series and I personally can’t wait for the upcoming second season!

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A THOUGHTFUL MOTHER'S DAY GIFT GUIDE (COVID EDITION)

Mother’s Day will no doubt be looking different this year but one thing that for sure won’t change is your mom’s excited anticipation for it!

This year, I sat down with two mothers with two very different age ranges of kids, to see what they would like to do for Mother’s Day this year. Knowing that they couldn’t really go out and celebrate as usually, we came up with a list of activities you can do on the day of, things you can order in advance, gifts you can purchase to enjoy later, and a special REQUEST (they made a big deal about these) that they have from their husbands.

If you are in need of some SUPER THOUGHTFUL ideas for Mother’s day this year, this list is for you.

- DAY OF -

A Card/Dry Flower Card - All mothers want to feel appreciated so writing your thanks and gratitude for all that they do is really important to them. Share your thoughts about them in a sweet card (can be handmade) and shower them in the love they deserve.

P.S. Dry flower cards are super easy to make right at home and are very pretty! Here are two videos on how to dry flowers quickly and how to make a gift/card using them.

Breakfast in Bed - this was something that both mothers look forward to. Even though they can’t leave the house, this doesn’t mean they can’t start off their day with a sweet surprise, coffee and a card!

Hand Picked Flowers - For those mothers with young kids, hand picked flowers are a nice gesture.

Me Time - Mom’s are always busy with minds running a million miles an hour, so they hardly get enough time to just sit still and enjoy some ‘me time’. Take a task off their plate-like watching the kids or doing/folding laundry so they can enjoy some undisturbed ‘me time’ to enjoy as they wish.

Romantic Dinner In - on Mother’s Day, they would appreciate if someone takes over the cooking and cleaning for dinner. The best way for them to end the day is to relax and observe their children/husband cook a nice dinner and clean up after.

- THINGS TO ORDER IN ADVANCE -

Flowers - Both mothers really wanted to receive flowers on Mother’s Day. They requested that either their husband orders them to give with their children order them as a way of letting them know they are thinking of them.

Organic Skincare - If for some reason you cannot get flowers, both mothers said they would also appreciate something they can use at home to pamper themselves.

- A GIFT FOR A LATER DATE -

Mani & Pedi, Day at the Spa, Hair Treatment and Blow Out - once out of quarantine both mothers said they would really appreciate having some treatments done. Whether that is a mani & pedi service, day at the spa, or a hair treatment and blow out, they would love some professional help to make them look and feel great.

Dinners Out - although this may not be physically possible to do right now, both mothers said they would appreciate spending time together. Mothers with older kids would love it if their children offered to take them out.

Tickets to An Activity - Think candle making workshops or tickets to the theatre. Again both mothers wanted an excuse to do an activity with their children so buying the two of you tickets to a fun workshop or an afternoon activity would be a great gesture.

Spring Car Detailing - surprising, I know, but this was one of those items that they both didn’t want to spend money on themselves but really appreciate. If you have a mom that works, has a nice car, or spends a lot of time in her car, getting it refreshed for summer seems to be a thing they greatly would enjoy.

- FROM THEIR HUSBANDS -

Husband Coupons - both mothers also ask for this gift from their husbands. Coupons could be for things like 30-minute massages, back scratches, a night off, a cocktail, etc. They don’t have to be overly elaborate - here is a site with a free coupon print off that both children and husbands can use for more ideas.

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A TUTORIAL ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN LINKTREE!

Are you looking for an easy way to make a Linktree alternative that is free? In this ‘create your own’ Linktree Tutorial video, I will be teaching you how to easily make your own Linktree using your own website!

I know a lot of people hit the same roadblock I did when Instagram stopped allowing us to have Linktree bio links! Here is a quick and simple tutorial of how you can build and customize a hidden 'Linktree' page on your own site so that you not only are driving traffic to your blog, but you can share multiple links in your social bio's! Ready to get started?

I currently use Squarespace as my web hosting platform but if you're hosting platform is Wordpress it's still really easy to do, you just gotta play around with it a little. Also here is a link to a plug-in you can download (no shortcode necessary) to add buttons really easy to your Wordpress pages - https://youtu.be/r3l6cwXElCU

If you like this tutorial, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel! I’ll be posting a lot more videos like this one so don’t want to miss out!

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WANT TO LEARN SOME PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS? CHECK OUT MY BEGINNER PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG POST!

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5 REASONS WHY I’M SIGNING UP FOR THE HSBC +REWARDS MASTERCARD #SPONSORED

Did you know that I am a travel points master?

When it comes to collecting travel points and maximizing every dollar that I spend, I’m an absolute all-star!

In the last two years alone I have earned and redeemed enough points to attend two friends weddings, go to Europe with Adam, and fly to Las Vegas for my friends bachelorette party. With all that travelling, using points to cover my flights definitely helped shave off a substantial amount of out of pocket expenses I would have otherwise incurred. Being the savvy travel points collector that I am, when I heard about all the benefits of the HSBC +Rewards Mastercard I couldn’t help but get super excited! Want to know why?

Here are 5 SOLID reasons why I’ll be jumping to sign up:

1.     2x the points on every dollar I spend on dining and entertainment - currently I don’t get this with my primary card and it sucks. As someone who doesn’t usually leave the house unless its to check out a new restaurants and grab dinner with friends, or go out on date nights to the movies with Adam, most of my expenses are definitely spent on these two categories. The fact that I can now maximize every dollar that I spend and continue to hang out more with my friends makes getting this card a no brainer!

2.     I can use my points to redeem on travel (no restrictions or black-out dates) - Unlike most travel credit cards that utilize rewards systems like Aeroplane or AirMiles, this reward system gives you more flexibility! I can go on a trip when I want, where I want, and don’t have to worry about any black-out periods or whether the airline even flies to that specific destination. I just have to go online, book the easiest route with whatever airline I want, and get packing! It doesn’t just stop there though, you can also redeem points against a car rental, hotel stay or even a train ticket!!

3.    It has a low annual fee of $25! - This is definitely unheard of when it comes to travel credit cards with good points systems. Believe me, I’ve looked!! Two years ago I got so frustrated with my current card because I was paying an annual fee of $150! Sure, travel medical, trip cancellation and all that was including but still, now comparing my current primary card with the HSBC +Rewards Mastercard I feel slightly ripped off given how often I DON’T use those benefits.

4.    You can add Emergency Travel Medical Insurance and coverage for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption and Baggage Delay or Loss for $69/year - even with the cost of adding this on to the HSBC +Rewards Mastercard I am way better off than I am with my current primary card, and if you travel as much as I do for work it’s better to have it and be safe than sorry. Furthermore, in the past I have purchased travel insurance from a provider not associated with my credit card and it wasn’t much cheaper than this, nor did it last an entire year. So once again, the HSBC +Reward Mastercard is just the most viable option.

5.     You get 5000 bonus miles for signing up before Oct 31/19 - who doesn’t want free points!? Another no brainer if you ask me. When it comes to using your points you also don’t have to spend it all on travel, in fact there are many ways you can redeem points like redeeming towards your HSBC mortgage, on your credit card or your savings account! Want some new clothes for an upcoming trip or maybe a new camera? You can pick from a list of retailers and gift cards available via the HSBC +Rewards program and use your points the way you want! The possibilities are truly endless.

So there you have it, 5 solid reasons why the HSBC +Rewards Mastercard is an amazing travel credit card and why it will be a no brainer for a travel junkie like me to make the jump! Who’s with me?!

Although this post has been generously sponsored by “HSBC”, the opinions and language are my own, and in no way do they reflect “HSBC”.