The Weekender

Happy happy New Year and happy Friday wonderful readers! Here's my weekly roundup of my favorite things—

ONE || Madewell's Skinny Skinny Jeans

I purchased two pairs of these adorable and super flattering skinny jeans— one in black and one in traditional denim. I love the slimming ankle cut so much and the zippered pockets on the black pair add an unexpected, edgy twist to a classic silhouette. Shop them here 40% off with code EXTRA40.

TWO || The Atlantic's "What US Intelligence Predicted the World Would Look Like in 2015"

I'm a huge sucker for posts like this. Post 9/11, US intelligence officials released an 85 page document predicting the state of the world in 2015. While some predictions have come true (think an ever-increasing economic gap), I find those things that were totally out of the blue fascinating (ex, Iraq's nuclear weapons). Click here to check out this brief and interesting read.

THREE || Spotify's Best Songs of 2014 You Haven't Heard Yet

Spotify absolutely nailed it with this playlist. Listen below and click here to follow me.

FOUR || Clinique's Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm

I have been meaning to get on the cleansing balm train forever, and I finally took the plunge after receiving a Sephora gift card for Christmas. At the recommendation of internationally regarded skincare blogger Caroline Hirons, I tried out Clinique's Take the Day Off gentle cleansing balm. It is amazing— so much better than I imagined and leaves my skin so smooth! Since moving away from harsh gel cleansers to cleansing oils and non-foaming gels, I have seen a huge difference in my skin's clarity and texture. Buy Clinique's miracle worker here.

FIVE || Jay Wild's Interviews for Serial

I've posted about my love affair with the now hugely controversial podcast Serial, but my obsession has definitely intensified with The Intercept's 3-part series featuring new interviews by Jay Wilds the state's star witness in the case. The third installment was released Thursday, adding important perspective to the impact of the case and podcast on Adnon Syed and Hae Min Lee's friends and family. Read the whole thing here.

TGIF! What are you up to this weekend? 

Ashley