I’m a big lover of art, and am constantly consuming media — whether it’s movies, books, or concerts so I thought I’d put together some of my favorite things I’ve watched and read lately. Since it’s the end of the year… I actually read 35 books this year (thank you Libby), saw 33 movies (thank you AMC A-List!), and went to 40 concerts. Phew! Let’s just say I like to be entertained.

FYI If you sign up for a library card at your local library you can get eBooks and audiobooks for free on Libby. It’s a huge help, or you can easily buy books used on apps like Pango Books, eBay, Thrift Books, or Amazon used books.

What I Watched

• Nosferatu: Horror is one of my favorite genres, and this one did not dissapoint. Everything is absolutely stunning — the cinematography, the costumes, the set. And the acting is superb. Bill Skarsgård is literally unrecognizable as Count Orlock, and actually kind of terrifying. 10/10.
• A Complete Unknown: I wasn’t sure what to expect with this movie, but it was actually such an interesting story about Bob Dylans origin. I liked how it wasn’t just about Bob Dylan, and incorporated lots of other musicians stories into it as well like Johnny Cash and Pete Seeger. After a while it was really crazy how at the beginning of the movie it felt like “that’s Timothée Chalamet” and then over time he really transformed into Bob Dylan and looked just like him.
• Nightbitch: So this was a movie based on a book that came out a few years ago and I only got about 1/3 of the way through before giving up on it, so I had no idea what to expect from this movie. I ended up loving it because it was so bold and edgy on how women are treated as mothers. It really puts a spotlight on how women have to sacrifice their life goals and ambitions just to ensure the well being of her kids.
• Queer: I’m a big Luca Guadagnino fan so I couldn’t miss this movie. It’s beautifully shot, and. based on the semi-autobiographical novella by William S. Burroughs. It follows an American expatriate wandering around Mexico City in the 1950’s, being addicted to drugs and alcohol, falling in love, and a crazy ayahuasca trip. It ended up being so surrealist and trippy, and full of metaphors to unpack and analyze. This is one where it had so much to think about that I can’t wait for it to stream and rewatch it to really unpack everything that happened. Also Jason Schwartzman really stole the show even though he was only in the movie for a few minutes. Oh, and the soundtrack is amazing.

What I Read

• The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop: If you’re a Gilmore Girls fan this one is a must. I loved learning about Kelly Bishop’s life, and she is such a boss. It’s not super heavy on the Gilmore Girls lore but definitely worth the read. I actually listened to the audio version which was narrated by here and amazing. Her views and thoughts are inspiring, and she is a true icon with an incredible story. What a woman.
• Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly: This novel follows siblings –a brother and sister– in New Zealand and goes back and forth between their perspectives. It follows their struggles follows as they navigate queerness, multiracial (M?ori-Russian-Catalonian) identity, and the dramas of their big extended family as they try to find themselves and their happiness. This is one of those no plot, just vibes kind of books. This one was okay for me, I enjoyed it but got a little bored at times.
• I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself by Glynnis MacNicol: This is one of the rare non-fiction books I’ve read this year and I really loved it. It follows her life during the early days of the pandemic in Paris and is really a story that celebrates the simple things in life like friendships, good food, and pleasure. I loved it and would totally read it again. It kinda of feels like a modern A Moveable Feast to me. Just a little love letter to Paris.
• The Most by Jessica Anthony: This is one of the shortest books I’ve read this year. It’s about a 1950s American housewife who goes for a swim in her apartment complex’s swimming pool one morning and won’t come out. The whole book takes place in about a day and is about a marriage at its breakpoint. I didn’t love this one as much as I expected to, but it was a super quick read.
• My Husband by Maud Ventura: In this story a French wife is obsessed with her husband to an insane degree. It’s actually so funny how crazy she gets, and makes this novel suspenseful and darkly funny. She basically spends her life obsessing over her husband and is desperate to be a perfect wife for him. It was surprisingly entertaining, and the ending has a fun twist that made me laugh.

That’s everything for December! It was actually a packed month as far as books go. I really wanted to hit that Goodreads goal, hah! Have any books you love? Drop them in the comments or DM me on Instagram.

xx Erika

The post What I Watched & Read in December appeared first on Erika Carlock Blog.

Watching holiday movies is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. I practically start a movie marathon as soon as Thanksgiving is over, and play them all the way through Christmas day. Here’s a list of my favorites that I always watch.

Must-Watch Holiday Movies

• The Holiday
• The Family Stone
• A Christmas Story
• Happiest Season
• Elf
• Last Christmas
• Love Actually
• Home Alone
• Gremlins

Any favorites you have? Let me know in the comments!

xx Erika

The post Holiday Movies Watch List appeared first on Erika Carlock Blog.

What to Do in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara feels a lot like you transported yourself to a European city on California central coast. It’s a place where you can transport yourself into a Nancy Meyers movie in an instant and feel like you’ve truly escaped. Welcome to the American riviera where you can sip wines grown on the hillsides you can see, wander around a city of mission style buildings, relish in the history and soak up the sun.

I make a trek to Santa Barbara every few months, so I’m not sure how I’ve gone so long without doing a full travel guide! It’s one of my favorite weekend trips from LA, and also one of the best girls trip weekend spots. I have so many favorite spots, it’s hard to choose. Peep the list below for some of my faves!

Santa Barbara Travel Guide

Mediterranean-style white stucco buildings with red-tile roofs reflect the city’s Spanish colonial heritage, set the tone for Santa Barbara’s timeless charm. Nestled between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean, the city offers a perfect blend of wine country delights, fine dining, and palm tree-lined streets. I’ve been visiting Santa Barbara since my high school days, so it’s absurd that it’s taken me over a decade to finally create a travel guide for a place that feels like my second home. It’s also where McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams was born in the 1950s, bringing some of the most iconic sweet treats to life. Spend your days sipping local wines, soaking up the sunshine, and taking in the history at Mission Santa Barbara, which has stood since its founding in 1786. With its sandy beaches, al fresco dining, and beautiful sunsets, it’s no wonder so many celebrities choose to call this area home. Here are a few of my favorite spots in this enchanting seaside escape.

WHERE TO STAY:

Drift Hotel: $ Located right in the heart of downtown this hotel is a great location, with a modern feel and has the cutest coffee shop and bar downstairs aptly named Dusk and Dawn.

The Leta Santa Barbara Goleta: $ A cute boutique hotel in Goleta, just a skip away from Santa Barbara.

Palihouse Santa Barbara: $$ I love Palihouse hotels, and this location is no exception. Such a cute spot with classic Santa Barbara mission-style architecture and a super cute pool.

Hotel Californian: $$$ A little more pricy, this luxury hotel is stunning and right by the water. You can see the ocean from the pool and it’s the perfect place to stay for a honeymoon or wedding night.

San Ysidro Ranch: $$$$ If you’re really splurging, this is the place to go. If feels like a literal Nancy Meyers movie set. The property is stunning.

GO SIGHTSEEING

With its old California mission charm and perfect weather, Santa Barbara is the perfect place to wander around and get inspired. My favorite place to see is the Santa Barbara courthouse. They screen movies there sometimes, and you can walk to the top of a lovely view of the city and ocean. One of my favorite things to check out is all of the architecture around town. There are a bunch of buildings by architect Jeff Shelton, and they’re so funky and cool to look at. It’s always nice to walk along the beach, or walk down the pier for a pretty view. Stop by the Santa Barbara Mission for a bit of history, and you can also check out the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and MOXI for some art! Here’s a quick list of things to do around town:

• Walk around the Santa Barbara Courthouse 
• Walk down the State Street promenade
• See Old Mission Santa Barbara
• Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
• Do a walking tour of Jeff Shelton’s architecture around town
• Walk to the nearby beach West Beach
• Santa Barbara Museum of Art and MOXI
• Drive to Hendry’s beach
• Hike Hot Springs Canyon Trailhead
• Get tickets to see the cacti at Lotusland

GRAB A COFFEE

When you need a boost, there’s a good amount of great local coffee shops in town. My favorites are Dawn, CAJÉ, Dune, and The French Press. Here’s a quick list of my go-to spots:

• CAJÉ Coffee Roasters
• Dawn
• Handlebar
• Dune
• Dart
• The French Press

EATS AND DRINKS

For being a small town, the Santa Barbara/Montecito area has a great dining scene. There’s a good number of Michelin-nod restaurants, and a great variety of types of food. I rounded up all of my favorite food and drink spots here.

Loquita: Spanish tapas are one of my favorite things in life, and this spot might be my favorite in Santa Barbara. So much so that we went here on our wedding night. Highly recommend getting pretty much everything there, and going with a group so that you can try a bit of everything. It even has a Michelin Bib Gourmand becuase yes, it’s that good.

Satellite: Wine bar with great wines and vegetarian food. My favorite place to grab a bottle of wine, get some delicious food and people watch. You absolutely have to get the yoga pants salad, focaccia, and cheese board. An absolute favorite spot of mine.

Bibi Ji: Amazing Indian food and natural wine is the perfect combination you didn’t know you needed. This hot pink restaurant doesn’t miss with any dish and is perfect to get lots of dishes and share. Don’t miss the mango lassi drink when you’re there! There’s a reason Michelin gave this one a nod. If there’s one place you eat, it should be Bibi Ji. Be sure to make a reservation because it fills up fast.

Bettina: You can miss the pizza here when you’re in town. They have good cocktails, wine and a super cute space in Montecito. Another one that Michelin loves too!

Merci: This one is a quick drive down the 101 to Montecito for some yummy French food. Perfect for grabbing a baguette sandwich in the afternoon, or a pastry and coffee in the morning. Plus, I love the vibes of this little space.

Oat Bakery: This cute little organic Scandinavian bakery is the perfect place to stop by and grab a few loafs of bread. Dreaming of their olive focaccia now!

McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams: You have to grab an ice cream in it’s original location.

Mister Softee Santa Barbara: Another yummy ice cream spot. I love soft serve and this place really hits the spot.

Test Pilot: The best tiki drinks are at Test Pilot, a fun tiki bar in the heart of the funk zone. This is a fun spot to stop by if you want to take a break from drinking wine.

La Paloma Cafe: If you’re in the mood for Mexican food, this is the place to go. It’s an easy-going, ranchero-style restaurant with good cocktails and

Flor de Maiz: Great Mexican food, with lots of delicious tacos and yummy cocktails on the water. They also have a happy hour on weekdays!

Sama Sama Kitchen: A fun farm to fork restaurant with Southeast-Asian-inspired cuisine. They also recently got a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin guide.

Bar Lou: A new French Riviera-inspired restaurant focusing on farm-to-table cuisine by the group that owns Little Dom’s in LA.

The Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch: If you want that Nancy Meyer’s vibe, this is the place to go. It’s a stunning, massive property that hosts weddings and includes a luxury hotel, but there’s also a restaurant on site that you can get dinner or lunch at.

Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach: If you want a classic spot, head to Boathouse. This restaurant on the beach is kind of touristy, but you can see the ocean from practically any table. It’s the perfect place to get breakfast or lunch and then stroll down the beach after.

Santa Barbara Public Market: If you’re looking for a lunch option this big indoor market is a great spot to head to. You’ll have lots of options for everyone. My favorite is Corazon.

GO WINE TASTING

Wine tasting is the essential part of a Santa Barbara trip! There’s an abundance of local wineries, and you can hop around and do tastings for the perfect day. Visit the funk zone for winery hopping, or do a day trip to the Santa Ynes valley. In the funk zone Municiple Winemakers is my favorite, and there are a ton you can see on the Urban Wine Trail. My top are Municiple, Potek, and Pali Wines. For the most coastal views, head out to the pier for a wine tasting at Deep Sea. Get a cheese plate and enjoy the ocean views! There is so much local wine and beer in the funk zone, you could essentially spend a whole week trying them out. I’m listing a few favorites here:

• Potek
• Frequency
• Municipal Winemakers 
• Pali Wine Co
• Lama Dog
• Deep Sea
• Pali Wines 
• Topa Topa Brewing Co.

Looking for a day trip to add onto your Santa Barbara trip? Try visiting Ojai or Los Alamos for a day of wine tasting. See my travel guides here.

Want more travel guides? Check out my travel section here!

PIN FOR LATER

The post Santa Barbara Travel Guide appeared first on Erika Carlock Blog.

We’ve been looking for the last piece of furniture in the desert house living room — the accent chair for the corner, but have been struggling to find the one. Since I’ve been on the hunt I figured I’d share all of the work I’ve done with ya. Here’s a few options we’re liking so far. Click the photo below to shop, or the individual chairs below.

SHOP THESE

The post Cute Living Room Accent Chairs appeared first on Erika Carlock Blog.

The final week is here and I’m so excited to share the final reveal! As soon as the space was finished I couldn’t stop thinking “is this even real?!” because I’d imagined it in my head for so long. I was pretty sure we wouldn’t finish in time and somehow everything worked out and we finished 2 weeks early because we jetted off to Europe. Talk about forcing yourself to have a deadline am I right?! I’ve been feeling all the things about it — super proud, happy, relieved, exhausted, excited, and suddenly very zen because I can fully enjoy showers now. I wanted this space to feel like a relaxing spa and I think that’s the vibe!

As you might remember the bathroom was full of building grade everything — cabinets, tile… We took out all of the basics and painted the tile to give it a fresh, bright look. We built new floating shelves, swapped out the mirror and light, and installed a new vanity, sink and faucet. It’s honestly amazing how much of an improvement we made on such a tight budget. Check out the before and after…

BEFORE & AFTER

After a few weeks of brushing our teeth in the kitchen sink and not having a space to get ready I’m honestly so happy to be able to enjoy this space now! What do you think? Would you try any of the updates we did yourself? Let me know in the comments.

xoxo Erika

SHOP THE SPACE

Follow me on Instagram @erikacarlock to see more of my house come together!

Don’t miss out! Catch up on my other One Room Challenge Posts:

One Room Challenge: Week One | Desert Bathroom Makeover

One Room Challenge: Week Two | Small Updates

One Room Challenge: Week Three | Floating Shelves

One Room Challenge: Week Four | DIY Tub Tile Refinishing on a Budget

One Room Challenge: Week Five | DIY Roman Clay Walls

One Room Challenge: Week Six | Painted Tile Floor

One Room Challenge: Week Seven | New Vanity

The post The Reveal | One Room Challenge: Week Eight | Desert Bathroom Makeover appeared first on Erika Carlock Blog.

We started to remove the vanity last week but of course a simple removal turned into a way bigger project. We had this piece of backsplash that was glued so hard to the tile that when we tried to take it off the entire tile cracked… so then we tried to remove the tile and the entire chunk of drywall came out with it. Ooof! So guess who learned how to tile??? This girl! We even cut tile with our saw. Who knew we could make this happen in a pinch? I sure did not! A few tiles, drywall and some paint later we are back to this blank canvas.

After the most hectic week of retiling the vanity area we were ready to install it. We hired a plumber to do the actual pipe replacement and installation and ran into all sorts of issues fitting it. I was largely convinced it just wanted going to happen and I wasn’t going to make the deadline to finish the One Room Challenge. But somehow we magically got it all done in time to leave me with a few hours of daylight to shoot the space before I jetted off to Europe. Literally cannot believe that everything worked out. And voila!

Follow me on Instagram @erikacarlock to see more of the project come together!

Don’t miss out! Catch up on my other One Room Challenge Posts:

One Room Challenge: Week One | Desert Bathroom Makeover

One Room Challenge: Week Two | Small Updates

One Room Challenge: Week Three | Floating Shelves

One Room Challenge: Week Four | DIY Tub Tile Refinishing on a Budget

One Room Challenge: Week Five | DIY Roman Clay Walls

One Room Challenge: Week Six | Painted Tile Floor

The post Hello New Vanity | One Room Challenge: Week Seven | Desert Bathroom Makeover appeared first on Erika Carlock Blog.

Between working on the house and spending time outside reading in the sun, I’ve been knocking out all sorts of audiobooks and hardcover books this year. I wanted to round up a few of the most-loved here in case any of these might ignite a spark in reading them!

Here are a few books I’ve absolutely loved and would recommend if you’re looking for something new to read…

Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi

Safe to say this is favorite book of the year. I fell for this one from the start. It’s raw, authentic, painful, honest and real in a way most books aren’t. I loved all of its food descriptions, Gilmore Girls references, New York charms and sister stories. It made me fall in love with New York a little bit more, relate to the struggles of feeling lost in adulthood, ponder the ups and downs of being a sister, and the struggles of eating disorders. It’s a heartbreaking one but I highly recommend it.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

If you’ve been severely missing Nora Ephron movies for a while this is the book for you. I loved the authors’ book People We Meet on Vacation last year, so I had to read this one and it lived up to the hype. It has all of the quaint coffee shop romance vibes of a 90s rom-com, a love story, and a relatable mother-daughter-sister story. It made me want to be in New York and at the same time had me wanting to pack up and head to a quaint small town.

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

Every year I like to find one good beach read and this was my winner for 2022. I planned this one to read when I was on the beach in Mexico and I read it so quickly that I finished before I even arrived. It was that good! It tells the story of a young girl who moves to her family’s cottage over summers, and meets a boy next door. It’s full of longing, nostalgia, and a sweet love story that spans from childhood to adulthood. I loved the dual timeline between past and present. This is one of those love stories I would read again and again.

A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch

Stalker girlfriend who secretly befriends her boyfriends ex? This one had me hooked. It had me cringing so much I couldn’t put it down, and I loved it the entire time. It tells the story of 24-year-old New Yorker Naomi who becomes obsessed with her boyfriend’s former girlfriend, and gets caught in a web of lies that spiral out of control destroying her relationship in the process. Super shocking and a fun read!

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

I read this one so quickly! This one is a true story of family, food, grief, and music. It was so cool to hear the story of how the singer of Japanese Breakfast rose to fame and her life story. It has so many ups and downs of navigating her life before and after her mother’s death from cancer, and the heartbreaking reality of losing someone close to you.

Good Rich People Brazier by Jane Eliza

Unexpectedly loved this psychological thriller and how it showcased the extremes of the extremely privileged wealthy and the extreme poor. It tells the story of a destitute woman who deceives her way into renting the guesthouse of a Hollywood Hills mansion and inadvertently becomes a target in the twisted game of the wealthy family upstairs. Somehow it had the most hatable characters and yet I couldn’t stop reading. The amount of times that things they said it made my jaw drop was more than I could count on both hands. Fun twists and social commentary in this one!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again and again with her historically adjacent stories. This one is said to be loosely based in part on the actresses Elizabeth Taylor, who was married eight times to seven different men, and Ava Gardner, who revealed the secrets of her life to a journalist. I loved how it felt like traveling in time and felt both real and fiction. It was mesmerizing and compelling.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This one broke my heart in a slow-burn kind of way. It tells the story of a wealthy family spending summers on a private island, and a group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship gets destroyed. The main character Cadence is unable to remember an incident that happened that ends their friendship. Through a hazy recollection of past summers Cadence tried to piece together the twisted events that happened that ended their lazy summers in the sun.

The Last Housewife by AshleyWinstead

This thriller comes with just about every trigger warning imaginable (cults, rape…), so be warned that it’s dark and might not be for everyone. If you’re thinking it has anything to do with housewives, spoiler it’s not. Think more of cults, brainwashing, and secret elitist societies. This one reminded me of somewhere between the show Yellowjackets and the movie Eye’s Wide Shut. Dark. Super twisted and had me at my toes with every chapter!

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

An unexpected favorite! This one was much more heart-breaking than I was anticipating. I listened to this one as an audiobook while I plastered and painted our desert house bathroom and found myself in tears doing labor. If you’re in the mood for a passionate and heart-wrenching unexpected love story that hits you in the gut this one is it.

SHOP THESE BOOKS

Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments, or chat with me about what you’re reading over on my Instagram DM’s.

XOXO Erika

The post Most-Loved Books of 2022 appeared first on Erika Carlock Blog.

I’ve been wanting to redo my office space for a while now. It seems the be the last place I decorate even though it’s always the most-used space. Here’s some inspiration that’s motivating me to make that a priority. Want more office inspiration? Check out my Pinterest board here.

The post Style File: Luxe Office appeared first on Erika Carlock Blog.

Target has had the cutest home items lately! Had to share a few I’m adding to my wishlist. xoxo Erika

SHOP THE LOOK

The post Target Home Wishlist appeared first on Erika Carlock Blog.

French New Wave always has my heart, and Ana Karina is such an iconic style muse of that film era. Her sailor look, her hair, her bangs–I love it all. If you’ve never seen any of the movies she was in I recommend Pierrot le Fou and Band of Outsiders.

The post Style Muse: Anna Karina appeared first on Erika Carlock Blog.