Ups & Downs

The new year has been good to me so far and that includes a new Cojack album, entitled Ups & Downs. If you enjoy hip-hop and rap, I encourage you to check out his new album. Ups & Downs is compiled of catchy beats, relevant rhymes, and a strong message to its audience.  Cojack converts feelings into words, while reinventing classic beats. We go through life with our own ups and downs. Everyone feels them no matter how big or small they seem. Cojack comes from the south side of Chicago and touches on the reality of love and loss with his latest tracks. You don't find many rappers like Cojack these days that rhyme about real issues, rather than repeating themselves just to make a track. And all while having a good time, like any of us, going through this journey called life.

Cojack wraps up everything in a big red bow with, Ups & Downs. I love being delivered the complete package and this present was received. Maybe it is my public relations background, but I love a great, well written message. Especially when someone tells you what they are going to tell you, tells you, and then tells you what they already told you. And that my friends, is called a great speaker. A great speaker, and in this case a great rapper, is someone that can relate to their audience, who speaks to that audience in many different ways, and makes what they are saying timeless too.Mission accomplished with Ups & Downs.

Check out his album by clicking here. You can download it for free now!
Some of my favorite tracks that you need to check out are:
2. Live It Up
3. American Dream
7. Show Love
14. Shades of Grey

I think Corey aka Cojack put it perfectly…"This is the sound of Ups & Downs."

Sharp Objects

Gillian Flynn has got to be my new favorite author. I love dark, thought-provoking books and she has delivered again with Sharp Objects. These kind of books remind me of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series. Dark, deep, and intriguing. I like reading them more than any other kind book because they are real, rather than a Nicholas Sparks' tragic love story. Those get to be redundant. 

I've been told that her #1 New York Times Bestseller, Gone Girl will soon be a film too! Can't wait!

Camille Preaker is a reporter for the Chicago Daily Post. Her latest assignment is to report about the killing of two little girls, in Wind Gap, Missouri. Wind Gap happens to be her home town. As she interviews and learns more about the girls, she starts connecting with them from her own life experiences. Camille has a bit of a troubled past. Her past helps her unravel what happened, while coping with returning home to the house she grew up in. 

My review is a bit short because like any Gillian Flynn book, her delivery is wonderful on top of the story. I don't want to give anything away and ruin it for you! So, prepare for a rough ride because Sharp Objects takes you down a troubled path of the past, present, and future. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. There is something to be said about nurture and nature. You can only explain behavior by genes for so long, before life experiences come into play. Things start to make a lot more sense knowing what kind of trauma or situations have been sent someones' way.

Flynn's Dark Places is next on my reading list. 

Enjoy!

Eataly - Chicago

When I was home for Christmas, my parents took Blake and I to Eataly downtown Chicago. I've been hearing all about it and knew, as a Montella, I needed to go. My mom was very excited to see what it was all about too. This place is pretty massive. I've called it before, "An Italian's heaven."

If you know me, I LOVE pasta. Mike gets tired of me always making it, but it NEVER gets old to me. My favorite has to be homemade spaghetti or angel hair. I bought a package and made some once I got back to Raleigh. Delicious.

My family loooves seafood. Salmon, scallops, shrimps, crab, lobster, fish, oysters, etc. Bring it all on.

I mean, how can you resist this meat and cheese plate? You can't. 

Cheese on cheese on cheese.

If you have enough room for dessert, you must try the 'Sweet Milk' gelato. Amazing. Light, but with just the right amount of cream and sweetness. And if you don't want gelato, they have the cutest desserts. I love when restaurants have their sweet treats in shot glasses. They are the perfect portions!

If you are downtown Chicago, I highly recommend stopping at Eataly for a quick bite to eat or a drink. Enjoy!

Photo Cred: Meg Montella

Christmas 2013

After all the running around and traveling this holiday season, I have finally gotten some time to sit down and blog. It's fun to travel, but I think at some point you need a break from the break. It gets tiring and monotonous after a while. Especially with delayed and connecting flights. 

My parents' Christmas tree.

Cousins on my mom's side.

My Godmother, Aunt Alice.

My Dad and Blake with their new clubs.

I take quite a bit of pride in my gift giving and this year I got my parents something awesome for their birthdays. Both of them have January birthdays, so I gave them their presents early because I won't be in town. Mike, Blake, and I got them George Stait's Farewell Tour tickets! We are jealous, but it will be a great night and show for them. They will also get to see Vince Gill.

One of my favorite gifts from my parents, a new, black leather Michael Kors purse. I absolutely love the purses where the flap over the top is the zipper to the main part of the bag. Kate Spade put one out a while ago, but they don't make it anymore. This bag has become a part of my daily attire. It was great for traveling too. It has a lot of pockets and compartments for every need I have.

And hallelujah for a new iPhone 5s! I've had my iPhone for 2 & 1/2 years and it was internally breaking down. If you know me, that long of a time period to have the same phone is pretty rare. One feature that I'm really loving on the new iPhone is the fingerprint ID. You don't need to enter your Apple ID password in or your passcode anymore. Place your fingerprint on the home button and you're in!

My mom and I. And as you can tell, my black faux fur vest has been a staple in my wardrobe for the holidays. I love the richness of the black, paired with the gold hardware.

Cousins on the Montella's side with our grandparents.

My Aunt Debbie got everyone a scratch-off lottery ticket this year and my cousin Jordan won $200.00!! Merry Christmas to him! 

That sums my Christmas back in Chicagoland with my family. I hope everyone had a safe and great holiday season.