Last week, I shared the memories that made 2015 a memorable year (read here).  I thought we'll start off the year with something fun. A round up of the places, things and products that were a cut above the rest. 

Travel. 2015 was a year of record travel. I had the time to travel the way I always wanted to during the year. There are cities I will always love (London, Paris), but I got a chance to visit a few other places in 2015. Here are the ones I cannot stop talking about

• Monaco
• South Beach - Miami, Florida 
• Bath, United Kingdom
• Barcelona, Spain

Beauty. The ones I repurchased and will not stop recommending to family and friends.

• Foundation: Covergirl Ready Set Georgeous for everyday and L'oreal Paris Infallible Pro Matte 24 hours.
• Concealer: Ruby Kisses Pure Mineral Concealer 
• Mascara: Wycon Cosmetics Multi Dimensional Mascara
• For long lasting makeup: Mally Liquid Face Defender Primer and L'oreal Infallible Pro Set & Spray 
• Brows: The ELF Instant lift brow pencil is a winner. I have not reached for my Anastasia brow pencil since I picked this up.
• Tools: Beauty Blender and ELF Studio Concealer brush
• Scents: Diptyque and Elizabeth + James Black Nirvana
• Skincare: First Aid Beauty for the win - I especially love the Facial Radiance Overnight mask and Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay
• Others : Donna Karen Cashmere Mist Deodorant | Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment (for hair)

Food: Some of my favorite culinary experiences in 2015 were at 

• Thairrific , Dallas
• Cafe Paris, Monte Carlo
• Brunch at Jack loves Frieda, NYC
• The Breakfast Club, London
• Zadel's , London
• Dinner at Edy's , Rome
• Borough Market , London. Don't leave without trying the Duck Confi sanwich from Le Marche du Quartier
• Empanada's at La Boqueria Market, Barcelona

Culture. TV watching and Movies were at a minimum last year and by the end of the year I had cancelled my cable. I am down to Netflix and Hulu subscriptions. Movie-wise, I only saw two movies in theater (yeah, it was that kind of year), I made up for it by listening to a ton of podcasts. 

Television: Here are the shows I kept up with in 2015. 

• From my Netflix & Hulu Queue : Crossing Lines // Broadchurch // The Great British Baking Show // Death in Paradise // Life (why did this show get cancelled ?)
• On Television : Arrow // Blacklist // Brooklyn Nine Nine // Chicago P.D

Podcasts: This was the year of Podcasts. I discovered some new ones and rediscovered some old favorites. I cannot stop listening to -

• Serial - Unless you have been living under a rock, you have heard of this phenomenal podcast hosted by Sarah Koenig of This American Life fame. Season 2 just launched. Without giving anything away, Season 2 focuses on Sgt. Bowe Bergdah.
• Criminal - Simply put, this is the podcast for anyone who loves a good crime story. A few of my favorite episodes - Call you mom // Can't Rock this Boat // It looked like fire // No Place like home // 695BGK .
• 99% Invisible - One of my all time favorites which I rediscovered this year. If you enjoy design and how things are made, this is the podcast for you. A few episodes I recommend - Rajneeshpuram // The Sunshine Hotel // On Location // The Nutshell Studies   

Music: The most played songs from my Itunes library this year.

• Housefires II's Good Good Father
• Hillsong's Love on the Line
• Keith Urban's John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16
• Leon Bridges' Coming Home
• Dela's cover of Adele's Hello in Swahili (here)
• Adele's Hello
• Kiss Daniel's Laye
• Dr Sid's Kabiyesi

Movies: Most of my movie watching was limited to Netflix and Cross Atlantic Flights, my favorites are:

• South Paw 
• War Room
• Mr. Holmes
• Unlocking Sherlock (Documentary)

There it is - all of my favorite things from 2015. What were some of your favorite things from 2015 ? Share below.