Beauty Heals And Gives Us Wings
Now that I’m getting back into the habit of posting blogs, I’m excited to announced that there is NEW Fibro Friday content coming!
I’ve been researching herbs, developing new pain relief oils, trying different therapeutic practices, tinkering with my diet, and giving myself lots of time to figure out what works, and what doesn’t. I can’t wait to tell you all about the discoveries I’ve made over the past year(ish)!
Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!
This is a continuation of my recap of my time in Scotland. After landing in Edinburgh, traveling up to Stonehaven, and enjoying some time at the Aboyne Games, my friend and I journeyed to Glasgow to continue our adventure.
Instead of taking the LNER train, we rode ScotRail. We weren’t able to upgrade our tickets for this leg of our trip, but we ended up with good and comfortable window seats. We were joined by an adorable young married couple – Lola and Hal – on their way to Glasgow for a fun weekend. We had a fantastic conversation and enjoyed the sights as we chugged along for two hours.
We arrived at the Glasgow train station and started the walk to the Maldron Hotel. This was our first time at a modern hotel in Scotland: the hotels we stayed in before (and after) this one were mostly boutique style and more historical. The sleek and modern decor was fun and fresh. We dropped off our bags, freshened up, and prepared to meet our tour group for dinner.
Our tour was hosted by Clan Graham Society, the organization endorsed by the head of Clan Graham, James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose. The tour was organized to commemorate Clan Graham Society’s 50th Anniversary and was coordinated by several members of Clan Graham – specifically, Kate Graham and Kiersten Graham Dick, along with Gordon Graham – and every detail was considered with care. All members of the group, except for a few folks like me, have a connection to James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose. Clan Graham is extraordinarily warm and welcoming, and I joined the organization as a friend of Clan Graham. My friend, who was my roommate for the entirety of the trip, has a Graham-affiliated surname, so she’s a member of Clan Graham and encouraged me to join. I’m so thankful for her encouraging me to become part of the group!
In our ten day tour, we visited sites that were historically relevant to Scotland as a whole, as well as sites relevant to Graham history specifically. Every other day or so, we traveled to another town or city, each one significant in its own right.
We enjoyed delightful meals at the Maldron each day during our stay (we were there two nights). On the first full day in Glasgow, we were supposed to go to the Isle of Arran, but the weather was unfavorable (one of the strongest storms of the summer happened on this day). While the group made alternate arrangements, my friend and I – still quite tired from our time in Stonehaven and Aboyne – decided to sleep in and explore Glasgow in the afternoon instead.
While walking around, we came across many interesting and old buildings that were photo-worthy. But, despite Glasgow being full of gothic, Victorian and art nouveau structures, the city has a distinctly modern, “concrete jungle” feel. It’s undeniably metropolitan energy gives it an edge and pulse that wholly unlike the laidback energy of Edinburgh. To be frank, I love both cities and will happily return many times, if I’m able.
After grabbing a delicious hot chocolate from Hotel Chocolat (complete with chocolate whipped cream rose, no less), we stumbled across Frasers department store, and I became an instant fan. As a lover of the department stores of yesteryear, Frasers reminded me of the kind of stores that are becoming rarer to find stateside. It was so nice to walk in and get an experience similar to Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Liberty or Selfridges. I found an amazing formal gown that I had to purchase, and had a wonderful chat with one of the sales reps at Frasers. I’m so pleased that we stumbled upon this store, because none of the other cities or towns on our tour had a Frasers.
Once we finished shopping, we made our way back to the hotel. I snapped photos of interesting things I saw on our walk, including Nelson Mandela Place, a street named after the South African former President, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and anti-apartheid activist. I also saw shops and architectural details that I loved.
Before we walked the final block to our hotel, we stopped off at the DoubleTree by Hilton to check out their restaurant, Cask & Clyde. The menu had a fair amount of options, and I found a couple of things that looked good (namely, the soup of the day – lentil – and macaroni and cheese). I also enjoyed an old fashioned while I waited for my food.
I enjoyed my Cask & Clyde experience, and will definitely return when I get back to Glasgow. After we were full, we returned to our rooms and relaxed for a few hours before dinner.
The next day, we loaded our luggage onto the tour bus in preparation for checkout. Our bags stayed on the bus as we journeyed to our first stop on day 2: Mugdock Castle. This was the original stronghold for Clan Graham more than 800 years ago. The castle is now mostly in ruins, but Mugdock Country Park is still an incredible site and well worth the visit. The castle is about a 15 minute walk from the entrance. On the trail to the castle, you will see the remains of Craigend Zoo, as well as many dog owners taking their friendly pups for walks.
When we arrived at the castle, Clan Graham’s chieftain, Richard Graham, presented the caretakers of Mugdock Castle with a 50th anniversary commemorative plate. It was a touching ceremony and I’m so glad I got to witness it. Inside the castle, there are a number of Clan Graham artifacts, including a number of pieces emblazoned with royal crests. The site is a beautiful one that is listed by the Scottish Tourism Board. While the day was misty and cool, the walks to and from the castle were refreshing and picturesque.
We returned to the main entrance building and warmed up with lentil soup, sandwiches and coffee and tea. The guides graciously answered our questions and gave us a delightful end to a fantastic day at Mugdock.
We boarded the tour bus and made our way to the next city on our tour, Stirling. However, we stopped momentarily at Loch Katrine, then followed that with a later stop at a local shop which had some highland coos in a neighboring field, and I got the treat of a lifetime when I was able to feed those sweet coos!
This full day of activity was only a glimpse of the magic to come on my Scotland vacation! I’m excited to share with you the next part in a few days, where I will discuss my time in Stirling. Until then, take care, and thanks for reading!
My trip to London earlier this year featured some quality shopping time at Harrods, one of my favorite department stores. This time, I added a new experience for me: a few drinks at the champagne bar. And what a sparkly time I had!
The Moët & Chandon Champagne Bar is a glittery space where champagne, exquisite snacks and fabulous people watching come together. I wasn’t sure whether the food would complement the drinks, but the snacks I tried were perfect (oh, how I wish I took pictures of the food!) The baguette, cheese and charcuterie, and lobster leaf were exquisite.
My friend and I both tried The Rosé Encounter. This flight featured three different rosé champagnes: the Rosé Impérial, Grand Vintage 2016 Rosé and the Nectar Impérial Rosé. I loved them all, but I enjoyed the Nectar Impérial Rosé the most. We received complimentary truffle chips as an accompaniment, and the earthy flavor played perfectly against the brightness of the champagne.
When I return, I’ll be sure to try some different champagnes, just to see if Nectar Impérial Rosé is still my favorite. Until then, I’ll have to savor the memories from this last trip to the champagne bar!
I mentioned Passport DC and the DC Embassy Weekends in a previous post (I attended the Around the World Embassy Tour event during the first weekend of May 2024). However, this post will share the fun I had during the EU Open House Weekend in 2024. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to the embassies this year, but I’m so glad I will be able to attend next year!
During EU Open House Weekend, a few friends and I toured the Embassies of Luxembourg, Estonia, Latvia, and Croatia. We ended the afternoon with a meal at Mad Hatter, a cute bar with lots of Alice in Wonderland-themed artwork.
Each embassy had some amazing things to offer. Luxembourg had delicious beverages and fantastic tins of cookies that they gave away to visitors. I was also fascinated by their history with roses: as it turns out, they were once known as the Rose Country for quite a few years, and these exquisite blooms were often sent out as decorations to royal and presidential gardens.
Estonia was quite a treat: along with candies and beautiful modern decor within the embassy, they provided excellent information in flyers about this Baltic country. I was fascinated by the research that was published through Estonian universities, and the information provided made me eager to visit.
The Latvian Embassy not only had dancers in the front, but they also had one of the most gorgeous tile floors of all of the Embassies we toured (I know that’s random, but I love decor). The mix of traditional and modern touches made Latvia a very special embassy to tour, and I can’t wait to either visit again, or go to the country in person.
As it turned out, a couple of non-EU embassies were open on this day as well. We were able to visit one of my all time favorites, the Embassy of Haiti, where a number of Haitian vendors were selling Mother’s Day gifts (this holiday was one day after the embassy events). I tried Askanya chocolates, bought some perfume, and just had an all-around great time viewing the Haitian Embassy again.
Our last stop on our EU “tour” was the Croatian Embassy, which had several beverages to try, wonderful art, and a fantastic setup for taking pictures. I was very excited to hear that Croatian cuisine heavily features seafood: as a traveler that often has to alter her diet in order to accommodate local food availability, I love that one of my favorite food options is readily available in Croatia.
Ending our day with the embassies at Mad Hatter was great! The food was solid, but the artwork really enhanced the overall experience. I couldn’t get enough of the Alice in Wonderland pictures and paintings.
That’s a quick roundup of the Passport DC EU Open House Weekend. I can’t wait to return next year and make my rounds at some of the embassies that I missed in 2024!
Now that summer is officially here, I can start executing my travel plans!
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And … I don’t really have any big plans. I’ll be in DC a bit more than usual, due to some conferences and a few in-person activities I have to do for work. Other than one weekend in Atlanta, I’ll be pretty close to home. I remember at one point in my life I would have been saddened by my lack of travel plans, but now I’m just enjoying the downtime. I did quite a bit of summer travel over the past couple of years which was fun but a tad tiring.
With my new role as a co-caregiver for my grandmother and great aunt, I’m no longer able to pick up and go whenever I want. I have to coordinate supervision and do resource management if I plan to take any trips. It may sound like a drag, but there’s a sweetness that permeates this situation. Aside from the satisfaction of knowing that my loved ones are well cared for, and that they are thriving in unprecedented ways, there is a loveliness that comes from being still and a tad domestic. Being home more means I can actually take a closer look at my surroundings and note, with precision, what I love and what doesn’t delight me. I figured out that this summer is a great opportunity for me to really finish turning my home into my dream house. I started already, by going through each room and ruthlessly analyzing what should stay and what should go. Once I’ve moved out what isn’t serving me, I can focus on only adding what thrills me.
Whenever I travel overseas, I often find myself having an incredible time, then coming home and having quite a bit of difficulty adjusting to my routine. It’s such a challenge getting back to the regularity of my life, and it’s in that regularity that I am my most accomplished, efficient and healthiest. So, by postponing my international travel until later this year, I give myself a chance to shore up my energy and get some of my ongoing home projects done before I get back to jet-setting. Not to mention, saving travel money this summer means more resources for incredible travel in the future!
Another perk of staying close to home during this time of the year is that it helps me to avoid many of the crowds that overtake popular vacation spots during the summer. I love London, Lisbon and Athens, but the number of visitors that descend upon those cities in the summer makes them less appealing. Navigating through throngs of people may not be completely avoidable throughout the year but it’s practically impossible during the summertime, especially in Europe. I’d rather go during a different time of the year, when most people are unable or unwilling to travel.
So, in short, no big summer travel plans. But I’m looking forward to the short getaways I have scheduled, converting my house into my dream space, and spending time with my friends. I can’t wait to take you all on this journey with me!
Fresh, clean, easy to wear: of course it was only a matter of time before I bought and reviewed Skin Musk by Parfum de Coeur. As someone that LOVES musk fragrances (like Musk Rose by Al Rehab and Diptyque Fleur De Peau [review coming soon!]), I was compelled to buy this classic perfume. I remember seeing this scent in drugstores and Kmart when I was young, and, as it turns out, it had been around for a long time before I was born (it launched in 1975). Nearly 50 years into its existence, it finally made its way into my review rotation!
I expected this oil to have a straightforward history, but as it turns out, the fragrance’s backstory is a bit muddled. Skin Musk was originally released by Bonne Bell, and at some point the scent was made by Prince Matchabelli (the company that I remember from my youth). At this point, I’m not clear on whether Prince Matchabelli still makes this scent, or if the company that currently makes Skin Musk – Parfums de Coeur – is the sole producer. Aside from the manufacturing history, the formulation itself has changed, and there are plenty of dissatisfied users that have commented on the thicker consistency and slightly more complex notes present in the original version. While there are plenty of discussions online that debate the current iteration of the scent and how true it is to the original version, I decided to just stick with and review the recent version.
I ordered the fragrance on Amazon, and I eagerly tried it when I got my bottle. I took off the cap and I was immediately hit by the familiarity of the scent: I couldn’t place it at first, but then it occurred to me. This scent was quite popular when I was younger (definitely ubiquitous) and I’m sure I was often in the presence of people wearing it. More impressive, however, was how much this scent reminded me of my mother. That’s when it occurred to me: Skin Musk was just like Egyptian Musk (the popular oil available at many incense seller stands and beauty supply stores) but without the light spiciness.
I wore this all day and it lasted beautifully. It wasn’t overwhelming: it remained soft and powdery, but with just a touch of base to it (the sandalwood in this formula is elegant and not too woody). The sillage is lovely, and this is the perfect scent to wear when you want something tasteful, pretty and not too aggressive. It’s a perfectly polite fragrance. I love it!
Here’s my review of Skin Musk on YouTube:
Have you tried this lovely fragrance before? I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!
(This post has affiliate links.)
Despite going to the Caribbean several times, I missed several islands. As a person that hates to leave things unfinished, I knew I’d have to return to some of those islands I missed. St Lucia had been on my list of places to go for years, but I never had the opportunity- that is, until last spring. One of my dear friends planned a self care getaway, and the location she chose was The Body Holiday in St Lucia. As a self care proponent, I happily booked my own room and made my plans to journey with her.
The Body Holiday is a luxurious, all inclusive hotel and spa. The biggest perk of going here is probably the location: the island was sunny and beautiful almost each day while I was there. Aside from the location, there were many fantastic reasons to stay there. With every booked stay, The Body Holiday offers daily spa treatments, such as massages, facials, and the like.* You can choose one treatment per day or, if you want to splurge, you can add on as many treatments as your schedule will allow. In addition to the treatments, there are numerous fitness classes, all taught by excellent instructors.
*The spa is located on a path that cannot be accessed if you are wheelchair bound or if you use mobility aids. So if you cannot maneuver easily, then you may need to see if you can have the masseuse or estheticians come to your room to complete your treatments. I’m not sure if this is available, but it’s certainly worth asking about.
Here are some pictures of my room:
Now, you may be more like me: you want self care but sweating it out in an aerobic class isn’t it. Fortunately, The Body Holiday is a great option if you want to lounge and luxuriate only: the resort has a pristine private beach where you can relax and forget all of your troubles. Now, here’s where I bring up the first (of only two) drawback: sand fleas nearly ate me alive. Of course, I laid on the beach like the sun bum I am. However, I’ve never been bitten by mites before (most of the beaches I’ve enjoyed were more temperate climates: these insects live in more tropical locales), so I didn’t realize how much bug repellant was necessary. Also, I saw plenty of birds, lizards and frogs: you’d think the insect population would be kept in check. But I guess the critters are no match for the bugs. The mosquitoes had a field day with me as well, but those were somewhat expected and the effect of those bites were much briefer. It took a couple of weeks for the itching to subside and a while longer for the discoloration to fade. This isn’t the resort’s fault: I should have done more research on which insects are the most prevalent and how to counteract them (pro traveler tip: definitely research local pests before traveling!)
Now onto one of the most fun parts of the trip: the food! Delicious, freshly prepared food was available every day. While I couldn’t eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted (I always seemed to want a smoothie about 10 minutes after the smoothie stand closed), there were always some incredible dining options daily. I loved that the resort focuses on healthy food, but if you want to indulge with something more, well, indulgent, that was also available. I had some incredible desserts, exquisite entrees, and tasty, nourishing snacks. I ate well and felt amazing. There are time limits on when you can enjoy the resort’s cuisine: most of the options were closed before midnight. The nighttime cutoff only applied to food: the bars stayed open later. Since the resort was all inclusive, there were many wines, whiskeys and cocktails available to guests. I got to enjoy many Old Fashioneds, as well as some good wine, and a few of the resort’s special frozen fruit cocktails.
There was live music and entertainment every night, though it pretty much all wrapped up around 1 AM. I spent quite a few hours at the piano bar, flipping through sheet music books and chatting up the people around me. If you wanted to enjoy more of the island, the resort was a brief distance from some of the major social areas, including an area known for fantastic street parties. Also, there was a nearby rainforest where visitors can zipline or do whatever else people do in rainforests (clearly, I didn’t go).
I saw the rainforest, as well as some of the neighborhoods, on my way to and from the resort. My ride to and from The Body Holiday is my second (sort of) drawback to mention: the resort is nowhere near the airport. It’s roughly one hour between these two points, assuming that there are no traffic delays. You can arrange your transportation before you arrive, which is what I did. Also, it’s possible to get a cab once you land, but I’d caution against that. I can’t think of anything more dreadful than assuming you can just grab a taxi and finding out that every one of them is occupied and that you’ll have to wait more than 30 minutes for a ride. It’s unlikely, but certainly not impossible.
Although the resort is all inclusive, this does not include a gratuity, so remeber to budget for that. Otherwise, everything was indeed included, and the only thing better than the value you get for this trip is the service. Everyone was friendly, accommodating and professional. I truly enjoyed interacting with the staff and getting to know some of them better. The concierge’s desk is open 24 hours, so it’s easy to resolve whatever issues may come up. Each room is equipped with wi-fi, and the turn down service is such a treat!
My Body Holiday experience was dreamy: I can’t wait to return!
As an aspiring polyglot, I’m always reviewing language tools and resources that can help me fast track my mastery. Naturally, I dove first into Duolingo, YouTube and various podcasts. But, there are limitations with those resources, and sometimes you just want to try something different.
If you’ve been trying to learn a language but you want to go beyond YouTube videos, podcasts and Duolingo, then this is the post for you! I’ve located five other language learning resources that can help fast track your language learning, give you some much needed variety, and are all completely FREE! I discuss these options in a YouTube video (the link to the video below).
Here’s my video, discussing the ways to use these resources:
Those are the five free resources I can recommend for language learning, outside of the most popular recs. Do you have any language resources that work for you? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Hey friends! I hope you all are doing well and enjoying your week. I haven’t written about my writing goals and practices in a while, but I did a couple of videos about my goals over on my YouTube. Here is the first video, outlining my May goals:
And this is the second video near the end of the month, where I describe how things went with my goals:
Considering that this is about 17 minutes of video content, here is the TLDW (too long, didn’t watch) version of the videos above:
Start working on the template for a workbook (that is a companion to a book that I’m currently editing) – I did begin the process of working on that template and seeing it come together has been great. I still have a lot to do, but I’m very happy that I began the process.
Begin working on the next couple of children books – I have selected the countries that will be profiled in the next couple of children’s books, and I’ll be releasing those over the summer. I originally planned to put the finishing touches on the books over the Memorial Day weekend, but life happened and I had to delay the work until a few weeks from now.
Designing a July to December planner – I found a planner that works for the remainder of the year: no need to design one!
That’s it for my writing goals and what I accomplished in May! I’m looking forward to sharing some great accomplishments in the weeks to come!
Hey everyone! It’s been a few weeks since my last post: I’ve been busy with the Vlog-A-Day-In-May challenge. I completed the challenge (yay!) which means I can finally devote more time to blogging again. If you want to check out those videos, you can click here.
It feels good to be back, and, even better, I have a TON of ideas for my writing. I won’t be straying too far from the expectations I set for this blog year, but I have some fresh perspective after making 31 videos in the month of May.
How have you all been? I hope the past few weeks have been good to y’all and that you’ve been set up for a fantastic summer! I’ll talk to you all tomorrow.
Bronze Butterfly 