I just finished a few books recently, and now I’m on to the next set of books to read!
I hope that this new month has been treating you all well. I had a difficult time with my health recently (more about that on Friday) and I decided to lean into more enjoyable, restorative activities to help with that. One of my favorite activities for restoring my energy is reading. Recently, I completed a few books: first, I reread, Write It Down, Make It Happen by Dr. Henriette Anne Klauser. I’m considering doing another review on this, since I had some new revelations while reading it. Secondly, I reread How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael J. Gelb (it seems that March was a good month to reread some of my favorites!). This one I’ll definitely do another review on, since I honestly felt like I was reading it for the first time: it’s been so long since I read this one, and I got so many great takeaways this time! And, as you all know, I finished True Gifts by Jewel Veitch last month, too (I reviewed it here).
Over on my YouTube, I listed the books I’m reading in April. This week, I’ll be finishing up Where The Forest Meets The Stars by Glendy Vanderah. I’ll also be diving into Take Care of Your Type – An Enneagram Guide to Self Care by Christina S. Wilcox. I’m curious about how I can leverage the enneagram to improve my life, so this should be an interesting book to read. I’ll also be reading The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers: The Secret to Loving Teens Effectively by Gary Chapman. As the parent of a pre-teen, I’m always looking for ways to deepen and strengthen our communication and connection, and I am a fan of Chapman’s work, so it’ll be great to see what strategies I can try with my child. Finally, I’ll be reading Pause, Rest, Be – Stillness Practices for Courage in Times of Change by Octavia F. Raheem. The author led a rest practice during ExodUS Summit 2023, and I was very impressed by the exercise. I’ll be replaying the rest practice at least once while I read the book.
Anyhoo, here is the video summarizing my reading list:
What are you reading this month? I’d love to hear what books you’re enjoying right now.
Last summer, I did a short visit to Edinburgh, Scotland. I regret that I didn’t have more time to enjoy this exquisite city, but I take the brevity of my trip as a fantastic reason to return at some point in the near future.
I stayed at the Kimpton Charlotte Square, a luxury hotel located near the Royal Botanic Garden and the National Galleries of Scotland. Because the hotel is located in the city center, it’s very easy to get to a lot of different attractions, and it’s impossible to get bored in this incredible city.
I was greeted by a warm and friendly staff: certainly the warmest and friendliest of any that I encountered in the UK. I was given a tour of the hotel, as well as an overview of the amenities included with my stay. I settled into my room then explored the grounds. The interior design of this hotel is stunning: it’s both traditional and eclectic at once. It seems like the dazzling displays would compete with one another, but the decorations are cohesive and aesthetically pleasing. Somehow, it all just goes together.
Many times, after a long trip, I find myself hungry, but not yet ready for a full meal. Imagine my surprise when I saw that my room was stocked with complimentary snacks, as well as a massive list of all the items that the hotel could either give or loan to you in case you need them (think phone chargers, humidifiers, rubber bathmats, yoga mats, etc.,). It was an absolutely perfect touch that I expect from a luxury hotel but, alas, many miss the mark on this.
My stay included the breakfast buffet, which was not only convenient but delicious. There was also the cocktail hour (available to all guests) which was lively and social. Upon looking at the Kimpton Charlotte Square website, I see that visitors can opt for half board (breakfast and dinner) at the hotel, which is exactly what I’ll do when I return.
I’m not sure if my affection for Edinburgh was founded strictly on my Kimpton Charlotte Square experience, but I can certainly vouch for the fact that any trip to this magical city would be made better by a stay at this hotel. As a little tip I learned through my research, the peak (read: priciest) times to travel are the summer months and the Christmas/New Year period. Any other time of the year will give you the same lovely experience but for a lower cost.
While you’re at the Kimpton Charlotte Square, be sure to walk a few blocks to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. This whisky lounge is charming and gives you a great excuse to come out and learn more about uisge-beatha (the Scottish Gaelic word for whisky, that literally translates to, ‘water of life’).
Have you been to Edinburgh? If not, is Scotland on your travel list? I’d love to know more in the comments below. I’ll talk to you all soon!
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 area
*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!
Last year, there was a huge TikTok trend that promoted Al Rehab’s Choco Musk perfume as the IT fragrance for the IT girls. I never enjoyed being a slave to trends, so I usually avoid them like the plague. However, my YouTube channel features a ton of fragrance reviews, so I figured I’d learn more about Al Rehab and figure out what’s the big deal with their perfumes. I had to know for myself: are Al Rehab scents worth trying?
As it turns out, Al Rehab is a company under the Al Rashad parent brand based in Ohio. According to the Al Rashad website, the Al Rehab perfumes are sourced from UAE, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The products feature both concentrated oil (alcohol free) formulations, as well as denatured alcohol in the spray formulas. The sprays are determined to be halal (approved for use by Muslim customers). The company has a wide range of scents in both spray and rollerball dispensers. I checked the Al Rashad website, as well as Amazon and Fragrantica, to see reviews and fragrance notes for some of the most popular scents available through the Al Rehab brand. Most of the reviews were overwhelming positive, and the fragrance notes had me intrigued.
After doing a far more exhaustive than expected level of research, I purchased several scents from the line. I got 5 fragrances: Dalal, Dehn Al Oud, Musk Rose, Sabaya and Soft. I purchased three of them – Dalal, Dehn Al Oud and Sabaya – in a gift set, but the set is no longer available (it is still possible to purchase them, just separately). You may have noted that Choco Musk was not one of my purchases: while I thought it could be a nice fragrance to have in my rotation, I wasn’t convinced that I wanted to wear such a popular scent right now. Also, I’m a little picky about my gourmand fragrances: anything too “sweet” smelling tends to annoy me. So I decided to focus on the scents that seemed to fit my typical preferences, and I’ll review Choco Musk on another day.
I wore each of these fragrances and, though the scents vary wildly in their notes, I did notice a few things that each of Al Rehab’s perfumes had in common:
Insanely affordable. Each of the perfumes I bought were from Amazon, and they cost less than $8 each. In fact, the price of the trio gift set (Dalal, Dehn Al Oud and Sabaya) averaged out to $4 USD per roller ball. The “priciest” of the fragrances I bought was Soft at $5.20 USD! On the Al Rashad website, the prices are similar, landing somewhere between $5 USD and $8 USD per fragrance. I didn’t do the all of the math to compare these perfume prices to some of the other “bargain” perfumes I’ve tried (comparing cost per ounce seemed specious, especially once you read the next bullet point). But, as far as the costs of getting new fragrances goes, the financial investment is quite low.
Minimal product application needed. Since these scents are concentrated, I used a light hand to apply them, and I could easily smell the various top, mid and base notes of the fragrance while wearing them. Sometimes, when I purchase a “bargain” perfume, I have to apply liberally or pair with other products (like companion body washes, oils or lotions) in order to get a “sense” of the fragrance. That is not necessary with Al Rehab: dabbing a bit on the pulse points is sufficient to experience the complexities of the perfume. Which leads to my next point . . .
Lovely sillage. These fragrances will get compliments, even when applied lightly. You don’t have to ask anyone, “How do I smell?”: if they aren’t congested, they will pick up on your fragrance easily. Consider this when applying: you may want to use significantly less if you’re going to the office or any other space where heavy perfume is not encouraged. For what it’s worth, the scents themselves aren’t “heavy”, but a heavy application can take them from lovely and fairly perceptible to bold and impossible to ignore. But what good is great sillage on its own? The sillage is always best when it’s paired with . . .
Incredible wear time. Full disclosure: while each of these scents can be purchased as a spray, I chose to do the concentrated rollerball dispenser for each. I wanted to ensure that the dispensers and, hopefully, the formulation, for the perfumes were fairly equal. I applied these in the morning and could easily smell them 8 to 12 hours later. NONE of these scents faded on me. I don’t consider myself someone that struggles to keep a fragrance vivid on my skin; however, there have been times where I applied a lovely perfume that has completely vanished within 4 or 6 hours. I generally expect about 1 hour of wear time for every $20 USD I spend on a fragrance. If I purchase a perfume for $100 USD, I expect to be able to detect it on my hair, clothing and (hopefully!) my skin in 4 or 5 hours. If I spend more, I expect the scent to last longer. For scents that are less than $20 USD per bottle, I fully expect that I will need to reapply every hour or so. Imagine my surprise when these $5(!) scents lasted all day. I wish other perfumers would take notes!
So, I’m back to the question I posed earlier: are Al Rehab’s perfumes live up to the hype? I can confidently say “YES!” I’m still in awe of how the company manages to offer such lovely, high-performing scents for such a nominal cost. In any case, I won’t look the gift horse in the mouth: I’m thankful for Al Rehab, and I won’t question how they do it! My most recent video is a review of Al Rehab’s Soft: you can check it out here. I’ve also embedded the video below. If you are interested in the other four reviews, they are linked in the cards as well as below the embedded video:
Instead of making lengthy posts about every single thing I did in 2023, I decided I should just give you a high level overview of each month, and save the long posts for some of the highlights. Without further ado, here’s my 2023:
January – I went to see “Wicked” for the first time, and I started tinkering with generative AI. My prompts are so much better than they used to be. I made time for self care, and enjoyed the beginning of the year.
March – I did First Friday at the Library of Virginia, and I volunteered behind the scenes with a local aerial arts company. My daughter performed in the aerial production of Alice in Wonderland.
April – I turned my attention to my yard: spring had sprung, and I needed to identify what was growing wild outside. I started experimenting with cashew cheese recipes, and we officially celebrated the end of “Alice in Wonderland” season with a cast party. At the end of the month, we did a quick getaway to Tysons Corner VA, where my daughter enjoyed a day at American Girl Place.
May – I continued to improve my generative AI prompting, and planned for my end-of-the month trip. I spent a week in St Lucia, sunning and getting eaten alive by the sand mites. The trip to St Lucia will be its own post, because the location was heavenly and the accommodations were perfection.
June – My jasmine bush bloomed, and all was right with the world. I attended a gala event for a local nonprofit, and had a fantastic time. The rest of my flowers started to bloom, and I was on cloud 9! This was the first year that my hydrangea bush had blooms, so it was an especially exciting season!
July – I tried some new (to me) perfumes, and spent a fun day with friends in DC. And, I went to London and Edinburgh! These cities deserve their own set of posts, so look out for those soon.
August – My birthday month! No travel, but I did have a great dinner with someone special. I also visited the Mansion at O Street museum in Washington DC with one of my friends.
September – Besame Cosmetics launched the Ella Fitzgerald collection, and I was too excited to try it. I ended the month in New York City, tooling around at the Museum of Modern Art, The Brandy Library, and Patent Pending (this too will be its own post).
October – A trip to Atlanta was just what I needed as the weather started to turn from warm to cool. I went to the Highland Games, which included a whisky tasting and the Tartan Ball. FWIW I did not wear a tartan, but I did have a splendid time.
November – I did the highland games in central Virginia, because Scottish events in my backyard cannot be missed! I returned to London for a week, and had an amazing time.
December – A quiet month: the perfect way to end a busy year.
And that’s my 2023 in a nutshell! Look out for some longer posts in the near future, with LOTS more pictures and some fun ideas for how to best experience some of the places I went. Take care, and I’ll talk to you all soon!
One of my favorites, Meghan Markle, has finally launched her podcast, Archetypes. Her special brand of intelligence, charm and courage will now be available to us an hour-long podcast episode each week.
Pardon me while I squeal!
Photo released by Archetypes
When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex unveiled Archewell Foundation, and its main vehicle for connection, Archewell Audio, I was thrilled. In fact, I wrote about my excitement over this development in a blog post. Now, little more than a year later, Archetypes with Meghan is here, and it promises to discuss the labels that women experience and how these terms – and the perception of these labels – can hold women back. Spotify describes this as a, “refreshing and dynamic” podcast, and I completely agree.
This is exactly the kind of content I was expecting from Archewell Audio. Mature discussions, exploration of concepts that are commonly disregarded, and a glance into the warmth and brilliance possessed by both Harry and Meghan. The first episode features none other than the great tennis player Serena Williams, who recently announced her transition into the next chapter of her professional career. The conversation was a refreshing telling of Serena’s story in her own words, and her own complex relationship with the term “ambition”. The discussion was lively, full of wisdom, and gave me an even deeper appreciation for what “ambition” looks like and why we should want to have it.
Some key takeaways from this first episode of Archetypes are:
Don’t put your fears on your children. Serena commented on how her fear of heights and open water aren’t fears of her daughter, Olympia. Serena stated that she didn’t want her personal limits to impact how her daughter interacted with the world, and I loved hearing her perspective on this. It was unexpected to hear Serena, a powerhouse on the tennis court, admit to feeling fear. This was a crucial turning point in further humanizing her, in a world that has happily denied her humanity throughout her career.
You get your biggest wins when you are your most authentic self. Serena went on to describe how certain points of her career made her feel the pressure to be like others and show up inauthentically. Then she circled back to what it feels like when she shows up as herself and how that is a truer indicator of success. Aside from how she shows up professionally, I find her most incredible when she’s just being herself: sweet, a little shy, but self assured and clear on where she’s going.
You don’t have to “retire” – you can choose to evolve instead. The word “retirement” is loaded: it generally implies a ceasing of any pursuits aside from domestic tasks, family time, and (if you’re lucky) travel. But using the word “evolve” indicates that the energy is shifted from one area to another area of equal intellectual intensity. It doesn’t indicate that Serena plans to stop, but to wander to her next destination, on her own terms. “Evolve” has a more empowered connotation than “retire”, and love that for her.
That’s my impression of the jewel that is Archetypes! I’m looking forward to more episodes, and sharing powerful takeaways as I listen to each episode.
UPDATE: Sarah Ferreira reached out to me on Instagram – Here is her account. Please check her out and make sure that you let her know how much you love her work.
At Hotel do Chiado, I visited the rooftop bar, and I was blown away by the beautiful artwork lining the corridors leading to the restaurant. It took me back to my fabulous time at Ibis Styles hotel in Nairobi, and the fabulous pieces created by Kenyan artist Tom Mboya. As I looked around, I found an artist bio posted in Portuguese (cue my rudimentary translation skills). The corridor was lined with art by Paris-born, Portugal-based artist Sarah Ferreira.
Upon further research, I determined that Ferreira doesn’t have a website (there is another Sarah Ferreira that creates art, but she is US-born and based). It appears that she has intentionally maintained a low-profile online. I love that she isn’t hyper-visible, yet her work is still being found by people all over the world (like me).
Here are some of the paintings/drawings done by Ferreira, which are on display in the hall leading to Entretanto. Enjoy!
Artist bio
Some of the depictions were fascinating re-imaginings of famous works (like the Mona Lisa), while others were renderings of famous faces (such as Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka and Audrey Hepburn). I love how Ferreira doesn’t try to create depth with subtle shading, but indicates a break in depth and saturation through the use of solid but fluid black lines. This striking visual effect makes her work have a bit of a mosaic effect, but you never forget that you’re looking at blocks of color that have been shaped to simulate human faces. Brilliant!
That’s all for my post about Sarah Ferreira. I certainly hope that she exhibits somewhere near me in the future. Or, maybe a future exhibit in Portugal will be just the motivation I need to book my next trip!
Happy Monday, friends! It’s another Portugal post (one more Portugal post is scheduled, then we’ll dive into the Spain and Greece portions of my trip). This post is about Sintra National Palace, a fabulous historical and cultural site located just outside of Lisbon. I loved touring the building and learning more about this incredible region.
I really enjoyed coming to this site, and learning so much about the history of Portugal’s ruling elite. The luxury on display at this palace was nothing short of inspirational: I felt right at home!
Here are some of the pics from my tour:
Sintra National PalaceExterior of the palaceSwan detailingLook up!A stunning chest in one of the roomsMore ceiling detailsBird symbolismDetail of one of the tilesThis golden globe had me transfixedDetailing on the globeSee “leo”?Incredible desk that I want to own!Fountain outsidePainting detail: see the Turkish flag?Yup, I need all of these plates.The most stunning ceiling in the buildingThe most intricate room in the palaceAnother view of the ceilingTile detalingCrests representing teh future marriages of the royal daughtersMore details of the stunning ceilingReligions veneration surrounding by swan imageryMore ceiling detailsA better view of this lovely nookAn indoor fountain! I’m in heaven!Mirror in the Queen’s boudoirBreathtaking chandelierThe Queen’s dresserAnother mirror in the Queen’s apartmentFireplace in the Queen’s apartmentPainting of a Portuguese royalAnother chandelier in a perfectly appointed roomA garling grottoLook at these details!O grotto (The grotto)
The National Palace was certainly a highlight of my trip, and one of my favorite features of Portugal in particular. Have you all visited here before? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!
Happy Fibro Friday, friends! I hope you all are having a great week and, if not, I hope your weekend is full of whatever you need to feel better.
This is a brief post, because I’ve already discussed the three biggest things I’ve been using to improve my sleep over on my Youtube channel. Anyone that has fibromyalgia, or any other chronic illness or chronic pain condition, knows that sleep is necessary to restore ourselves and to feel as good as possible. We also know that being in pain often means that sleep rarely makes us feel refreshed. So, anything that can improve the quality of our sleep can make the difference between feeling amazing and feeling awful.
The three things I’ve used that have helped me get deeper, more restorative sleep are weighted eye masks, magnesium supplements, and turmeric supplements. I’ve talked about magnesium and turmeric supplements (I’ve reviewed turmeric here and here) on this blog before, but I’ve never discussed eye masks. I’ll post my videos about each tool below, but if you’re short on time, here is the TLDW version:
Weighted eye masks help block out light (obviously), and the weight of it acts similar to weighted blankets: it provides a cozy feeling that helps with sleep. (I use the one by IMAK)
Turmeric supplements reduce inflammation and I take it at night, so it can do its work while I’m resting. For me, less pain means better sleep. (I use turmeric from Doctor’s Recipes and VitaBreeze: I alternate between the two).
More about weighted eye masks –
Why I use magnesium at night –
My daily turmeric and collagen supplements, and how the two I use measure up against each other –
These three things are the building blocks for improving my sleep, and I’m recommending these in hopes that they will help you, too! If you’ve tried any of these, or if you’re curious about any of them, please let me know in the comments below. Take care, and have a great weekend!
Yes, you read that right: the Beem Box is no more. The owner of Beem Box decided to cease operations back in June, and I’ll be the first to say that I’m so sad to see them go. I hope that the owner eventually brings back the brand and starts doing subscription boxes again. Until then, I’ll just smile at the wonderful memories of learning about brands that I’ve never used, and trying products that I never knew existed. So long Beem Box: I hope to enjoy you again soon! Here are some of my previous Beem Box reviews from the past year:
Bronze Butterfly 