Tag: Lifestyle

Five Faves

Published on by soreiyaLeave a comment

Hi Everyone!

I hope that you are having a wonderful summer so far! I made an effort this year to get out and enjoy the warm weather more even if that is just in the form of a daily walk around my neighbourhood. While some days are easier then others to get out the door, I am grateful for the opportunity to enjoy a bit of fresh air and my deepening tan doesn’t hurt either.

Although it has been a while, here are my Five Faves that I am currently loving:

  1. Slow Weekend Mornings – on the weekends I try to go for a walk as soon as I wake up, this allows me to get in some movement early in my day and sets the tone for a great day. As I am not so rushed on the weekends, I have developed a habit of picking up a croissant from my local spot and enjoying it with a good cup of coffee. It’s a simple routine but I often conquer the rest of my day with a sense of calm and nourishment that I don’t normally feel.

2. A simple manicure – I will let you in on a secret, I hate the process of getting my nails done but I love to have manicured nails so I suffer through it. While I have been getting coloured french manicures done for the past few years lately I am hooked on a blue French. So simple and clean yet a cool twist on a classic. Knowing how much I love it helps to make the suffering of getting the actual manicure worth it.

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3. My love of podcasts has been well documented on this blog. Lately I love to listen to them on my walks in the morning. The latest episode of Building Billions with Natalie Dawson featuring Maggie Sellers was definitely my favourite from this past week. I am a huge Maggie Sellers fan – if you haven’t heard of her then I encourage you to check out her Hot Smart Rich newsletter. She is smart and beautiful and not afraid to show it. Exactly the type of motivation that I currently need in my life.

4. Japanese Risotto with Salmon – I rarely cook lately. I am not sure if I am distracted or if I am just being lazy but I can’t remember when the last time was that I cooked a meal from scratch. Yesterday though, I was browsing on Pinterest when I came across a recipe from Serving Dumplings (www.servingdumplings.com) for Japanese Risotto with Seared Salmon. It looked delicious and not overly challenging to make and I decided to give it a try. It was delicious and the act of cooking and nourishing myself was exactly what I needed. I will be keeping this recipe on rotation moving forward and I can’t wait to try other recipes from this site.

Screenshot – Instagram

5. Reminders – the past few years have been a weird struggle for me. Nothing crazy has happened but I continue to find myself in situations where I don’t feel like I belong. I have often keep quiet to keep the peace and have more often then not felt like I am being walked all over. It always seems like it is up to me to be the bigger person, make others feel better all the while internally struggling to feel heard and respected. Needless to say, it has been a lot. Lately though my exhaustion has come thru and I find myself no longer able to just move on and make everything better at the cost to my own self esteem. Like everyone else on this planet I bring a lot to the table and I am tired of feeling like I need to justify my existence or expectation to be treated with respect. Reminders like the above often pop up on my Instagram or Threads feed and more often then not they are resonating with me. Reminding me that it is ok to expect fair and respectful treatment. I am worthy just like everyone else. I love these reminders and I am grateful every time one pops up.

Thank you for stopping by Stylishly Zen today, what are you loving lately? Let me know in the comments below. I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

Prioritizing Health: 3 Simple Steps to a Balanced Life

Published on by soreiyaLeave a comment

Hi Everyone!

To say that life has been quite hectic over the past few years is an understatement. Taking care of myself has at times fallen by the wayside at times when I have been distracted and focused on other things. Lately though, I am realizing just how unhealthy this is, and I no longer want to be that person. My health, both physical and mental need to be prioritized as I am tired of not showing up as my best self. While I am not able to do a complete life over hall at the moment, I am going to work towards building on good habits. Here are the first three that I am starting with:

  1. Drink more water. While this one may seem obvious, my water intake over the past few years (especially the past six months) has declined substantially. I stupidly can’t seem to find the time to drink water – this is a ridiculous predicament and one that needs to be changed ASAP. The reality is that I am just not prioritizing it. I am now committing to drinking the three litres a day that I have been drinking for many years prior to this recent dry spell. Staying hydrated is important for may reasons including regulating your body temperature, delivering nutrients to your cells and keeping your organs functioning properly and it helps to prevent infections. If you feel that you are not drinking enough water, grab a glass and commit to increasing your daily intake with me.
  2. Move. As the weather has gotten warmer, I have been walking a lot more. While these walks give me a sense of peace and gets me outdoors it is no replacement for a good stress relieving cardio session that I need when I am overwhelmed and stressed out. So while I still intend to continue walking I am also going back to the gym. It doesn’t need to be daily, but a few times a week will do wonders for both my physical and mental health.
  3. Sleep. I am exhausted! While I used to be a relatively early sleeper, lately I have been caught up with other things and have been going to sleep quite late. This in turn has made it difficult to wake up in the mornings. Also, having gone thru a very stressful period in my life that only recently ended a few months ago, I was waking up in the middle of the night unable to shut off my active brain. This resulted in me getting an average of 3-4 hours of sleep a night. I am not the type of person that can function well with such little rest. Now I am recommitting to a more regular sleep schedule and prioritizing my rest. Aside from helping me to look and feel better, I am hopeful that getting more rest will also help to support better emotional regulation.

Well there you have it – the first three steps that I am taking to get back to being a more balanced and healthy individual. I intend to layer on more but I need to get back to basics first. Have you been feeling out of sorts lately? What steps are you taking to get back to feeling like yourself? Let me know if you have any tips in the comments.

Thank you for stopping my Stylishly Zen today, I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

Five Faves

Published on by soreiyaLeave a comment

Hi Everyone!

It is finally March! The days will be getting longer and the weather will be warming up and I cannot wait! The time between the holidays and spring are always a little challenging as the weather is often cold and grey. Thankfully I have found a few things that I am loving that have helped my days feel a little less grey. Here are my Five Faves for Jan/Feb 2024:

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Try – Salt & Stone Hand Cream

I have been a Salt & Stone fan for a few years now. It started when I read about their clean deodorant. I soon graduated to their body wash and I have been devoted to both ever since. Recently I picked up their hand cream and now I can’t imagine not having a tube with me at all times. My favourite scent is Santal Vetiver but I intend to try out the Rose Oud scent very soon.

Watch – Kin

One of my favourite things about visiting my parents in England (aside from the obvious) is an opportunity to discover tv shows that I may not have known about otherwise. I love binge watching a series with copious mugs of tea and a snack or two. On a recent visit I discovered a few tv series that I enjoyed but Kin is the one that I really got into. Based in Dublin, this Irish series is about a drug dealing family that goes after a cartel when their son is killed. While it starts out a bit slow, things pick up and I was hooked until the end (there are two seasons and I am now hoping for a third). If you are looking for a new show to watch, I highly recommend this one.

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Read – The Murder After The Night Before

I used to read a lot when I was younger but over the years my reading habit slowed down to a snail’s pace as I let other things in my life take priority. After making a half hearted effort and failing to get back to my love of reading, I decided to set a reading goal for 2023 of 16 books. I knew that it would be challenging but I was determined to achieve it. I finished 2023 having read 24 books and have set a similar goal for 2024. Passing thru Heathrow while travelling is a great opportunity to discover new books and my most recent visit was no exception. The Murder After The Night Before by Katy Brent was a spur of the moment pick up that turned out to be a really enjoyable read. It’s about a woman who unwillingly becomes infamous on social media during a night of drinking. The next morning she discovers that she is trending everywhere and shortly after discovers her best friend has drowned in the bathtub. Convinced her friend was murdered she sets out to discover the truth. If you are looking for a good beach read (or something lighthearted) this is a great option.

Listen – The Mel Robbins Podcast, The 51% Rule (and 3 more Strategies to Think Like a Millionaire)

I love listening to podcasts especially the ones that are focused on self development. The Mel Robbins Podcast and The Diary of a CEO are two of my favourites so when Steven Bartlett (the host of Diary of a CEO) was on The Mel Robbins podcast I was thrilled. This was such a good episode and one that I will referring back to again and again. The past couple of years I have kept myself small, trying to avoid any attention and just feeling miserable due to a challenging work environment. I spent a lot of time feeling like I wasn’t good enough and down playing my intelligence. I was clearly in the wrong environment. Thankfully I am no longer there, and I am working on rebuilding my confidence, finding my voice again and reassessing what I really want my future to look like. This episode got me excited to try to re-evaluate, to jump before I feel 100% ready. It also reminded me that life is short and I don’t want to have regrets. If you are feeling like you are at a crossroads in life or you just need a reminder to seize the day, then this episode is a worthwhile listen.

Try – Threads

Another day and another new social media app to try out. I never got into Twitter (now known as X) as I always preferred more visual apps such as Instagram. After listening to the podcast episode that I mentioned above, I decided to try Threads. It’s a text based conversation app similar to X but it is from Meta. I make an effort to post almost everyday, normally just random thoughts and feelings that I am feeling in the moment. It may not seem like a lot for some, but for me it requires courage to randomly put my thoughts out to the world. As I am getting more comfortable, I am really enjoying Threads. I only follow accounts that I resonate with and I often feel inspired by the words of wisdom that have appeared on my feed. If you are looking for a place to practice your writing without commitment, I highly recommend Threads as a good place to start.

I hope that your March is off to a wonderful start. What are you loving lately? Let me know in the comments below!

I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

Dreamy Design – the Liminal House

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Hi Everyone!

Located in West Vancouver, the Liminal House is a three storey residence that boasts a roof garden, inner courtyards and a swimming pool. Made of materials such as glass, concrete, aluminum plate and Accoya wood blends beautifully into its surroundings. 

Taking four years to complete, this gorgeous home was designed by McLeod Bovell for a couple that was soon to become empty nesters. The name Liminal reflected the changes in both the owners lives and the area to where to home is located. 

The home inspires a sense of tranquility and grounding. The affect of the sharp angles, combination of materials and breathtaking views is almost meditative. 

I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

All images via http://www.coolhunter.net

Stylishly Solo – The Cefalu Travel Guide

Published on by soreiyaLeave a comment

Hi Everyone!

Planning my trip thru Sicily took a bit of research as I wasn’t familiar with many of its towns and cities. Taormina was the one destination that had been previously recommended but I was persuaded by a colleague to visit Cefalu instead, as Taormina may be beautiful but it was also quite overrun with tourists (aka my travel nightmare). It was great advice and my stay in Cefalu was one of the many highlights of my trip to Sicily.

A coastal city in Northern Sicily, in my opinion Cefalu should be at the top of every Sicily travel list. The buildings are beautiful, the beaches breathtaking and the foods is incredible. I spent three nights in this memorable city and enjoyed every moment of it.

Where to Stay

I stayed at the Hotel Kalura which is located just outside of Cefalu. Full disclosure – the service at this hotel leaves a lot to be desired especially when you are a solo traveller, but the location is perfect so I was willing to overlook it. It’s about a 20 minute walk into town from the hotel but I would only recommend walking during the day. At night I would suggest taking a taxi (10- 15 Euro) as part of the walk is along the highway and it’s quite dark. The reason that I loved this hotel as it has it’s own private beach. The views are stunning, the water is heavenly and the beach is not too crowded. If you are looking for a fabulous beach the Hotel Kalura is not to be missed.

What to do

Aside from enjoying the beach, the city of Cefalu is gorgeous! Walk along the cobblestones, visit the duomo and people watch while enjoying a spritz in the town centre. There are so many gorgeous options for ceramics so spend some time walking into different shops admiring the talented artists, and wander down to the beach and take in the gorgeous sights. It looks straight out of the pages of Conde Naste Traveller!


Where to Eat

Qualia – I had a reservation booked here a month before I landed in Sicily. It is typical Sicilian fare with an artistic twist. The restaurant is gorgeous, designed to look like a wine cave and you can see all of the magic happening in the kitchen from your table. The food was delicious and the service was friendly. If you are looking to treat yourself to a high end meal during your stay in Sicily, Qualia is the place to go.

Al Faro – this restaurant was recommend by my hotel and it did not disappoint. With an intimate outdoor terrace overlooking the sea, this is the perfect restaurant to enjoy the beauty of Cefalu. The vongle pasta was the best that I had in Sicily (and I tried a lot of them). They don’t take reservations and get quite busy so getting a table can be challenging. I recommend stopping by during the day and asking to book a table for that evening. They are really friendly and happy to accommodate as best they can.

In my opinion Cefalu is magic. I left feeling lighter and more relaxed then I arrived. It has earned its place at the top of my Sicily travel list.

I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS