May Lifestyle Favourites

May was a bit of a hectic month for me as I have been pretty busy at work, and not to mention at home, too, as me and the Boy are house-hunting at the moment, since we need to move out by the end of June. Needless to say, days are stressful! However, there are still a lot of things I enjoyed in May, and for every stressful day, there were two lovely ones. So, in a true blogger's fashion, here are my May lifestyle favourites!

Beauty

My Naked 3 palette has been my best friend ever since I picked it up last summer from Paris (from the Sephora on Champs-Élysées , right on my birthday, of course). My favourite palette hands down  - so versatile that it can work in every situation; great pigmentation, good value for money. Basically, I am not telling you anything new here, the Naked palettes have been praised by many. This May, I have used mine on every occasion so it is featured in my monthly favourites for a reason!

The Book (s)

I am going to mention two books: Markus Zusak's The Book Thief and Hannah Fielding's Indiscretion. Those two are definitely the books that I have enjoyed the most reading in the past month. I have already expressed in my review for The Book Thief why I enjoyed it, and later this week I am going to publish by thoughts on Indiscretion as well, so stay tuned.  Both books are page turners, though for quite different reasons. While The Book Thief is a gripping tale about life in Nazi Germany, Hannah Fielding's book tells a passionate story about a young woman whose life changes completely as she travels to Spain. I haven't read a romance novel in a while, so this was definitely a welcome distraction before bed and I cannot wait to tell you more about it!

The Food

Foodwise, this has been a month of extremes (as per usual). Although I am trying to stay healthy, there is still the occasional junk food, especially when you did not have time to go food shopping, so you absolutely needed to order Dominos/Pizza Hutt. Pictured above, we have a yummy sweet potato, avocado, quinoa and Bulgarian white cheese salad - my usual go to lunch meal. Right next to it is a lovely example of a greasy, yet totally delicious Pizza Hutt order, made late at night (the later, the better - am I right?).

The Drink

A massive fan of overpriced chains such as Starbucks and Costa, this May I have mostly spent my hard earned money in Nero. My drink of choice? This absolutely gorgeous Banana&Caramel Frappe which earns its place on my May favourites list due to its creamy sweetness and lovely aroma. However, Nero does have quite a nice selection, so I do try to spread it out a little and go for different flavours every time.

The Film

It seems like Converse were my shoes of choice, creeping up in a second pic in a row!

You might be aware that I am also a freelance journalist. As a culture writer for a London based website, I do get to go to press views of films before they were released to the public. This month two films stood out for me and lucky for you they are both going to be released in June, so you can go and watch them. First one is Slow West with my darling Michael Fassbender (full review of the film here), and second one is Spy with Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, Rose Byrne and Jason Statham. While the former offers a refreshing spin on the western, the later is a laugh-out-loud comedy that is going to entertain you from start to finish. I can recommend both of those films - Slow West boast stunning cinematography and great performances, while Spy is the female-led action comedy of the year we all needed. 

It's your turn now: what did you enjoy the most in May?

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April Lifestyle Favourites

Here is what I have been loving in April - the teas that have been accompanying my books, the lunch boxes that have saved me after a hard day at work or long day shopping. Simply put: my April lifestyle favourites.

Beauty 

Basically: I love &otherstories. Their body care is spot-on - great quality for a great price. And as soon as you enter their beauty section and smell all the amazing scents they have on offer (and there are quite a few of them), you cannot simply walk away. Let's put it like this: when there is a lovely body lotion that smells of Belleville Bakery and comes at the amazing price of £7 , it would just be rude not to!

However, this past month I made a discovery thanks to A Little Opulent - the Fig Fiction range is my definite new favourite as it smells divine! A fresh mix of plump currant berries, pink pepper and wild fig, this is a scent that is going to bring your body care experience on a whole new level! Apart from being very fresh, there is some sweetness to it as you can sense the Brazilian rosewood and dark plum coming through as well. As for the hand soap in particular - it leaves my hands feeling so soft that I hardly need to follow up with a hand cream, and costs just £4! Win and win.

The Book

Choosing only one book a month is almost impossible, but in April I have been loving Rodin by Bernard Champigneulle in particular. Got this book exactly a year ago from the Musée Rodin's gift shop. I started reading it a few months back, mainly on the underground as I found it to be the perfect read when I am on the go. Rodin is one of my favourite sculptors and learning more about his life was a great experience. Needless to say, a review is coming soon.

The Tea

A lifestyle list of mine would never be full without a mention of a hot beverage. In April I found a new favourite tea and that got me very excited (I've been living in England for four years now, okay?). PG tips Spices and Mint smells divine, tastes divine and makes me feel divine, too! I usually have it at night before bed as I am watching something on Netflix or reading a book, and believe me, the whole experience is enhanced thanks to it! Definitely my tea recommendation of the month if you like sweeter infusions that make you feel warm, cosy and relaxed from the inside.

The Perfect Healthy Lunch

One of the many great things about London is the huge choice of places to eat - not just in terms of restaurants and pubs, but also when in need of a quick bite in your lunch breaks or after work. Although I do love a bit of Pret, this month I have discovered Pod. A place dedicated to healthy fast-food, it immediately got my attention with its huge choice of fresh, seasonal meals including sandwiches, salads, baguettes, and sweet treats. Here, I went for the meal deal and got a lovely wholegrain baguette with bacon, a pack of truly fiery and delicious healthy popcorn and a can of dirty coke (not so healthy but I was boiling and craving a coke).

The Perfect Lunch Box

By now you should know I need to mention food at least twice when I discuss my daily life...Long story short, I was having a long day of shopping and strolling the streets from Covent Garden, up Regent Street and down Oxford St (poor me) with a friend of mine, when we both needed to grab a bite before getting on the underground. This is how we decided to give Kimchee a go - I have passed by this Korean place, just a seconds away from Tottenham Court Road station, many a times, but this was the first time I actually went in. After spending absolute ages deciding what to get, since everything looked so tempting, I went for a Chargrilled Chicken salad and my favourite Aloe Vera drink, and called it a day. However, will definitely return to try some of their hot meals.

The tv programme

April marks the time when favourite tv programmes come back with their brand new series. I am going to keep it brief as there are a lot of my favourites that made a come back. Firstly, there is Mad Men's final season which is making me really sad and I do not want to talk about it. Secondly, Game of Thrones is finally back with its fifth season - again, I rather not talk about it as some final events in last Sunday's episode did upset me. All in all, I like watching shows that make me suffer so I only saw it appropriate to go back to Pretty Little Liars and catch up with all the seasons I have missed. So, this is the show I have been binge watching in April, and yes, you guessed it right, I do not wanna talk about that one either.

The film

So many films out there, which one to watch? If you love British series (just like me) and you were a fan of BBC's Spooks there is only one option and that is Spooks: The Greater Good. It comes out on the 8th of May nationwide and it is worth a watch - believe me, it manages to capture the spirit of the series. More on why to watch it, here is a shameless link to my review.

Now, you tell me: what have you been enjoying in April?

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Sunday Brunch: Lazy and Happy

Pumpkin spice latte and a carrot cake - perfect combination for the cold days

Sundays are meant to be lazy. There is nothing better than a well used Sunday and by that I mean staying in bed, watching film after film, reading a book and having lots of tea and biscuits. However, Sundays change throughout the year and I can definitely say that a lazy day in July is significantly different to a lazy day in October. 

So, here are a few things that have made my October Sundays the best part of my weeks. Or, in other words, what makes autumnal weekends so pleasurable.

Pumpkins

Basically: I love a good pumpkin. Pumpkin pies and cakes, lattes and soups - you name it. The more pumpkin, the better. This Sunday, for example, I enjoyed a nice Pumpkin Ghoulash - the perfect soup for cold autumnal days. Plus, have I mentioned how much I love Covent Garden's soups? You just pore them in a saucepan and heat them for five minutes - perfect for those lazy days when you are craving for something quick and tasty, but you can't wait to go back to bed and watch Friends.

Pampering

Sundays are also the best time for some home pampering! Hydrating is key when weather becomes colder and I cannot stand dry skin. So, here comes one of my new beauty favourites - the Body Shop sorbets. I definitely enjoy the Mango one the most...

Coffee and a book

Personally, I find Autumn  the perfect time to indulge into some classic romance stories - especially period pieces such as North and South, Pride and Prejudice, and Jane Eyre. A flavoured coffee just makes the whole experience even more enjoyable - this year, it is a Gingerbread latte  plus a sprinkle of cinnamon, all in my favourite Minnie Mouse cup!

The Book

The book I am reading at the moment is still Gone Girl (review coming up this week). Basically, after I thoroughly enjoyed the film, I instantly knew I had to get my hands on the original. As a result, here I am becoming Gillian Flynn's biggest fan and loving it.

All-day breakfast

Best part about Sunday's though, have to be the all-day breakfast option! If there is one time of the week when it is socially acceptable to have breakfast at lunch time or even in the afternoon - that is it. And I love me some brunch: a full English is something I cannot say no to!

What about your Sundays? How do you spend them this Autumn?

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Italian Summer

While travelling across Italy and indulging into such traditional pleasures as drinking wine under the sun in Tuscany, or shopping on the streets of Florence, I couldn't help but remember all the various films set in that beautiful country. Films that make you wish you could immediately teleport yourself to the gorgeous scenery you see on the screen.

And what about books? I remember reading Astrid Lindgren's Katy in Italy years ago, when I was a young girl, wishing I could visit the same places, see the same things. Basically, wishing I could be Katy, freely enjoying my time in sunny Florence.

Fast forwards to a few months ago, when I first noticed Nicky Pellegrino's books in my local library, and this feeling was instantly revived. When in Rome and The Food of Love Cookery School turned into instant favourites. The way she describes life in Italy is warm and lively just like her stories. The characters are engaging, but it is the ancient city of Rome or the marvellous island of Sicily, that creates that gorgeous atmosphere - that feeling that you want to visit every little place mentioned.

I recall reading about the Italian wonders briefly in The Count of Monte Cristo -  a marvellous description of the mystery of Italian streets. 

What about you? What books situated in Italy would you recommend? 

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