Real, Not Ideal

I would like to know how it is the end of July. I feel like it has flown by. Where has my summer gone? I feel like I just got back to Canada, and I’m practically about to fly off again (read why in last monthly favourites) . In my last post, I talked about some of the things I’ve been up to. Has this month been particularly busy? No. But it has been relaxing (even if the reason is because I had surgery). Anyway, here are the things that I loved this month: 1.        The Incredibles 2  Have you seen it yet? My dad and I went out to see it a week ago, and we LOVED it! It was definitely worth the 15-year wait. Although the theatre experience was the worst (kids literally screaming and running around, sitting in the very front row because someone refuses to buy tickets online, and pausing the movie for people to get into their proper seats), the movie was so good. 2.        Popsicles Although thi...

I am trying something new today. I always love creating and posting my monthly favourites list at the end of the month (see June's favourites here ). It shows you a little bit of my life, but I want to tell you all about the more mundane things. What have I really done this month? This is a new type of post at the end of the month where I show you some pictures from my phone and tell you a little bit about what I’ve been up to. Let’s get personal! If you didn’t know (maybe because you’ve read a lot about my time in Cardiff) , I am Canadian. July 1 st marks Canada Day. I had a nice meal with my parents and watched fireworks in a neighbourhood park. My family is completely obsessed with fireworks. This year’s display was the best yet (although we say that every year). I didn’t grow up with family nearby. My mom’s sisters live on the east coast, so we never got to see them growing up. This year, my Auntie Judi planned a visit to come see me. While she was her...

Today, I am reviewing something a little different. This past year, I had the pleasure of shadowing for the UKLA book awards . This award is for children’s books, and I focused on the age 12-16 book since that is the age I am teaching. I received the books from the shortlist from my university tutor to help with the voting. I didn’t have a chance to read all of the books, but Frogkisser by Garth Nix is the one I did manage to get through. Princess Anya is a bookworm who is all of sudden given the massive task of saving the kingdom. As she sets off with her (talking) dog companion, she carries the weight of the kingdom on her shoulders while dealing with humorous events. This novel is a quest with a stress on the fact that it won’t be easy – an important lesson for young adults. Every aspect of the novel is laced with excitement and adventure. The novel touches on family issues in an amusing way. The ending is a lovely wrap-up (which is not the case for so many books I’ve read lately...

*this post is not affiliated with Glossybox in any way (although, not opposed to a partnership) Confession: Before this year, I had never participated in a subscription box. I always wanted to, but it never seemed to happen. They always seemed too expensive or not my taste. When I heard about Glossybox , I jumped at the opportunity. You can choose between three months, a year, and a single month. The singles cost only £10 and includes 5 beauty items. To me, that seems so perfect. I’ve received five boxes from them, so I’ve put together mini-reviews of the products that were in the boxes from February-April. February -           Ciate London Gelology & Paint Pots -           Steve Laurent Nude Pop Lip Tint -           Studio10Beauty Makeup Mist Glow-Plexion -           Skin Chemist...

The Last Mrs Parrish by Liv Constantine was the first book I read as part of my online book club (first mentioned in April's favourites) , so it’s not something I would have picked up on my own. It is described as a psychological thriller, and for the right reason. Amber has one goal only: become the wife of Jackson Parrish in whatever way she can. Amber is manipulative, destructive, and probably a psychopath, but she is also clever and resourceful. Although her plans seem quite delusional, you have to admire the way she meticulously executes her schemes. The woman she is trying to replace is Daphne – a philanthropising foil to Amber. What I love about Daphne is that she is the opposite of the rich person trope. The novel switches to her perspective at a pivotal moment, and we realize she is just as resourceful as Daphne is. [source] My initial thoughts on the book were that it was cheesy and not my kind of book - at all. In fact, it was a pretty exciting read. Constant...

Look at that! Another travel post for you! A few weekends ago, my sister had the day off from her summer job at a camp. My aunt also happened to be visiting me, so as a surprise, we took her to see Brianne! Orillia is cottage country. The main street is filled with restaurants and boutiques. We went around the time of the Mariposa Folk Festival, so it was more crowded than normal. The big reason we chose Orillia was for its Island Princess boat cruise . It takes you on a tour around Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe. The entire ride is about 2 ¼ hours long, and there isn't a lot of shade or places to sit. Despite those two things, the tour is great. Our tour guide was hilarious (if you like bad jokes) and informative. Bring snacks and sunscreen and you’ll be fine! The tour gives you a great view of the multi-million-dollar cottages. A lot of the owners are familiar with the cruise and we were met with big waves and even bells rung back at us! It was...

First things first: It is NOT castle coCK. Coch is the Welsh word for red. It’s Red Castle. Are we clear? Good. Here is the long awaited (by no one I’m sure) blog post dedicated to the two castles I visited when I was living in Cardiff. I’m dreadfully disappointed in myself, actually. Wales has the most castles per square mile in the world, and I didn’t see nearly enough. All the more reason to go back! Cardiff Castle Cardiff Castle is conveniently located smack-dab in the middle of City Centre. The castle walls are massive, and the land itself also includes a park (mentioned in this post) . Another bonus? Residents of Cardiff can get the “key to the castle” to get in for free anytime they want as well as discounts off purchases. There are so many rooms to explore in the castle grounds. You can walk yourself around, or there are free audio tours that take you everywhere. I definitely suggest doing the tour. It costs a little extra, but it is so worth i...

I have to admit something about this post: I did not expect it to turn out to be a guide. My goal was to show you a little bit of my life, but in looking through my pictures, I realized I did so much! Instead of just telling you what I did, but I hope this will help everyone else who wants to visit Cardiff and really explore everything it has to offer. This is definitely a longer post, but I have loads of pictures for you. Cardiff is the most amazing city. It was so fun to live there as a student. It is vibrant and there always seems to be something going on. There is a market on weekends and a castle smack-dab in the middle of the city centre. What else could you ask for? The Parks Cardiff has so many beautiful parks to explore. There is so much green space to walk around and enjoy. Bute Park is outside the castle. It is an expansive space that belongs to the citizens of Cardiff. When I went in May, the cherry blossoms that are oh-so-popular with Instagram influenc...

As promised, this is my first Thursday blog post. Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante is the third novel in the Neapolitan series (read the first book’s review here and the second book’s review here ). Lina has returned home to try and make sense of what got her through life in the first place. Lina herself has changed (and not in a way I like); she seems to have lost her passion, and every time she finds a voice, someone from her past seems to knock it down. We see Lila broken by her circumstances and choices. Both women are trying to bridge their old world with their new world. This novel tells the story of home. Lila and Lina have had different experiences of home, and now, they realize their version of home cannot remain the same. In the case of Lila, the experience of being away gave her a new insight into her home. This experience has made her isolated because she thinks she’s better than everyone else but has the same issues as them but with no allies. It is...

The last time I did a post like this ( read it here ), it was all about me changing my life. And to an extent, I did. I certainly became better at checking my emails and I’ve been more conscious about working out. Actually, right after I wrote that post, I was excellent with my routine. I can’t remember what disturbed it, but I’m sure it was something that shouldn’t have. Anyway, I’m kind of in the same boat again. I’ve said it to literally everyone I know (I wish that wasn’t an exaggeration but it is and I’m sorry that you all have to read it again), but this is my last summer of perfect freedom. After this, I enter the world of work and I’m moving in with my boyfriend. From now on, I get less opportunity to make my life the way I want it to be. What I’m really trying to say is that this summer is all about ME. I’m going to get my routines down solid now. I’m going to become the person I want to be. Here are my plans: 1.        Read. A lo...