Ah, what a month! Between a new mantra, adventures in London, new home purchases and a new hairdo, it was a fun yet productive month. Here are a few highlights of what I got up to!
A New Mantra: Weekending Like You’re On Vacation
I have so many goals for what I want to accomplish professionally. The problem? There are not enough hours in the day. As a result, it’s a constant juggle for me to keep growing my career while also having fun.
I am also very conscious of the fact that if you only work all of the time, you will burn out. As a result, I am testing a new schedule that promotes a work-life balance. I thought, what if I decided to spend my weekends – at least a good chunk of them – as though I were on vacation. I visualized what that would look like and the more I thought about it, the more I loved the idea!
Then, one Saturday morning I woke up to a text from my dear friend Suki. What was I up to for the day? Good question, I thought. Per usual, I was going to work and then take a break in the afternoon for a walk. What if I just went out and had fun!? We ended up having the loveliest day – we discovered a fantastic new restaurant called Melabes, walked for miles and miles in the warm sunshine and treated ourselves to ice cream at Unico.
The gelato at Unico is AMAZING!
Ever since that weekend, I’ve been putting my new mantra into action and loving every minute of it. Sure, the tradeoff is that I’m not getting as much accomplished toward my goals, but I believe the payoff is far better. When you stop and think about how four out of the top five top regrets of the dying are related to being true to yourself, enjoying your life more, connecting with friends, I’m really happy about this mantra and the joy it is bringing to my life. Thank you Suki for starting me on this journey – and for the gorgeous flowers!
A Hair Color Refresh!
Thanks to a recommendation from my girl Em, aka, The Lipstick Fever, I discovered Bee at Lockonego in Chelsea. She is absolutely wonderful! Finding a talented colorist in London that does what I call a “base break,” which lightens your base a bit so your highlights grow out more naturally has been a challenge for me. It’s my secret behind going 2.5-3 months between appointments, yet having my hair color fade naturally during that time – versus an inch of super dark roots. Some girls love that style and look so cute with it, but it does not work for me! Bee is beyond delightful, takes so much time to get to know you and really geeks out on the science behind coloring hair – which I absolutely love. If you do go see her, please let her know that I sent her your way :). I’ve linked her Instagram here if you want to check out her range of work.
New Additions To My Flat
I am absolutely loving my flat – and still furnishing it slowly, despite moving in as of February! It takes time! This month, I picked up two new additions. One of them is a Chanel-inspired pineapple print from IAmFy.co for my bedroom. Yes, it’s quirky, but I love it. And, as my Mom reminded me, the pineapple is the symbol of Southern welcome and our family heritage goes back many generations to South Carolina. I’ve always loved pineapples and I wonder if this subconsciously is why? Sadly it’s since sold out, but I really like the selection on IamFy.co, so check it out! If you haven’t seen my empty flat tour, check it out here.
I also picked up this lovely mini shelf for my bedroom. I really wanted a nightstand for my bedroom, but the problem is that there is no space for a normal sized one. As a result, I found this tall yet narrow one from Amazon. It comes flat pack, FYI! I’m really happy with the quality and soooo many friends DM’d me on Instagram about it when I shared it, so hopefully, this will be useful to you! It’s sadly only available in the UK!
Surviving The British Heatwave
Ok, ok, it was all of one day, but temperatures hit 92 degrees in London. For anyone familiar with London, that is pretty intense. The temperature always feels a bit warmer in London, so 92 felt well over 100-degrees. As someone who misses a hot summer, I was hell-bent on enjoying the day outside. So, I donned a sundress and went for a long walk! The one I am wearing below is a cute one is from River Island…but last year! They do have this red broderie belted dress this year that’s pretty cute too!
During my walk, I strolled into Regent’s Park to enjoy the flowers in full bloom! If you’ve never been to The Queen Mary’s Rose Garden in Regent’s Park, I highly recommend going while the roses are in bloom – it is incredible! There are approximately 12,000 roses planted within the gardens and seeing them brings me so much joy.
After lots of walking in the heat, I discovered the most delightful Taiwanese street food restaurant. One cold beer and bao (steamed buns) later, I was one very happy camper. Stay tuned, as I will write up a full review from my amazing meal.
London Open Garden Squares Weekend
In June, I also checked off another London bucket list item – Open Garden Squares Weekend! Every year, London Parks & Gardens Trust hosts a special event called the Open Garden Squares Weekend. During this weekend, you can buy a ticket and explore private gardens throughout the city. These gardens range from beautiful squares to office buildings and a few historic landmarks. As someone who loves parks and gardens, I could not resist the opportunity to peek into some of London’s hidden gardens. Here are the highlights from my day, plus tips on how to make the most of your Open Garden Squares Weekend!
Final Thoughts
All in all, June was a great month. So much of life is making the most of the every day, the little moments. I’m really happy to be in a groove where I am trying to make the every day – and especially every weekend – that much more special. Here’s to more adventures in July!