RECIPE: Ginger, Turmeric & Cardamom Latte with Manuka Honey
It's flu season, and it seems like everyone in my circle of friends and family is sick right now.
When Geoff came down with a nasty cold for the second time in two weeks, I ordered him to stay home from work and sleep it off.
That day, I made sure that he had lots of warm veggie soup, herbal tea, and plenty of ginger and garlic to help boost his immune system back to health.
Of course, as he was getting better, I got sick.
I spent the day in bed, sleeping it off, just like I had recommended to him.
When I couldn't sleep anymore, I grabbed my iPad to browse one of my favourite blogs, goop. Yup, this once-upon-a-time Gwenyth hater is now totally head over heels smitten with her and her site.
A video for something called Warming Tea Latte caught my eye, which inspired me to run to my kitchen to concoct my own version.
The results are exactly what I needed to get better - a drink that feels soothing, comforting to sip on, with the subtle flavours of ginger and cardamom with a hint of sweetness from Manuka honey.
That night I went to bed early and the next morning I woke up feeling a million times better and ready to conquer the day.
Thanks for the idea GP!
RECIPE: Nathalie's Ginger, Turmeric & Cardamom Latte with Manuka Honey
Makes 2 cups
Almond milk (or any non-dairy milk of your choice)
Water
1 stick of cinnamon
1-inch piece of fresh organic ginger, peeled, washed, and cut
1 tsp of coconut oil
1/2 tsp of ground turmeric
2 cardamom pods
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
1 tbsp, more or less, of Manuka Honey for taste
Fill a mason jar with half water and half almond milk.
Throw the water/almond milk mix and all of your ingredients into a saucepan.
Simmer on low-medium heat for about 30-40 minutes.
Stir occasionally and check in to make sure it's not boiling. Simmer is good. Boiling is not.
Strain into a mug and enjoy!
Flavour with more honey if that's your thing.
Self Love (no, not that kind)
Ok here goes.
I started seeing a therapist recently.
While this might not be a big deal to most people, this is a HUGE deal for me.
There's so much that's happened this year that has proven to be incredibly challenging, even without the aid of a therapist. My best friend's father passed away from cancer at the start of the year, and that alone was tough enough to deal with. In my mind, being there for her meant putting her first and myself last. I didn't even give myself time to grieve until the day of her dad's funeral - it finally hit me that he was really gone. After that, I spiraled into a horrible depression, and my anxiety was at an all-time high. My fears were out of control and it affected everything in my life. I couldn't even open social media without a panic attack!
Long story short, after months of feeling like crap, I started to look after myself again. That was when I knew I had to talk to someone because I wanted to continue to heal. In hindsight, I should have been kinder to myself and taken the time to deal with my own pain but I felt guilty.
It's so easy for us to put the people closest to us first when they're going through a crisis. We take on their hardships as if they're our own and we put ourselves through the emotional wringer which benefits no one.
Something my therapist talks about is being mindful. For example, I hate traffic. I hate it so much I get anxious and angry just thinking about it. I mentioned it to her during one of my appointments and told her I had a friend's baby shower to drive to that afternoon in peak rush hour. How the hell was I going to be mindful in sitting in rush hour? HOW?! I can't remember her exact words but she said something along the lines of "breathe" and envision the end result and seeing my friend at her baby shower. It helped a lot that day, but I still hate traffic.
Being mindful is just one of the ways I practice self-love. Another is by taking the time do things that bring me joy -for example watching YouTube first thing in the morning to help me get out of bed or lighting a scented candle while I read a good book. Above all else, putting on makeup is probably my favourite mindful activity because in that time I'm fully present in the act of getting my face on. I can easily spend a couple of hours getting ready and I'll never feel bad for that again.
Whatever is happening in your life, make sure to take time for you. Because you're important and you're worth the effort. You'll be better to your people, and at the end of the day, happier for it.
Oh, and don't feel shame about needing help with your emotions, whichever way you choose to seek it.
Hope you're all happy and healthy. If not, hope you're healing.
DISCLAIMER: NARS PRODUCTS IN THIS POST WHERE PROVIDED BY THE BRAND.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHY IS MY OWN.
5 Mother's Day gift ideas she'll love!
Mother's Day is only a week away and I'm already excited about how I'm going to spoil my mom. I gathered up a few gift ideas for you to think about what to get the mum in your life. From beauty to skincare, wellness, fragrance, and jewelry, I hope to inspire you in your gift giving endeavours this spring. Happy Mother's Day to all of the mum's out there!
Mother's Day Gift Guide
b e a u t y
NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg brush set
NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg Au Poil Brush Roll
limited edition
$200
Charlotte Gainsbourg is probably one of my favourite actresses of all time. Her acting is superb and her fashion sense equally so. As the daughter of Jane Birkin and the late Serge Gainsbourg, Charlotte is a true artist - from acting to singing, she's also a muse to Nicolas Ghesquiere, current creative director of Louise Vuitton, previously of Balenciaga. If that's not enough, Charlotte has just launched her own limited edition capsule collection under NARS. This limited edition five piece brush set is so luxurious and unique, it'll make any beauty aficionado weak in the knees. It comes neatly packed in a faux leather roll (not pictured) that's perfect for travel. The set includes a complexion brush, blush/ highlight brush, concealer brush, eye blending brush, and eye shadow brush.
s k i n c a r e
Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask
Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask
limited edition packaging
$75
If skincare is your mum's jam, considering this Umbrian Clay mask from Fresh. The clay comes from Umbria, Italy and is mineral-rich "miracle" that refines the appearance of pores, mattifies, and smoothes skin. If this is mum's first time trying this mask, tell her it can be used be used in three ways; as a daily deep cleanser, a pore-purifying mask and as a spot treamtment. While the mask itself has been part of Fresh's lineup since 2000, the packaging featured here is limited edition and features artwork from Rometti's Ceramic Studio located in Italy.
p e r f u m e
Jo Malone Star Magnolia Cologne
Jo Malone Star Magnolia Cologne
limited edition scent
$90
If mum is a fragrance junkie, Jo Malone's limited edition Star Magnolia is for her. It's light, flirty, fresh, fruity, floral, and perfect for spring and summer and contains magnolia leaf and orange blossom with a kiss of lemon, ginger, and shiso. Also, how cute is this petal decoration on the bottle?
w e l l n e s s
Saje Sleep Well mist.
This Works Deep Sleep.
Drybar silk pillowcase.
Sage Natural Wellness restful sleep mist, $19
This Works Deep Sleep rollerball, $36
Drybar silk pillowcase, $57
If you're not sure what to get mama, consider these items that will help her get a good nights sleep. Place them in a small box with a ribbon wrapped around it and she'll be delighted when she opens it. Included in this sleep aid gift is a luxurious silk pillow case from Drybar. It'll extend the life of her hairstyle, keep her hair frizz-free, and her skin free of those yucky pillowcase creases. Before she goes to bed, tell her to spray Saje Natural Wellness' Sleep Well mist around the bed and on her pillowcase for sweet dreams. Finally, This Works Deep Sleep rollerball is excellent when used on the pulse points. It contains lavender, chamomile, vetiver, and sandalwood for a relaxing sleep.
j e w e l r y
David Yurman cable bracelet
David Yurman The Renaissance cable bracelet (in 5mm)
$525
If mum is a jewelry kinda girl, consider going with classic Yurman. The Renaissance cable bracelet (in 5mm), is sterling silver and perfect for everyday wear. She can stack it with the other pieces in her collection or she can wear it alone if she's a minimal kinda gal.
Chill the F*** OUT! 20 things to make YOU happy!
Two pivotal points in my life were the passing of grandmother, who was the only grandparent I ever knew, and the recent passing of my best friend’s father. He was diagnosed with cancer last year and this February, we were burying him. Both deaths happened quickly and both hit me really hard. Loosing them made me reassess my priorities and made me realize the importance of spending time with my loved ones while they’re still around. Taking time to savor the little things matters so much more to me now, and I'm really uninterested in whipping my phone out and documenting every moment on social media. I know, weird coming from a blogger, right? (Insert eye roll here people.)
As an entrepreneur, I'm basically a one woman show and my days are spent editing, writing, keeping up with emails, etc. Some days are too much and all I want to do is nap and hope that when I wake up, it’ll all be better. It’s easy to loose sight of what makes us happy and in some cases, even feel guilty about taking some me time. When I first started logging off social media for a day or two here and there, I felt very guilty, like I was doing something horribly wrong and like I was committing a crime. Really the problem lies in the expectation that I’ve set for myself to work 7 days a week and not be present in my life. Dinner with family, lunches with friends I haven’t seen in ages, and mini getaways with Geoff- there have been too many moments where I wasn’t fully present because I was too distracted and trying to capture a perfect moment for social media. Gross, I know.
Since I’m reevaluating how I live my life (I’m not sure what else to call it really), I thought I’d share some of the little things that I’ve been enjoying recently. Small things like lighting a scented candle and curling up with a good book have been helping me create more balance and harmony in my life. I hope this this list will inspire you to take the time to do something that makes you happy and be more present. If you create even one happy moment a day, I think you’ll start to feel clearer and happier, which is exactly the point.
Chill the EFF OUT! 20 things to make YOU happy.
1. Spoil yourself with a new lipstick.
2. Take a luxurious bath.
3. Light your favourite scented candle.
4. Read a book.
5. Watch a sunset.
6. Log off social media.
7. Call a loved one. Better yet, spend time with them.
8. Be present.
9. Make a your favourite meal.
10. Curl up in bed.
11. Smile - it’s known to lift your mood!
12. Visit a greenhouse and bring a new plant home.
13. Cuddle with your cat, dog or favourite person.
14. Go for a walk.
15. Meditate.
16. Plan a vacation.
17. Do an act of kindness.
18. Watch your favourite movie or your favourite show.
19. Sleep in.
20. Be good to yourself.
Photography by Nathalie Martin.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as form of compensation.
10 Tips to RELAX and De-Stress right now feat. Nespresso
If you're reading this it's because you're stressed out and anxious and you want to fix it. News flash, I get stressed out very easily and my naturopath confirmed it when she tested my hormones. Just the act of sitting behind the wheel in bumper to bumper traffic is enough to ruin my day. With that being said, identifying what triggers stress is the first step. I put together a list of activities that work for me. They are my favourite activities to relax, de-stress and feel whole again. Give these a try and if there's anything on this list that doesn't appeal to you, that's okay. Just focus on what makes you happy so that you can feel balanced once more.
Photo by Roxanne West
1.
Meditate & Breathe
Just yesterday I was sitting around the dining room table with my best girlfriend and her mother, having a great time and laughing, when I started to feel my heart beating fast in my chest. Something had triggered my stress and next thing I know, my best friend was giving me tips on how to relax. She said, "place your hand on your heart, bare skin to bare skin, close your eyes, breathe and think of a happy memory. Open your eyes when your breathing is back to normal and you feel settled again." You gotta admit it's a really good tip and it works. Try it the next time you're feeling off and let me know what you think.
Alternatively, Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths and clear your mind. Sit in a quiet space and focus on breathing in and out.
2.
Daydream
A while back I went through a couple of months where I was so anxious and stressed that I threw my back out due to the tension I was holding in my shoulders. I’d wake up in the mornings and head on over to my gym, which has a sauna that no one uses. I'd lay on my back and close my eyes and daydream about living in Paris with Geoff and being carefree and enjoying life. The fact that sauna was empty helped me relax and daydreaming got me to the point where the stress actually started to melt away. It took a few sessions of doing this but it did work!
3.
Be alone
I’m an introvert and I love being alone. It refuels me and makes me aware of what my needs and wants are so I need alone time to feel whole again. If you’re always out in the company of others, you might benefit from some me time to declutter your mind. Set aside some time to unwind by yourself.
4.
Do your favourite activity
Everyone has their favourite way to unwind. Geoff’s go-to de-stressing activity is Playstation, though he also loves ping pong, squash and volleyball. I on the other hand love watching movies, painting my nails, doing my makeup, redecorating my house, aromatherapy, Pinterest, reading, being inspired and chilling with my besties Diana and Michael. My activities are a little all over the map compared to Geoff, but then again, it works for me.
5.
Curl up with a cup of coffee
This is one of my favourite things to do at the end of the day. If it’s close to bedtime, I like to have a decaf cup of Nespresso. My favourites are the lungo cups like Vivalto Lungo, Envivo Lungo and Rosabaya blends, but every now and again I'll have an espresso, along with a cookie or a bit of chocolate. Something about sinking into the couch with a hot cup of coffee always relaxes me.
6.
Turn off social media
I find it so curious that social media is the cause of anxiety and stress for so many of us, celebrities included. After the recent passing of my best friends father, the last thing I wanted to do was be on social media; which is hard because it’s a big part of my job! I learned that it’s totally okay to have a little Instagram detox and that your followers will still be there when you get back. What was more important for me, was to be-in-the-now with my family and not worry about how many likes my last photo got.
7.
Listen to music
Turn on your favourite artist and blare it on the speakers and have a dance party! I have such a deep connection to music thanks to my dad, who was always blasting his favourite bands when I was a kid. Even know I’ll turn on my music and dance and sing (both horribly I might add) when I need to get rid of that stressed-out energy.
Photo by Michael Biro
8.
Take a walk
A brisk walk outdoors will clear your head and put things into prospective. My old job was at a television network and it was one of the most stressed out environments I’d ever been in! It wasn’t just me, it was everyone from managers and coordinators alike, who were all very vocal about their distain for the company! I noticed a lot of my colleagues would go for walks to clear their minds during their breaks and I started doing the same. A little bit of fresh air always seems to help.
Photo by Diana Aldea
9.
Call a friend
My best girlfriend and I have been friends for 25 years. We know each other so well that we joke that our talks are like the equivalent to a $190/ hour long therapy session. Talking or hanging out can be just as relaxing as meditation when it’s with your best pals.
10.
Pet therapy
Animals are known to be therapeutic and calming and I couldn’t agree more. Anytime I feel upset or stressed all I have to do is hang out with my cats and I automatically feel better. My motto is “go hug a cat”. LOL
MY RELAXATION PICKS
Home photography by Nathalie Martin.
Street photography by Diana Aldea, Michael Biro and Roxanne West.
This post is sponsored by Nespresso. All opinions are my own.
WHAT MAKES A RELATIONSHIP SUCCESSFUL
As mentioned in my previous post my best friend of over 20 years is getting married in a weeks time to her long time boyfriend. This topic has got me thinking about my own marriage and what it takes to make a relationship successful and really, what does a successful relationship even mean?
Geoff and I have been together for 10 years now, married for eight and fought hard & ugly for the first couple of years. There was a point where I thought our marriage was going to end and I wasn't sure if we'd ever get past it. We don't have kids (more on that at a later time) but we have two amazing cats that are part of our little family, funny since neither of us were "cat people" when we adopted our first.
But back to the first few years of marriage. Without getting into too much detail and respecting our privacy I'll tell you that in hindsight we were fighting about everything a newly married couple might fight about - meddling family members, chores, how to spilt up the holidays, where to hang the art work, money, laundry, our different personalities, groceries, and so on. You name it and it was probably a point of contention for us.
We'd already been living together for a year before we got married but after the wedding every part of our normal day to day lives seemed so much more forced and suddenly we weren't meshing. The tension in our marriage but so bad that I found myself looking for apartments one day and that's when it occurred to me, I didn't want to live in my own shitty apartment, I wanted to live with Geoff and follow through with the commitment we had made.
After that we sat down and had a good long talk about why we were so upset with each other and what we were going to do to move forward. Getting to the point of being honest wasn't easy but it was necessary and it helped us mend our marriage and now I'm happy to say we're rock solid.
As Geoff and I near 9 years of marriage I can tell you from my personal experience what makes a relationship successful:
Forgiveness.
Acceptance.
Honesty.
Humour.
Respect. (This is a big one people!)
Even now we're still figuring things out as we grow. Geoff still annoys me and I annoy him but we laugh off the small stuff. Our love and respect for each other outweighs everything. I'm thankful to have him as my partner because he is truly an amazing person and I can't imagine my life without him.
SHOP MY LOOK
I'm wearing: Mackage winter coat, H&M knit, old Banana Republic jeans, Town Shoes boots, Ray Ban aviators.
SHOP MY WINTER BOOTS @TOWNSHOES
Pajar Alice boots with red plaid detail from Town Shoes.
Shot in Thorbury, ON during a weekend spent visiting my in-laws.
This post is sponsored by Town Shoes. All photos and opinion are my own.
OCTOBER FAVES FEAT. NESPRESSO
It's time to bring back the Monthly Faves series because there are so many things I fall in love with each month that don't make it to the blog. October is the perfect time to start since it finally feels like fall and my perfume, skincare and even my snacks have taken an autumnal turn.
WELLNESS
I went to dinner with Saje Natural Wellness recently and what I learned made me love their products even more. Take the Immune roller for example (germ & virus fighting remedy), apply it to the palms of your hands, rub them together and cup them over your mouth/ nose and inhale deeply with your eyes closed. Another favourite, the Peppermint Halo roller for headache relief. Just rub some on your temples and crown of your head to soothe away a headache.
In my home I use the natural oils via the Ultrasonic Diffuser (currently on sale) which creates negative ions and cleans the air and makes me feel better. My fall faves are Glow (warm inviting scent of vanilla, ginger and cinnamon) and the 100% grapefruit oil, which makes me happy and inspired.
MAKEUP
On the days I hardly wear makeup I still like to curl my lashes. I use my Shu Uemera eyelash curler followed by Pixi's waterproof mascara to hold the curl. If I'm going to an event I use Charlotte Tilbury's Legendary Muse eye shadow palette which consists of rose and gold shades that are universally flattering and very glamourous. I finish my look by adding a touch of the glittery gold shadow to the centre of my eye lids for some true glam.
SNACKS
Hungry Buddha has a limited fall flavour coconut chip that is TDF - Pumpkin Spice! If you like PSL's, you're gonna love these! (I'm probably gonna cry when I eat my last bag...)
For drinks I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I drink about 2-3 cups of coffee a day. My favourite is medium roast called Rosabaya, a Colombian Arabic blend that's available for the Nespresso Prodigio machine. For those PSL lovers, Nespresso has a limited edition Pumpkin Spice Cake roast for the VertuoLine machines. (Read my Nespresso VertuoLine review here.)
SHOP MY OCTOBER FAVES
SKINCARE
As a freelance blogger I try a lot of skincare but I only have two all time favourites brands and one happens to be Darphin. This month they released their Lumière Essentielle collection with a new serum and moisturizer.
Essential oils of citrus, florals, cedarwood, and ginger visibly illuminate and revitalize the skin. Instantly, skin looks and feels soft, supple, and glowy.
I love it so much I want to smear it over my entire body but it's pricey so I'll leave it to my face, neck and décolletage for now.
PERFUME & JEWELRY
Another vanilla scent makes it to my list of Oct faves but this time in perfume. Aerin's Tangier Vanille evokes the feeling of being whisked away on an exotic romantic holiday. It's feminine and mysterious and I can't get enough.
For accessories I've been wearing my David Yurman Renaissance Bracelet with everything, even with this little chicken bracelet from the French brand called La Môme Bijou. It's goes all of my outfits and I love the pop of red.
EVERYDAY ATHLEISURE
If you follow my blog and Instagram closely you might have picked up on my weight gain confessionals. It's harder to admit to myself than it is to you guys that I've recently gone up a pant size. I have ripples where I don't want, I feel like I jiggle when I walk and above all else, concealing muffin top has become a daily struggle.
Most people in the fashion & beauty industry might freak and run for the hills but why? Sure I'm not as skinny as Chiara Ferragni and I don't have a cute bubble butt like Dani Song, but I'm okay with that because beauty comes in all shapes. Interestingly I'm the happiest I've ever been and I'm not going to let a few pounds stand in my way.
Out of comfort (and perhaps weight gain necessity), I'll often throw on some athleisure wear on my days off. My favourite pieces are a loose fitting top and some comfortable stretch bottoms, like the cute Lolë shorts I'm wearing here. I'll blog from home and run errands in my comfy gear because it's more than just for practicing yoga and sometimes I don't want to deal with skinny jeans (are you shocked?).
It's not to say you have to gain weight to wear some comfy pieces, but it just happens that's when my appreciation for it came to play. Now I mix and match pieces according to how I feel and of course, I'll often accessorize with a cute bag and some jewelry.
I'm currently working on getting fit and eating better but I'll know I'll still be wearing my Lolë pieces for a long time to come.
For any yoga enthusiasts out there, make sure you check out the Lolë White Tour happening this Thursday. I'll be giving away two tickets to the tour so be sure to comment here, on IG or Twitter to enter. Good luck!
Photography by Tristan O'Brien
In sponsorship with Lolë. All opinions are my own.