This week has been a mixed bag: it’s been full of fun days out and productivity but I’ve also felt fraught with anxiety and stress. Let’s hope next week is kinder. Today, however, I had the BEST day in the sun, enjoying some 26°C weather and hosting some family at our home for an obligatory “Brits see sunshine” barbecue party. I made a pretty awesome salad with mozzarella, avocado and pomegranate seeds (my current obsession) and we chowed down on food, laughed a lot and I got to enjoy baby cuddles with my cousin’s little lady!
Milo gets a haircut
I took Milo for a pre-spring groom at a new groomer’s last weekend and I absolutely hate what they did to his coat. I think a fresh groom is always a worry that sits at the back of a dog owner’s mind and it certainly did me. I met a local ‘groomer’ on a walk around the lake a few weeks ago and my brother bumped into her again on a separate occasion. She promised she could help us solve Milo’s tear staining issue and so we booked him in, not expecting miracles but at least he could be freshened up! And after giving her instructions for a trim and for his face/snout hair to be neatened up, but kept long for character. Just like his usual groom… We returned 2 hours later to a naked dog. I could see his pink skin and, to make things worse, she’d decided to ‘experiment’ (her words) with an Asian fusion cut ‘because you’re Asian, I think?’ So, everyday racism aside, he had a naked body with long hair on his ears, a matted tail (that I had to trim on my own once home) and a trousers-cut on his legs. It was uneven and awful. To be honest, I’m disappointed that I paid her any amount of money for the ridiculous job she’d done. His coat will hopefully grow back to something that resembles his breed (he’s a Maltese Shih-Tzu cross, so long-haired) in about a month. What makes me most sad is that he shivers most evenings and is super self-conscious at the moment!Upcoming trips!
In slightly happier news, I booked a holiday! My sister and I will be heading over to Copenhagen at long last in June, after she found some incredibly affordable tickets. We’re currently busy planning out five days of sister fun and are whittling down some accommodation ideas. SO excited! Harvey and I are also currently trying to decide on a place to go to celebrate our one-year anniversary. It’s proving difficult but we have a few weeks to decide (:Girl Gang
Elodie was back in town this week and so we scheduled in lunch, dinner, coffee and all sorts of shenanigans! Elodie and I went to gatecrash Hannah and Sarah’s weekly lunch date which was just delightful. We managed to sit outside in the London sun and enjoy all of the lols about lost-in-translation Disney movies, as Elodie grew up watching them in French and I in Chinese! (FYI, the Cantonese version of Hercules is epic.) We enjoyed a meander around London on Wednesday before I had to shimmy home because Deadlines. Fun. Then on Thursday night we made a girl gang pilgrimage to Chick’n’Sours and it was epic. I also managed to pick up my perfect pair of mules at last!My new addition
A highlight of my week has been that my beautiful birthday present from Harvey arrived on Monday! In case you’re not following me on Instagram (I’m @winyeemichelle!), he decided to treat me to my Mansur Gavriel bucket bag of dreams. I took an age to decide on the color but eventually opted for the camel hue with a cobalt blue interior. There’s a video over on my YouTube channel full of the full details, if you’re interested!Foodie finds
It’s been a pretty good fortnight for food around these parts. Harvey sneakily bought me a bar of Doisy & Dam chocolate because the packaging looked cute and when I discovered it lurking in my drawer, I was excited to find that it’s totally organic, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free! I’m sensitive to gluten although not intolerant so it’s always good to find GF options that I know I can absolutely rely on not to mess with my body. The vanilla, maca and raw cacao nib bar is SO delicious. In a similar vein, I found a box of lentil and quinoa ‘pasta’ at Sainsbury’s and picked it up for the same gluten-free reasons as above. The verdict? Excellent with some roasted vine-ripened tomatoes, homemade basil pesto and cheese.Celebrating Amelia’s hen!
One of my good friends - Amelia - is getting married next month! And thus begins an entirely new chapter in adulting. A few of us girls headed out yesterday to see off her singledom in style and we had the best time. We enjoyed a relaxed afternoon at Pots of Art painting ceramics and sipping prosecco, before heading to her place for obligatory hen party games and cocktails, then rounded things up with a dinner and more drinks (duh). It was so much fun and a true testament as to how much we’ve grown up since turning 18 all those years ago! Her wedding blog is right here if you fancy having a peek!Links I’ve Loved:
- On Thursday I picked up these beyond beautiful H&M mules. They’re pink and have little scalloped edges, what more could I want?!
- I was featured on Hannah’s blog, Oh January, earlier in the month. She writes a series where she interviews bloggers and I always make a note to read them so it was an absolute pleasure to be featured this time!
- Marzia shared a post all about her beautiful collection of tattoos. I’m getting closer and closer to finalising my decision on a tattoo design!
- I really enjoyed this post from Fii regarding personal style, focussing particularly on style in the East and in the West. I’ve attempted time and time again to articulate my feelings on this without sounding like a petulant toddler but Fii absolutely nails it.
- Audrey’s post on afternoon tea made for a sweet little mid-week read!
- Alexa’s blog continues to be a huge source of writing inspiration to me. This post felt so nostalgic and romantic and deliciously sweet to read.
Posts This Week:
- My No-Phone Digital Detox
- Saturday afternoons
- A Daisybutter Guide to the London Coffee Festival 2017
- Meet my Mansur Gavriel
Sundaze 47
9.4.17 Hello Sunday! Oh it’s so good to see you - and just check out that sun! There’s little better than England in the spring sunshine, when everybody is beginning to shake off their winter blues and smile a little more. I missed last week’s Sundaze post because I was absolutely exhausted after a busy work week that totally took it out of me and meant I had next to nothing to share, I hope you’ll forgive me?This week has been a mixed bag: it’s been full of fun days out and productivity but I’ve also felt fraught with anxiety and stress. Let’s hope next week is kinder. Today, however, I had the BEST day in the sun, enjoying some 26°C weather and hosting some family at our home for an obligatory “Brits see sunshine” barbecue party. I made a pretty awesome salad with mozzarella, avocado and pomegranate seeds (my current obsession) and we chowed down on food, laughed a lot and I got to enjoy baby cuddles with my cousin’s little lady!
Milo gets a haircut
I took Milo for a pre-spring groom at a new groomer’s last weekend and I absolutely hate what they did to his coat. I think a fresh groom is always a worry that sits at the back of a dog owner’s mind and it certainly did me. I met a local ‘groomer’ on a walk around the lake a few weeks ago and my brother bumped into her again on a separate occasion. She promised she could help us solve Milo’s tear staining issue and so we booked him in, not expecting miracles but at least he could be freshened up! And after giving her instructions for a trim and for his face/snout hair to be neatened up, but kept long for character. Just like his usual groom… We returned 2 hours later to a naked dog. I could see his pink skin and, to make things worse, she’d decided to ‘experiment’ (her words) with an Asian fusion cut ‘because you’re Asian, I think?’ So, everyday racism aside, he had a naked body with long hair on his ears, a matted tail (that I had to trim on my own once home) and a trousers-cut on his legs. It was uneven and awful. To be honest, I’m disappointed that I paid her any amount of money for the ridiculous job she’d done. His coat will hopefully grow back to something that resembles his breed (he’s a Maltese Shih-Tzu cross, so long-haired) in about a month. What makes me most sad is that he shivers most evenings and is super self-conscious at the moment!Upcoming trips!
In slightly happier news, I booked a holiday! My sister and I will be heading over to Copenhagen at long last in June, after she found some incredibly affordable tickets. We’re currently busy planning out five days of sister fun and are whittling down some accommodation ideas. SO excited! Harvey and I are also currently trying to decide on a place to go to celebrate our one-year anniversary. It’s proving difficult but we have a few weeks to decide (:Girl Gang
Elodie was back in town this week and so we scheduled in lunch, dinner, coffee and all sorts of shenanigans! Elodie and I went to gatecrash Hannah and Sarah’s weekly lunch date which was just delightful. We managed to sit outside in the London sun and enjoy all of the lols about lost-in-translation Disney movies, as Elodie grew up watching them in French and I in Chinese! (FYI, the Cantonese version of Hercules is epic.) We enjoyed a meander around London on Wednesday before I had to shimmy home because Deadlines. Fun. Then on Thursday night we made a girl gang pilgrimage to Chick’n’Sours and it was epic. I also managed to pick up my perfect pair of mules at last!My new addition
A highlight of my week has been that my beautiful birthday present from Harvey arrived on Monday! In case you’re not following me on Instagram (I’m @winyeemichelle!), he decided to treat me to my Mansur Gavriel bucket bag of dreams. I took an age to decide on the color but eventually opted for the camel hue with a cobalt blue interior. There’s a video over on my YouTube channel full of the full details, if you’re interested!Foodie finds
It’s been a pretty good fortnight for food around these parts. Harvey sneakily bought me a bar of Doisy & Dam chocolate because the packaging looked cute and when I discovered it lurking in my drawer, I was excited to find that it’s totally organic, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free! I’m sensitive to gluten although not intolerant so it’s always good to find GF options that I know I can absolutely rely on not to mess with my body. The vanilla, maca and raw cacao nib bar is SO delicious. In a similar vein, I found a box of lentil and quinoa ‘pasta’ at Sainsbury’s and picked it up for the same gluten-free reasons as above. The verdict? Excellent with some roasted vine-ripened tomatoes, homemade basil pesto and cheese.Celebrating Amelia’s hen!
One of my good friends - Amelia - is getting married next month! And thus begins an entirely new chapter in adulting. A few of us girls headed out yesterday to see off her singledom in style and we had the best time. We enjoyed a relaxed afternoon at Pots of Art painting ceramics and sipping prosecco, before heading to her place for obligatory hen party games and cocktails, then rounded things up with a dinner and more drinks (duh). It was so much fun and a true testament as to how much we’ve grown up since turning 18 all those years ago! Her wedding blog is right here if you fancy having a peek!Links I’ve Loved:
- On Thursday I picked up these beyond beautiful H&M mules. They’re pink and have little scalloped edges, what more could I want?!
- I was featured on Hannah’s blog, Oh January, earlier in the month. She writes a series where she interviews bloggers and I always make a note to read them so it was an absolute pleasure to be featured this time!
- Marzia shared a post all about her beautiful collection of tattoos. I’m getting closer and closer to finalising my decision on a tattoo design!
- I really enjoyed this post from Fii regarding personal style, focussing particularly on style in the East and in the West. I’ve attempted time and time again to articulate my feelings on this without sounding like a petulant toddler but Fii absolutely nails it.
- Audrey’s post on afternoon tea made for a sweet little mid-week read!
- Alexa’s blog continues to be a huge source of writing inspiration to me. This post felt so nostalgic and romantic and deliciously sweet to read.
Posts This Week:
- My No-Phone Digital Detox
- Saturday afternoons
- A Daisybutter Guide to the London Coffee Festival 2017
- Meet my Mansur Gavriel
