Welcome to our July Wishlist, here’s what's been piquing our interest this month...
So Long, Marianne: A Love Story by Kari Hesthamer
If you're looking for a great easy summer read, look no further. I really enjoyed this book, based on a true story about the "bohemian" expats who lived on the Greek Island of Hydra in the 50s and 60s, its a tale of love between writer and musician Leonard Cohen and his muse, the striking Norwegian native Marianne Ihlen.
As Cohen recalled: “It was as if everyone was young and beautiful and full of talent – covered with a kind of gold dust. Everybody had special and unique qualities. This is, of course, the feeling of youth, but in the glorious setting of Hydra, all these qualities were magnified.”
A dreamy & poignant book that shows that sometimes, Greek tragedies really do happen.
We finally got a little bit of normality back into our lives with a trip to the cinema recently (yay!) I’ll admit both my daughter and I were slightly reluctant about this film, thinking it might be another generic spin off and a bit too ‘kiddy’. Well, were we pleasantly surprised! Emma Stone is an absolute joy as the vampy villain and this gives you a back story to how Cruella De Vil then became evil enough to start stealing puppies for fur. It held our attention for the entire 134 minutes, plus the soundtrack is fab, including major hits from bands like The Animals, The Zombies and The Rolling Stones.
This is Us, Amazon Prime
I know, I’m late to the game with this one and currently only on Season two (so lots to go) but I am enthralled by this TV show. Based around married couple Jack and Rebecca Pearson and their three triplets Kevin, Kate and Randall (known as the "Big Three") Its a beautiful, joyful but heartbreaking story and I’m really looking forward to where its going to take me.
As I’m always looking for simplicity in the kitchen during the warmer months and not wanting to slave away on complicated meals, this Quesadilla recipe really fits the bill.
A quesadilla is a heated tortilla with melted cheese inside plus whatever else you fancy throwing in!
I personally like to substitute with a vegan cheese and black bean mash up but they work wonderfully with chicken or chorizo. Pair with lots of fresh lime and an avocado salad and you’re good to go!
I’ve been going all old skool recently and playing Brazilian composer and performer Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 on repeat. I promise it’ll give you all the summer feels even if the weather doesn’t.....
Ghua Sha
With this Chinese medicine-based skincare trend gaining traction thanks to its natural approach AND the added oomph of thousands of years of practice behind it, I thought I'd give it a whirl.
Pronounced ‘gwa sha’ its an alternative therapy which involves gently gliding over your skin with a massage tool to improve circulation. It can be used on the body but is particularly good for the face, neck, and décolletage, invigorating blood flow, releasing toxins and stimulating lymphatic drainage - perfect for those with tight muscles, sluggish circulation, and tech necks. Hello.... over here!
I've been doing it nightly for the past few weeks and can testify that it feels amazing on any tense frown lines. It'll be interesting to see if it helps with fine lines and dark circles.....
Jane x