Welcome back to another edition of my favourite things I’ve been using, reading & watching in June.
Where I’m Relaxing: Halsa Float House and Spa is a little piece of Sweden nestled in my Kitsilano neighbourhood. Halsa means Health in Swedish and the services revolve around sensory deprivation floating in 25cms of water and 1,000 lbs of pure epson salt, Swedish Sauna (there is a cedar sauna and a hemlock sauna) as well as some of the best massages in the city. Your float begins with 15 minutes of gentle music, enough to give you time to adjust to the floating sensation, stretch out and quiet the mind. Then music and lights fade and you are left in complete silence and darkness. It’s a very introverted experience and is said to bring the mind to a Theta state a.k.a. Meditative state. They also have unique products that I feel very comfortable recommending since I make them! : Bath Salts, scrubs, all natural essential oil infused Shampoos and Conditioners, Scandinavian Birch Oil soaps and Hand rolled bees wax candles. You have to try Floating (and don’t worry, you don’t need to know how to swim). http://www.halsa.ca
The Geek in Me : I’m truly a child at heart and some of my favourite movies to this day are still the ones I watched as a child and that includes Christmas movies. One of those dear to my heart movies is the Goonies and I probably shouldn’t say this in public but I’m part of the Goonies group on Facebook. Surprisingly Im not the oldest either! Recently it was the Goonies 31st Anniversary and the town of Astoria (I’m so going there in the very near future) held a Goonies day with best costume awards, tours of the Goonie house and movie viewings in the park. Goonies Never Say Die!
Products that make life easier: Do you every open a bag of something (rice, corn chips, you know..) and know that unless your seal it again the contents are going to go stale? I found this container of clips in the Free bin in my building (neighbours put out all kinds of mostly new or gently used things someone else might need) so I put them in my kitchen drawer and they are serving a great purpose. And in these cheerful colours they brighten the cupboards!
What I’m Watching: There is a very deep part of me that longs to sell the little I own and take off to the middle of nowhere and I’m very much living out this fantasy vicariously but watching Kevin McClouds Escape to the Wild. The show features all British families who have sold their homes and left their jobs in the city to build new homes and lives in remote places including a home at the foot of a volcano in Chile, a private island in the South Pacific and my favourite episode was of a couple who built a cabin above the Arctic Circle in Sweden. Looking forward to the next season.
Oh my oily skin!: I’ve read many times that oily skin ages drastically slower than drier types and I really appreciate that privilege. The only thing I don’t appreciate is doing my makeup only to have my face shining like a lighthouse 30 minutes after. I’d read about this magic powder used by the likes of Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist and a few of my favourite youtube vloggers. Ben Nye Banana powder is lightweight and I dust it over my foundation and concealer for a perfectly matte finish that lasts longer that most pressed powders. It’s quite luxurious in feel and although it’s on the pricier side, I’ve had mine for a few months now and am not even 1/4 of the way through it.
I love a good ghost tale: It doesn’t matter if it’s Fall, Spring or Summer, there’s always stormy days which are my favourite days and I most likely will reach for a good ghost tale from my personal library to cozy up with in my reading room while enjoying the downpour. In October I watched a great show about Haunted DownEast Maine and being a place that fascinates me and I have every intention of visiting, I purchased this book and read it cover to cover in under a week. Dark Woods, Chill Waters includes one of my favourite ghost stories: The legend of Catherine’ Hill.
I’m gonna wash those greys right outta my hair: I’ll start by saying I can’t complain. Im turning 41 next month and have exactly 2 grey hairs. They’re cute really. I just don’t want to see them and have heard that if you pluck them 7 more will come to their funeral. So I was at my favourite shop in town (Shopper’s Drugmart) the other day and came across this little beauty. It’s a wand, just like a mascara and one swipe and those 2 greys disappear! It’s not permanent and I’m fine with it. I’ve never dyed my hair and have no intention to start so soon. In the meantime, “Say hello to my little friend”.
An alternative to Lush’s sometimes expensive bath bombs: Bath time is sacred to me. I make most of my most important decision while in the bath as well as come up with creative ideas. I can’t walk past a Lush store without at least buying one bath bomb. The problem is I usually walk out with like 10 and if you shop at Lush you know they’re quite an investment. The other day at London Drugs I noticed Zoella’s product line and was so excited. Zoella is one of my favourite Youtubers and I’d seen her launch her line in england and was curious what the products were like. She has these delicious bath fizzies and for the price of one Lush bomb, you get 4 square fizzies that smell divine and remind me of these white tea scented candles I used to buy on BC Ferries. They smell so good they actually have a sticker on them that say “do not eat”. Ha!
Hotter than you Pink: That’s the name of this perfect pink summery shade by OPI. I love pink, it make me happy, I can’t stop wearing this nail polish. That’s that.
Have any products , places, shows, recipes or books you’d like to recommend? Drop me a line.
Love,
Jennifer