Category: Tips

Travel Hack – Comfort Accessories

Posted in destinations, Holidays, Tips, Travel, UncategorizedTagged , , Leave a comment

Happy New Year, everyone!
If there’s one thing I wish for you this year is to travel more, to travel better and more comfortably. So I thought I’m going to share with you one of my favourite travel hack I can’t imagine travelling without. Inflatable travel accessories.

I wanted to see about upgrading my inflatable travel pillow since I plan to spend a lot of time on the go this year. When I bought mine, it was one of a very few available options. Now, you can choose from so many and at very affordable prices. Perhaps you fancy upgrading yours to a better one too?

Have you heard of inflatable travel accessories before? I am yet to see people using them and often get curious looks when I take mine out.

(Please note these links are affiliate.)

This is the one I’ve been using and can highly recommend:

CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)

Since I compiled a list, I thought why not share it with you and perhaps help you with your future travels too! These are especially handy for longer trips when you are sure to have a nap or want to get as much sleep as possible to arrive at your destination fresh. Not just for red-eye flights, it’s great for road trips, train travel, camping and any other situation where a bit of convenience can make a world of difference. Especially if you’re travelling on a budget.

Some of these pillows look really interesting as an option for a comfortable sleep. Let me know what you think about them if you try any of them out. I wonder if should I get one of these for myself?

CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)
CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)
CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)

Some of the pillows are similar to mine. I highly recommend one of these instead of foam neck pillows because it just makes so much sense. It takes little space to store in your bag and you can quickly inflate it once you settle in your seat. Most of them also have the option to remove the cover, wash it and use it again. It is more hygienic and can help protect your skin from getting spots during travel.

CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)
CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)

There are also a few beautiful options. I would choose comfort over aesthetics in the case of travel, even though it doesn’t hurt when the item can win at both! However, if aesthetics are more important to you – that’s okay, especially for shorter trips. My favourite I this one:

CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)

While I was looking into inflatable neck pillows, I noticed some of these inflatable footstools. Wow, what an idea, especially for long-haul trips. Take a look at these, they can be a great option to add to your carry-on bag to ensure that your trip is more comfortable. I’ve never seen anyone using one of these or have heard of it before this research, perhaps I should try. What do you think?

CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)
CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)
CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)

If you have kids, or if you know a family that loves to travel and has kids, and you’re looking for a creative gift idea, I think one of these would be a winning pick.

CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)
CHECK IT OUT HERE
(Image from Amazon listing)

You know how sometimes you expected just to go on a shopping website and get something you are already using? But once you start, you go into a deep dive research of all the options out there. I shared some of the findings with you here. I hope at least one will be useful for you and you will give it a shot.

If you get one of the upgraded versions, please do let me know how that works for you!

If you have any travel hacks that you love using, why not share them? Please comment below or send a message by the contact page. I would love to hear and discover something new to try out!

All the best,
Justina

5 Places to add to your dog-friendly list for the next time you are around West End

Posted in Dogs, london, Out In London, TipsTagged , , , , , , 2 Comments

West End covers some of London’s most popular and exciting neighbourhoods in the city. It is true also for dog owners looking to take their furry friends out on a day out. 

It can be difficult to find restaurants that welcome pet parents with their dogs with open arms, so I thought I will share a few of my favourite places both you and your friends, including the ones that woof, can enjoy.

Here’s my hand-picked choices of places in or around West End where you can find spots where you can get yourself a coffee or meal, without leaving your pooch at home! 

My Place Soho 

https://www.myplacesoho.com/

This hot brunch spot in the heart of Soho is a popular neighbourhood hang out spot not only for hoomans but for pooches of Soho too. If you are lucky you will get a table outside so you and your furry bestie can people watch as you sip away a great cup of coffee or a steller espresso martini. Or… head inside for a cosy getaway from the heat and busy streets whilst you have a bite from a wide selection of brunch favourites, burgers and sharing platters. You won’t need to sacrifice quality in exchange of being able to bring your pet!

40 Dean Street 

https://www.fortydeanstreet.com/

One of iconic Soho spots, serving authentic Italian food for nearly two decades and is located in the very heart of Soho neighbourhood. A perfect location to enjoy a delicious meal, stellar spritz and watch Soho life go by from their cozy terrace (insider tip: this little spot also serves the prettiest cocktails, at great prices!).  A lovely place to bring your four legged friend, ideally during off-peak times when it’s less busy. 

Quo Vadis

https://www.quovadissoho.co.uk/ 

Another Soho place that I cannot imagine Soho without. Quo Vadis is a restaurant and a member club founded in 1926. “They take seriously their role as stewards of the reputation for excellent food and drink, uproarious company and serious enjoyment.” You might need to be a member to be able to bring a dog with you but it’s well worth it – give them a call to discuss, as you might be okay if you join them with a pup for breakfast service. 

28-50 Oxford Circus

https://2850oxfordcircus.co.uk/ 

Newly opened restaurant is the latest addition to the area I am so excited about. Famous for their love of dogs, they offen have one of the owner’s pups, Molly, the sweetest of golden retrievers, making the rounds to make sure everyone is enjoying their visit. For the humans, 28-50 offers their extensive award winning wine list and modern European cuisine. It’s also a very instagramable spot ir you or your pup needs an instagram update!

Cecconi’s Mayfair

https://www.cecconis.co.uk/ 

Just steps away from the famous Burlington Arcade, in the glamorous Mayfair, Cecconi’s is well know not just as the spot to be seen in, enjoy an great Italian meal, a killer cocktail and outstanding service but also for their hospitality to pups. Why not try their mouthwatering Truffle Pasta, pizza or rib eye. It’s a perfect spot, especially for a special occasion, when you want to treat yourself but want a place worth every penny of the slightly spendier prices. 

How Matcha 

https://www.howmatchaofficial.com/ 

Venturing a little bit further, into the lovely Marylebone, in a beautiful location on Blandford Street – a place for matcha lovers, a perfect spot for a catch-up over a How Matcha frappé with a mountain of matcha whipped cream and a matcha ice cream sando – summer afternoon essentials, really! Or choose something healthy to keep up with your diet, with creative blends featuring power nutrients like turmeric, collagen, and ginger, plus calming boosters like CBD and many more. They do not leave out your fluffy companions from the indulging into a treat either, at the counter you will find a jar filled with various treats – there will be something even for the pickiest of pooches. 

Have you visited one of these places before? Perhaps you have a few of your favourites you would like to suggest that are worthy to add to the list?

Let me know in the comments below!

All the best,
Justina

13 Essential Crystals For Travelling

Posted in crystals, Holidays, Tips, TravelTagged , , , Leave a comment

While travelling can be a mind-expanding experience, fun and brilliant way to create memories to remember for years, that doesn’t mean it’s stress-free.

Any journey can render difficult by busy airports, delays, unexpected incidents and anxiety about your safety, flying or feel outside your comfort zone. Everyone has their ways of dealing with travel-related worries.

Crystals can be your perfect companion during your adventures, discoveries of new places and meeting new people. Crystals can promote safe and enjoyable travel. Believe it or not, taking a few with you can’t hurt! There are some crystals and gemstones that are particularly recommended to take with you on a trip to help keep us safe, protect our energy and keep us centred.

  1. Moonstone –  The “traveller’s stone” has a long reputation to be a talisman for travellers. This all-around good luck stone is known to help you get into a good sleep schedule and give relief from jet lag. Moonstone is believed to bring good luck and protection, especially for those heading over water and during nighttime travel, calm your nerves and help you to stay calm. It can sooth motion sickness and can ease being homesick when away for long periods.
  2. Amethyst – one of the most traditional and ancient stones used for protection. It repels negative energies and gives you protection while travelling, especially from thieves. Its soothing energy can reduce anxiety, keep you calm and relaxed, helping to ensure that your journey is peaceful.
  3. Malachite – the Guardian Stone for Travellers and is an amazing stone for protection of all kind. It helps with the fear of flying and can help lessen the impact of vertigo. It is said to prevent all kinds of accidents. It is said that if it starts to crumble, the danger is imminent, and is considered a great warning stone.
  4. Howlite – is believed to be a dominant guardian stone. It can help ease an anxious or clouded mind and relax a tensed body. Its soothing energy may help to calm fits of anger and bad temper of not only the person carrying it but also of people around.
  5. Aquamarine – is said to be a good luck charm for all who travel by, over or near waters and was used since ancient times by sailors. It is also a great help assist in calming tensions and stresses caused by travel and is even supposed to help with seasickness.
  6. Shungite – helps you stay grounded and feel centred. Shungite is also called a digital detoxing crystal as it offers an energetic protection shield against electromagnetic fields emitted by electronic devices
  7. Yellow Jasper – this stone is a great talisman for protection for both physical and spiritual travel. It can help ease motion sickness, and reduces anxiety in an unfamiliar location, help you to stay grounded, give a welcome boost to your confidence levels, enhance mental clarity and positive energy while the world is moving by.crystals-pinterest
  8. Smokey Quartz – protects during travel. Powerful stone to transform negative energies into positive energies. Smoky quartz brings a calming sense of awareness, can boost intuition and keeps you alert with new people in unfamiliar surroundings and protects from the chaotic and crazy energies of other travellers. It’s very protective of those on-the-go and keeps you safe while you’re en route in moving vehicles.
  9. Black Tourmaline – is one of the strongest protection crystals. It works as a shield against negative energies and is very helpful in releasing fears. Black tourmaline promotes a more positive and relaxed approach when travelling and provides reassurance to its wearer/bearer.
  10. Tiger’s Eye – can keep you grounded whilst promoting courage for exploring new places. This gemstone also releases fear, provides an overall sense of mindfulness and aids in protection against negative energies. It is very grounding and promotes patience.
  11. Rose quartz – known for its loving properties, it can help you tune into the best version you can be, enhance positivity in various situations, reduce homesickness and may even protect against accidents.
  12. Lemurian Quartz – is great to help you keep your patience, slow down and enjoy the moment. It brings multi-level healing to your body, heart, mind, and spirit. It has a powerful, soothing, and gentle energy that gives you clarity.
  13. Garnet – Like moonstone, garnet is also known as a traveller’s stone. Used to ensure a safe return back home and is said to be protective against accidents.

Which one would you choose?

Love,
Justina

Airplane Essentials: 12 Items to Make Your Trip More Enjoyable

Posted in Holidays, Tips, TravelTagged , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Travel can be exhausting and packing a few essentials to make it more enjoyable and provide a little bit of comfort can make it so much more enjoyable. Everyone that travels a lot have a sort of check list while they prepare for a trip. Mine is below and I do hope you find it usefull:

1 Travel Pillow 
I use this inflatable one which is a real lifesaver. It also is so easy to fit into your carry-on and to keep it clean – you can remove the outer layer and wash it after each trip.

2.  A collapsable water bottle
Hydration, hydration, hydration!

3.  Antibacterial wipes
One of the most usefll things ever  – always good to keep it around!

4. A Travel Organiser
Keep all the important documents safe and in one compact place

5. A Sleep Kit
Travel can be exhausting and while you are flying it’s great to have a good rest and be fresh to carry on

6. A Lip Balm
The dry cabin air is hard for your skin, have a good moisturing lip balm with you to keep you lips nourished.

7. Some Entertainment
I always have a good book to help me pass the time. Amazon kindle is a great solution where you can keep a bunch of the book and read the one that takes your fancy.

8. A portable battery charger
I tried so many of portable chargers until I found this one – your phone will never die on you again!

9. A pair of soft, thick socks
A cosy pair of socks really, really makes plane travel soo much more comfortable

10. A toothbrush and toothpaste / mint or gum
Nothing than a bad breath, right?

11. Vitamin C
Keep your immune system strong, especially on holidays!

12. Scarf
Cabins might get very cold and a soft cosy scarf will keep you warm and happy you brought it on board

 

Do you have any other essentials you take with you while you travel?

Love,
Hewnly

How to Care for Plants While You are on Holiday

Posted in Holidays, Plants, Tips, TravelTagged , , , , , 1 Comment

Every time I go away for a longer time, I used to wonder and worry – will my plants survive? I am an expat and am in a relationship with one too, meaning, I travel quite a lot between our home-countries as well as new places we decide to visit. So how do I care for my greenery at home whilst I am away?

  1.  Move them away from direct sunlight
  2. Watering, pretty much summed up in this video below, and believe me, it works like a charm!

Pretty easy, no? Now it even surprises me to think it used to be one of the things to stress me out while getting ready for vacations!

YOu can take it a step further and create/buy pretty container for water and keep the watering system all the time – saving your valuable time and minimizing the need to manually water your plants!

I hope it helps you as much as it helped me! If you have any other suggestions please do share in the comments below!

Kiss,
Hewnly

11 Air-Cleaning Plants That Are Easy to Care For

Posted in Interior, Plants, TipsTagged , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Especially for those living in big and busy cities, air-purifying plants are essential at home. I, unfortunately, do not have green thumbs and used to manage to kill at least one specimen quarterly. Now I try to stick with more resilient plants that can survive under my care!

I have only a couple of these but plan to expand the collection in the future.

Added bonus – they are incredibly beautiful and Instagram worthy!

Besides being beautiful, having any of the plants below in your home may provide a variety of health benefits, including:

• Provide Cleaner Air

• Clear Congestion

• Natural Humidifier

• Prevent Allergies

• Increase Happiness

• Improve Mental Health

• Relieve Headaches

• Provide Inspiration

• Improve Sleep

• Negate Cigarette Smoke

• Reduce Carbon Dioxide

And here is my list of top 11 Air-purifying plants that are also absolutely beautiful

  1. Rubber Plant

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  2. Devil’s Ivy

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  3. Spider Plant

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  4. Dwarf Date Palm
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  5. Chinese Evergreen

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  6. Dracaena

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  7. Ficus/Weeping Fig

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  8. Peace Lily

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  9. Boston Fern
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  10. Snake Plant/Mother-in-Law’s Tongue

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  11. Aloe Vera

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I hope you found this post helpful!

If you enjoyed learning about the best plants for clean air, please do share this article with your family and friends x

Love,
Hewnly

 

Yoga Morning Flow and 3 Youtube Channels to Get You Moving

Posted in Lifestyle Design, Movement, TipsTagged , , , , , 2 Comments

Continuing the Summer Wellness Challenge theme I started with my previous post and the Day 1 Challenge – 10min morning yoga stretch, I thought I will share a Youtube video I would recommend to try and  3 yoga channels to check out to get you started on the yogi journey. And if you are already familiar, maybe you’ll find something new for inspiration!

Morning Flow

 

 

3 Youtube Channels about Yoga I recommend

  1. Of course, The Bad Yogi

    Capture 1

    As Erin describes her channel:

Hi everyone and welcome to Bad Yogi! My name is Erin Motz & I’m not your traditional yoga teacher: I’m the carnivorous, red wine and French cheese-loving type, and my aim is to keep my classes fun and accessible. You won’t hear much Sanskrit, I totally forgive you if you don’t know your asana from your elbow, & I firmly believe that yoga is for everyone, from the kale-loving vegan to the prize-winning deer hunter.

At Bad Yogi, we’re redefining the image of yoga culture. It’s time to remove the snobbery, pretense, and endless “prerequisites” to fit into this community and that’s why we’re here. I may be a Bad Yogi, but if I’m being totally honest, teaching yoga has been one of my greatest pleasures; I practice to feed my teaching, but I teach to feed my life. Here you can expect to find yoga classes, Q&As, vlogs and some stuff just for fun. Can’t wait to “see” you in class

 

2.  Ekhart Yoga
Capture 2

A brief description by the team curating the channel:

EkhartYoga.com offers high quality online yoga & meditation classes so that you can enjoy yoga anytime, anywhere. Your yoga, your body, your way

With EkhartYoga.com you can begin and advance your yoga practice with great teachers and the support of your fellow EkhartYogis. Led by Esther Ekhart and joined by world class teachers including David Lurey, Julie Martin, MacKenzie Miller, Joey Miles, Nichi Green, Katy Appleton, Lisa Petersen, Anat Geiger, Jennilee Toner, James Reeves and more.

 

3.  Method Yoga
Capture 3

Channel description:

Method Yoga is designed for those interested yoga, fitness and cross training. Because we confined to this body how we move and train is essentially important to wellbeing and success. Any movement system that lacks key insight gained from the biological sciences and modern athletic training principles is outdated and omits key features necessary for students to excel in today’s complex world. Method Yoga represents the current drive of Integral theory though movement and bodily training. Method Yoga is an inclusive system that dissolves the boundaries that isolate and separate various approaches that lead to fragmentation and division. Disunity occurs through recognizing differences and forgetting the implicit unity as well as key drivers. Thus Method Yoga offers the student a processes of development and transformation by uniting methodologies of old and new so one begins to experience true liberation, wholeness and actualization which is the definition and purpose of “yoga”.

 

No doubt yoga or any other way to move/sport is very personal, however, if you would ask me, yoga is probably the easiest to start and if you stick to it for an even short while, you will find many benefits and long-lasting love for mindful movement.

Hope you find this useful!

Love,
Hewnly

3 Daily Habits to Start in 2018

Posted in Diet, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Lifestyle Design, TipsTagged , , , , , , , , , , 13 Comments

Feel stuck in a routine or standstill? Can’t move forward with your goals?

It’s the little things you do that often determine success or failure.

 “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
Just like many, when the New Year starts I spend quite a bit of time contemplating what’s next for me, what have I achieved during the previous year and how would I like to better myself. I try to be as realistic and honest as possible – that is the only way this can work, the only way to improve and change your life, steer it in the direction of your choice.
It seems like not an easy task to change yourself. Trust me, I get you. Sometimes, you just gotta do it for you. And if you’re struggling to keep it all together then take a breath and start with this challenge outline of which I found on zenhabits.net :

How to Develop a Habit
Do a 30-day challenge, focusing on just ONE habit.

  • Write it out on paper, along with your motivations, obstacles, and strategies for overcoming them.
  • Commit fully, in a public way.
  • Log your progress.
  • Remain publicly accountable — report on your progress each day.
  • Have support for when you falter — either in real life or online.
  • Reward every little success.
  • If you fail, figure out what went wrong, plan for it, and try again.

Read full article here

Last year, one of the habits I vowed to myself to start is reading every day. Now, I have a book with me anywhere I go and read (mostly) on my commute which adds to about an hour a day. For then I can’t have a book with me or forget to put it in my bag, I have the Kindle app on my phone with a range of books already downloaded, just in case. Now I feel anxious if I don’t get to catch up on my reading! I try to read a different type of book every time. I alternate between non-fiction and fiction, self-help, historical novels, autobiographies,…

If you don’t read much or at all, this is probably the first habit I would recommend to pick up.

As Todd Henry writes in his article on inc.com:

You can’t draw water from an empty well. Do you take time each day to fill yours? The quality of input that you curate often determines the quality of your creative output. As Steve Jobs once quipped, “creativity is just connecting things”, but to do so you obviously need things to connect.

I encourage you to set aside time each morning or evening to fill your well, to read inspiring or challenging books, to watch videos or listen to talks, or to otherwise fill your well so that you have something to draw from when engaging in your work.

 

There are a number of new habits I would like to pick up this year but I think I will start with these three:

1. Meditation

It trains the part of your brain that is responsible for willpower and self-control. Basically, meditation gives you the ability to train your mind, be more in control of your emotion, focus on your goals and ultimately – achieve them. Meditation also increases your sense of general well-being which makes you more positive and happier.

2. Excercise

I have an on and off relationship with working out, which, I guess, is not that uncommon. However this year I will make it one of my main priorities to have a more regular and frequent workout routine.

I read somewhere that most people who start sticking to a

fitness regimen will often find themselves adjusting their diet as well
even if they’re told not to. Two birds with one shot sound good to me!
It makes sense because if you’re working your ass off, you’re less likely to eat junk food right after because you know it undoes all your hard work.
Because these two habits basically come in a package together, it requires a lot of willpower to maintain – so if you can make them into full-fledged habits, you’ll be able
to take on smaller habits with ease. The more you train yourself to adopt new habits the easier it gets.
It is also likely that whilst you are working on a new habit, such as exercise and better eating as a result of it, feelings of being tired or foggy are consistently replaced with feeling better with every workout and/or choice of healthier dinner. And if you start feeling better on a day to day basis it makes it much easier to start adopting other good habits. This ability to improve your body’s day-to-day function makes fitness and diet an extremely powerful keystone habit.

3. Trying new things

Keeping your routine fresh will help you stay on track! I am a firm believer of this and whilst working on including more consistent habits of meditation, exercise and diet, I want to make sure to mindfully include new things to mix it everything up.
From cactus water to matcha tea instead of my morning coffee, making your daily routine exciting is the game changer.  It’s easy at first to stick to the same regime, but after a while, you’ll get bored. That’s why you need to switch things up!

It takes discipline & motivation.

In order to be motivated, we have to motivate ourselves every single day.

Motivation is like taking a shower.

Remember that every time you feel you are not and go take a motivational shower asap.

It’s up to you how much you’ll achieve, how far you’ll go or how fast you’ll get there.

Love,
Hewnly

Home Wellness Items That Will Make You Zen

Posted in Food For Thought, Interior, TipsTagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment
The design of your home seriously affects your state of mind, and, in turn, your health. Stress — linked to weight gain, depression, and more — is the enemy of good health.It makes sense to start creating a calming oasis at home and here are a few home wellness items that will help you do that.

1    Clean Air Plants

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2    Soothing Scent Candle

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3   Zen Sand Garden

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4    Relaxation Fountain

5    Himalayan Salt Lamp

6    Succulent Terrarium

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7   Amethyst Crystal Paperweight

Love,

Hewnly