A Wonderful World

                                                     'A POWERFUL TALE OF A MOTHER'S SURVIVAL' Netflix have returned with another hit series ‘ Maid ’, which follows young mother Alex as she fights to care for her daughter Maddie while experiencing abuse, lack of support and income. Although it’s extremely hard hitting, covers some sensitive topics and has some very raw moments, it’s a beautiful and very honest portrayal of the reality of the circumstances for many and provides light and hope for those who may have been affected by similar situations.   It’s inspired by Stephanie Land’s 2019 Memoir, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive , in which she shares about working as a maid while raising her daughter. It’s ‘inspired’ by rather than ‘based’ on, as many of the characters, happenings and storylines have been created for t...

                                                 A SHOW THAT ISN'T AFRAID TO TACKLE TRUTH AND TRAUMA. Ola Ince directs an insightful ‘Romeo and Juliet’ at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre which takes to the stage from 26 September to 17 October. This production is unlike any other take on the play I have seen, despite honouring Shakespeare’s text throughout, they also step away from tradition in many ways. At moments, characters inject a few responses using modern day language, but I felt this doesn’t jar at all, it only adds a light-hearted humour and heart-warming connectivity that everyone craves when watching theatre. This company are bold and unforgiving and that’s what I loved most. Despite other productions drawing on the violence and conflict throughout the play between Montagues and Capulets, many performances that focus on a traditional delivery of the play d...

US Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has changed the narrative around mental health. In stepping away from the Tokyo Olympics final after achieving her lowest Olympic vault score, she’s sparked conversation around the importance of putting ones health first and prioritising caring for ourselves. Losing her bearings mid-air and experiencing ‘twisties’, a mental block resulting in the loss of spatial awareness, she pulled out in fear of her mental and physical state. Despite the discomfort or difficulty it may cause along the way, we have to continue to consider our mental wellbeing and the benefits of doing so. The young athlete was and is a huge name across the world, and therefore faced with a huge amount of pressure and expectation from those watching, she was expected to win gold by many as she has so gracefully many times before. She was set to succeed similarly to her wins at Rio 2016, with expectations from the nation on her shoulders. It’s this unnecessary burden and strain that ca...

                                                 'CLASSIC AND CREATIVE COCKTAILS' Despite the lack of sun recently, the summer holidays and summer months have meant family and friends have been reuniting and coming together as restrictions have eased. Sun or not, hopefully you can get some garden gatherings and parties can get booked in the diary. Over the course of the pandemic we have had the time to explore and get resourceful in our kitchens, one of the popular experimentations being cocktails. Whether you’re trying to save a bit of money at home rather than spend away in the pub, you’re looking to host the next garden party or want an activity to delve into with family or friends, I thought I’d share some easy and tasty cocktails to try creating at home. 1)     BANANA COLADA (Serves 2) - 100ml Rum of choice - 250ml Pineapple Juice - 2...

      After shedding light on the impact of Suranne Jones’ performance and the harrowing storyline shared in Episode 1 ‘I am Victoria’, I wanted to touch upon the other two episodes in the series. ‘I am’ is a mini-series on Channel 4, made up of three episodes with different casts tackling challenges and taboo topics faced throughout womanhood that are all emotionally raw, thought-provoking and personal. As addressed in a previous blog, episode one takes us through Victoria’s journey as she’s pushed towards a breakdown. The powerful performances, Dominic Savage’s detailed direction and step to bring such a sensitive subject matter to screen has been praised across the nation. It’s proven to be a success, Episode 2 and 3 haven’t been a disappointment either, they’ve continued to have a huge impact on viewers and the conversations had around women, wellbeing and taboo topics. Episode 2 ‘I am Danielle’, delves into consent, relationships and boundaries. Danielle is playe...

‘Listen and learn, listen and love.’ Another Podcast post. 6 podcasts that I particularly love. This week I thought I’d share some more of my favourite podcasts. Whether it’s because they’ve taught me, enlightened me, inspired me or simply entertained me, here’s a few that I’d recommend listening to and a brief outline of what they cover. 1)  1)  HAPPY PLACE: Hosted by Fearne Cotton, this podcast is equally beautiful and inspirational. Bringing a different guest on for each episode, she discusses what helps them experience happiness, as well as the difficulties they’ve faced through their life. It’s insightful hearing about others’ lives and through discussing the mind and its battles it helps to remove the stigma that surrounds mental health. It’s reassuring to remind yourself that you’re not alone and that everyone has their highs and lows. Fearne is a great host, very compassionate, calm and a great listener. There are some very insightful conversations and inspiration...

AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE, BEAUTIFUL CANDLES. Candles are more than just a fragrant piece of decor. They have multiple benefits, which have been particularly useful since the pandemic began. Not only do they smell and look lovely when lit, they can also effect the way we feel. Candles and our sense of smell play an important role in the physiological effects of mood, stress and working capacity. Their scents can help to create specific feelings in the body.  They can help create ambience, whether in the bath, in the bedroom or centred on the dining table, they can enhance and change the way we feel in a space. Their aromas can help calm the mind and have been proven to help with various psychological and physiological disorders, particularly anxiety and depression. It's also been found that their scents can improve our mood and enhance memory, some scents have been proven to lower cortisol- the hormone released when under stress, and also activate chemicals in the brain including dop...

                                    Every year, during the month of June, the LGBT community celebrates in a variety of ways, millions come together to support the community and raise awareness around sexuality, equality, rights and the freedom to be ourselves. Various events, parades and festivals are held during this month as a way of recognising the influence LGBT people have had around the world, and June was chosen because it is when the 1969 Stonewall Riots took place, the protests that began to change gay rights for many in America and beyond. Ultimately, the month celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual,  transgender,  non binary  and queer (LGBTQ+)  social and self acceptance, achievements, legal rights,  and pride.  The events also at times serve as demonstrations for legal rights such as same sex marriage.  Pride has long been vital in pav...

"OUR BODIES ARE INCREDIBLE, AND THE POWER OF ART MEANS WE CAN CELEBRATE THIS THROUGH A DIFFERENT MEDIUM." With time at home, jobs on the line and a yearning to combat boredom and anxiety throughout Lockdown, many of us have turned to pastimes to keep us entertained and busy. Sophia Gabrielides has done just that and taken a leap by creating her own small business for her paintings.  But these paintings are more than just an opportunity to express and experiment with her love of art, they are empowering and liberating others. Social media continues to have a huge influence in our lives and it can often be the first thing we turn to when filling time. Despite the positives that come out of these platforms including building connections, they can also cause us to dive head first into unnecessary behaviours and thought patterns. Whether it be comparing to others or spending our time looking at others lives rather than living our own, we can find ourselves being overly critical of...