Tag: finds

Animal Kingdom, Lifestyle, Nature, Recycle Less

Weekend Friday Favourites

by natjtanLeave a Comment on Weekend Friday Favourites

I hope you’re having a great weekend! I can’t believe tomorrow is the 1st of June. May flew by compared to March and April. Don’t waste time by not doing things you want to do! 

This week’s Weekend Friday Favourites is short and sweet. My world is slowly getting little bigger now we’re allowed out for time slotted exercise, it’s still tiny compared to pre March. Pre March I was around people almost daily. For the past 14 weeks I’ve spoke to so few people in person I’m conscious of over talking too much when I do. Anyways, things that have made me smile or caught my eye this week. 

Orange Juice 

Aside from water one thing I start to crave daily as it gets hotter is a glass of cold orange juice. While I don’t like eating oranges I love orange juice. There’s something about a cold glass of orange juice that helps quench thirst, gives a boost thanks to its natural sugars, making you feel refreshed all at once. 

Ducklings

I couldn’t handle the cuteness this week in Parc de la Ciutadella. Where I usually see turtles hanging out sunbathing, a family of baby ducklings were huddled tomando sol with Mama close by. I’d seen her earlier in the week out with her chicks and hoping she hasn’t lost one.

Continue reading “Weekend Friday Favourites” →
Beauty and Skin Care, Fitness, Lifestyle, Nature, Photography

Weekend Friday Favourites

by natjtanLeave a Comment on Weekend Friday Favourites

Welcome to another Weekend Friday Favourites! I hope you’re having a great weekend!

Apologies for the gap in Weekend Friday Favourites. Some of you many know Spain has one of the strictest Covid-19 lockdowns in Europe. Translation unless an essential worker you could only leave your house for the supermarket, bank, doctors or work. 7 weeks of not being allowed outside unless a bike ride to the supermarket or bakers lead me to dark place. It’s not the worst dark place I’ve found myself in. Maybe, a different room of darkness. Add a huge birthday this month of a new decade for a girl it’s all downhill. Thankfully the Spanish government last weekend has allowed us out to exercise. We have times slots based on age and I can’t tell you how good it feels being able to freely within reason run and cycle. To see the sea up close again, feel open space, see flowers, birds and other people with happy faces. Hopefully in a week Catalunya can move into phase 1 of a little more freedom as restrictions are eased.

Freedom Flowers. 1st bike ride in 7 weeks!

I’m also getting up early too! We’re only allowed out once day for exercise within the 2 time slots. I’ve chosen the mornings between 06.00-10.00 as I’m guaranteed daylight and sunshine. The other time slot is 20.00-23.00 however 21.00 it starts to get dark. I need all the sunshine and vitamin D I can get.

Anyways, Weekend Friday Favourites, things that have made me smile or caught my eye recently. Please feel free to comment below what’s been making you smile recently! 

Mike Peele Hip-Hop Fit

As I was unable to run, on run days I did Popsugar Fitness Dance workouts. Most trainers are guest hosts with links to their own YouTube or fitness businesses. I took a Mike Peele’s Hip-Hop Dance Workout and really enjoyed it. Seeing if he had more classes of his own on YouTube he does! Pre USA stay at home orders Continue reading “Weekend Friday Favourites” →

Beauty and Skin Care, Recycle Less

Beauty Finds: Hair Care Bars Part 2

by natjtan2 Comments on Beauty Finds: Hair Care Bars Part 2

Welcome to another Beauty Finds: Hair Care Bars Part 2! As some you may know I’m trying to reduce my plastic consumption. I’ve always said beauty products after food are the the hardest plastic area for me to reduce. Thankfully with hair care, it’s getting easier to go plastic free with solid shampoo and conditioner bars! However just like their liquid counterparts it takes many frogs to find the right ones.

I’ve found some bars might contain too much sulphate that make my fine hair go crazy frizzy. Nobody wants that! I also feel sometimes the ingredients are a little more concentrated being in a bar. Just like with all my beauty products I always go for cruelty free products, vegan a bonus. I prefer natural clean products and try to avoid nasty ingredients such as parabens, petrochemical ingredients and its derivatives, SLS etc. I avoid palm oil if I can as I prefer orangutangs. I’m not perfect, some nasty ingredients slip through as I sped read the label, or it’s a derivatives or an alias I’m not familiar with. With make up I opt for cruelty free, clean as possible ingredients however it’s harder with make up than skincare to avoid the crap free ingredients. My skin type is oily, combo, sensitive, acne and needs all the help it can get with anti aging. My hair type is fine, gets greasy quickly and is prone to damage even though I don’t colour it or use any heat treatments on it. I often get OWay rebuilding treatment. 

One thing I have noticed with solid shampoo and conditioners is the price. It’s a lot kinder to the bank balance. Depending on the size they also last longer. This I find interesting as many natural liquid shampoos and conditioners cost almost 3-5 times or more the price of a bar.

Solito Herbal Solid Shampoo. Neutral For All Hair Types 

This did what it said, neutral for all hair types. I was sad when it had it’s last lather. It kept my hair happy and shiny in 3 countries with 3 different climates. It left it feeing clean, happy, a little shiny. It’s scent didn’t really smell, it lathered nicely, it was a great everyday shampoo. I would repeat buy however:

It contains propylene glycol, petrochemical derived. I’ll admit I over looked it at the time as the previous solid shampoo bars made my hair a little crazy Continue reading “Beauty Finds: Hair Care Bars Part 2” →

Animal Kingdom, Fitness, Lifestyle, Nature, Photography, Weekend Friday Favourites

Weekend Friday Favourites

by natjtan5 Comments on Weekend Friday Favourites

I hope you’re having a great weekend! I won’t lie, being on lockdown cooped coming up for the 6th week I’m having my loopy moments, my motivated moments and perhaps more demotivated moments.

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I think the Spanish government will call the State of Alarm next week for another two weeks. The government can only call it every two weeks. I’m just hoping they relax some restrictions and we’re allowed outside even if it’s for exercise. This however might be different for each region based on regional covid-19 infection levels or health care facilities. If another 2 weeks is added, that’s 2 months under near total lockdown. I understand the whys, so don’t come for me! As Catalunya is one of the worst hit regions after Madrid, it might be one of the last regions to have restrictions lifted. One thing all regions can agree on is kids that have been cooped up for nearly 6 weeks need to get outdoors to play. The next State of Alarm may allow for this. Big kids allowed out too would be amazing too.

As for Weekend Friday Favourites, it’s short one. This week’s been a struggle motivationally and mentally. My birthday’s next month, a big one and with that comes lots of whys, what ifs, what no’s, what I’ve done etc. I lost a few days in a little head spin. But hey, everybody gets old! Youth’s appreciated as it’s got fat cheeks, no wrinkles, elastic skin! Nature really likes to hit you hard with age. Just when you’ve getting used to things she takes them away! Okay enough reflection. If you’re still here, Weekend Friday Favouites, things that have made me smile this week or caught my eye. 

Birds

Ducks, kestrels, wagtails, seagulls, swifts, parakeets, magpies and pigeon seen flying. All flying higher or lower than usual. 

Dried Mango

I did a little mental happy dance finding sulphate free dried mango slices in Continue reading “Weekend Friday Favourites” →

Beauty and Skin Care, Fitness, Food, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Weekend Friday Favourites

Weekend Friday Favourites

by natjtan2 Comments on Weekend Friday Favourites

I hope you’re having a great weekend! If you’re like me, counting down the days until covid-19 lockdown restrictions end or more than anything ease up, so we can be released from our homes even if it’s to exercise only.

DSCF4258Sea sunrise colours this week

I thought again this week’s Weekend Friday Favourites, things that have caught my eye or made me smile this week would be short and sweet. However once I start, it’s like thinking what you’re grateful for or counting blessings. The list’s always larger than you think.

Less Traffic Noise

Mountain mist one morning this week

Two weeks ago Spain imposed further lockdown rules of only essential workers allowed to work helping kick start flattening the curve. I’m sure many of you know in Europe after Italy, Spain is the worst hit for covid-19 virus. Traffic in the 2 weeks leading up, was reduced as those who could work from basically had to work from home, or if in retail, hospitality etc stay at home as gyms, clothes shops, restaurants closed, has been like Christmas day. Weekend traffic’s quieter than Christmas day. From Monday the non essential workers such as construction, factory workers return to work. Everybody else stays at home as Spain starts to get back to a new normal. We’re still under lockdown! The two constructions sites nearby will be back to work and they’re noisy. I’m going to miss the less traffic, zero construction noise and better air from these past 2 weeks.

Sunrise this week

If I can I’ve been getting up early having breakfast on the balcony before my neighbours get up to soak up the quiet. Try, sometimes I’m still zzz.

Hearing Birds

DSCF0303Photos taken before lockdown

I’ve always been able to hear some birds above the traffic dim like magpies and parakeets but only if they flew at a certain heigh or a lull in the traffic. I’ve been hearing birds in the mornings during Christmas morning rush hour traffic and at the weekends song birds. It makes me so happy to hear them!

I’ve noticed too, seagulls are flying lower and a few song birds flying higher. Most seen birds are seagulls, magpies, pigeons, parakeets with the occasion wagtail, swifts or swallows and kestrel.

Toucan Plant Plant Decoration

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You never know what you’re going to find in Alcampo (Auchan in France) supermarket. While most departments are blocked off, some outdoor lights, bbq Continue reading “Weekend Friday Favourites” →