30 April 2017

Things That Make You Go Oooooo (April 2017)

Cambodia - Angkor Wat - 140b

April has been such a crazy month for me! I celebrated Thai New Year with the family in Bangkok and I'm just about to finish my first year studying Thai and because I've enjoyed it so much I'm hoping I've learnt enough to be able to advance to the next stage and continue my studies. In other exciting news I'll be taking a little break from Thailand so be sure to keep an eye on my Instagram if you want to know where I'll be travelling to, I'm SUPER excited about it and I can't wait to share everything I get up to on my adventures.

♥ How To Stay Positive When The New Is Incessantly Negative

♥ 9 Reasons Why You Feel Tired All The Time

♥ Overcoming The Worst Part Of Finding Your Passion

♥ 43 Quick Tips For Your Blog

♥ 10 Signs Your Living In The Wrong City

Out For A Walk

♥ Break-ups and Being Single

♥ What Time Are We Upon And Where Do I Belong?

♥ 7 Signs Your Nerding Out!

♥ You Must Always Take Time For Yourself

♥ 10 Most Inspiring Women in Pop Culture

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♥ 50 Essential Tips For First Time Travellers

♥ 10 Places To Visit This Summer

♥ 13 Ways To Get Rid Of Your Afternoon Slump

♥ The Secret To Accepting Change

♥ 15 Ways To Pamper Yourself Without Spending A Penny

strawberry bear de marce

♥ A Guide To Travelling On A Budget

♥ 7 Articles That Will Make You A Happier Person

♥ 10 Of The Most Dangerous Places In The World You Have To Visit!

♥ How To Quit The Habit Of Pleasing People

♥ 8 Easy Ways To Be Kind Today




Love & Strawberries
Cate
xoxo

25 April 2017

How to Deal with Loneliness and Long Distance Relationships

cupcakes for Laura

Loneliness and long distance relationships can be hard on the heart even with the internet being able to connect us to loved ones all over the world at the click of a button the distance and lack of physical contact can sometimes make us feel lonelier than ever. Being a "halfie" (Thai/British) I've always been half a world away from the people I care about and although I'm kinda used to it I still get moments of loneliness but over the years I've found it much easier to deal with so here are a few ways I deal with those long distance relationships.

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Communication
Now we have the internet and smartphones we can be connected to our loved ones at any given moment be it through social media, Skype, WhatsApp, Line, Kakao Talk etc. I talk to my friends and family almost every day and I love it because there was a time I'd go months without talking to anyone but now I can see their faces whenever I want via video chat and we can send each other all sorts of silly memes and selfies to cheer each other up.

♥ooooh pinky cloud, i love you ana♥
Care Packages
I love treating my friends and family and who doesn't love getting presents? Care packages and letters are a sweet way to keep in touch with loved ones and show them you're thinking about them and receiving them can make you feel even better. Care packages can also be a reminder of home if you're living abroad or even a glimpse into life in another country if your loved ones are living far away.

Ladurée
Solo Dates
Learning to enjoy your own company is one of the best things you can do for yourself and one of the things I like to do if I'm feeling down is take myself out to a cute coffee shop and treat myself. It might sound strange especially when you're surrounded by couples but spending time alone with a good book or some music and just watching the world go by can be a great mood booster especially if there's cake, cake always helps!

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Exercise
Physical activity can boost endorphins therefore giving you an instant mood booster so it's a good thing to do for yourself and of course you want to stay healthy for the next time you see your loved ones so taking up some sort of sport can be beneficial all round, staying in bed and moping does no good for anyone so get up, get out there and do something!

Love & Cuddles
Cate
xoxo


18 April 2017

Coffee & Cake Date #1: Cheevit Cheeva - Chiang Mai - Thailand

Cheevit Cheeva - Chiang Mai - Thailand

Whenever I'm feeling a bit restless or down I go out and treat myself to coffee and cake at one of the many amazing cafes here in Thailand. Chiang Mai is heaven for coffee lovers, not only are there many coffee shops and stalls, they even grow coffee here so you can be sure you're getting the freshest cup there is!

Cheevit Cheeva - Chiang Mai - Thailand

Today I visited a cafe called Cheevit Cheeva which is popular because of its calming atmosphere (it's right next to a spa) and its desserts. I heard the Bingsu is really good here but it was way too big for me to eat alone so I opted for a slice of the red velvet cake instead which came garnished with dried cranberries and gave a nice tartness to the sweetness of the cake. I got myself an iced Americano which had a subtle sweetness to it despite the fact it contained no sugar and they added a slice of orange to it to which is something I've never seen before but luckily I'm a fan of orange flavoured things so it added a tasty interesting touch.

Cheevit Cheeva - Chiang Mai - Thailand

วันนี้ไปร้านชื่อชีวิตชีวา คนชอบไปเที่ยวร้านมี้เพราะว่าติดกับสปาแล้วมีอารมณ์ดีและขนมอร่อยมากๆ ฉันได้ยินว่าบิงซูที่ร้านมี้อร่อยที่สุดแต่ฉันไม่เคยกินเพราะว่าบิงซูใหญ่เกินไปกินคนเดียว กินเค้กดีกว่า เค้กนี้หวานแต่ใส่ลูกแครนเบอร์รี่เปรี้ยวนิดๆ สั่งอเมริกาโน่มาไม่ใส่นำ้ตาลแต่หวานน้อย มีชิ้นส้มด้วย ฉันไม่เคยเห็นกาแฟแบบนี้แต่ฉันชอบรสส้ม รสนี้น่าสนใจและอร่อยด้วย

 What's your favourite coffee and cake combo?
Love & Cookies
Cate
xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more awesome cafes from around the world you can click the button below & buy me a coffee


12 April 2017

Asian Dramas I'm Watching and Loving!

Best Friends

Time again to share with you some of the Asian dramas I've been watching and loving lately. I have to say I've been watching some really good ones lately especially from Korea and I've almost entirely abandoned some of the western series I used to watch! So if you're looking for a break away from the usually TV schedule here are just a few Asian series for you to check out...

เสิร์ฟรักล้นใจให้ยัยตัวแสบ & ทฤษฎีป่วนหัวใจให้ปิ๊งรัก
U-Prince is making the list again and this time I'm recommending two series as they're only four episodes each, The Badass Baker AKA Dash and The Absolute Economist AKA Teddy, I will admit T-Rex is still my fave "prince" and probably will always be but these two boys are just as handsome and sweet but what I liked most about these two more than the previous U-Prince series I've watched is the female leads who we're just as funny and charming as the boys, they were actual fully formed characters in themselves with their own stories and problems rather than just a romantic plot device for the male lead in fact I think I actually preferred watching Chompink more than Teddy!

狼王子
This is a Taiwanese drama about a boy who is lost in the mountains and raised by wolves who then falls in love with a girl and tries to adjust to life back in the human world. Pretty much as soon as I saw wolf in the title I knew I had to watch it even though the wolves are big, cuddly, adorable Malamutes but they're one of my favourite dogs so I won't complain. The lead actors of this series are so cute and I really found myself rooting for them and their families to, everyone was just so incredibly sweet in this drama it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.


도깨비
Goblin definitely filled the hole that Legend of the Blue Sea left when it finished although both aired in Korea at the same time this drama became the second most highest rated drama in Korean TV history and it totally deserves it to! Goblin is about an immortal Goblin who lives with a Grim Reaper and falls in love with a girl who can see Ghosts, I don't want to go into the plot too much because y'all need to watch this because it's just so beautiful in every way. I loved these characters so much and seeing the mythology and history of their past lives and how it affected their present and future lives (much like Legend of the Blue Sea) was so interesting to watch, there were so many cute, funny moments but then as with most KDramas you get hit like a truck in the feels so make sure you have some tissues when you watch this.

おかしの家
This slice of life drama set in an old fashioned sweet shop in Japan is really heartwarming. The drama centers around Taro who lives with his grandmother who owns a sweet shop and spends most of his days hanging out with his neighbourhood friends thinking about the future and reminiscing about their childhood days. Although the drama isn't especially exciting and there's not much action (each episode is only 20 minutes long) it really filled me with a sense of nostalgia probably because I'm at the same stage in life as these characters where I'm am adult and have to deal with adult life but want to keep a sense of my childhood despite the harsh realities of the world. This is one of those dramas that's just nice to kick back and relax to after a stressful day because it's such an easy watch and although there are some very strange and sad moments it does leave you with a sense of hope.

더블유
Doctor Oh Yeon-Joo's father mysteriously goes missing after completing the latest chapter of his webtoon and while searching his office for clues Oh Yeon-Joo get's dragged into the world of the webtoon by it's dying main character Kang Cheol in order to save him. THIS drama is AMAZING the plot is really unique compared to most other Asian dramas, yes it's romance but there's a lot of mystery and supernatural elements to which I really loved and it's done in such a interesting, stylish way. I have never binge watched a series so quickly it sucked me in right from the start (pun intended) and is definitely one of the best Asian dramas I've ever watched.

Love & Ice Coffee
Cate
xoxo

04 April 2017

Korean Beauty Haul & Review Part 2 (The Face Shop, It's Skin, Pokemon, Innisfree)


If you watched my last Korean beauty haul video you'll know I had even more products I wanted to share with you all, although most of my skincare and make-up is from Etude House there are many other Korean brands I love to so here's a video showing the rest of the items I bought whilst I was in Bangkok and of course all the amazing freebies they give me.


I've listed all the products I've mentioned down below if you want to find out more about them or purchase them and if you do buy from any of the affiliate links below I get a small commission which really helps me out. I'll be putting myself on a beauty ban now because I have soooo many products I want to use up and try out before I stock up on any more, so this will most likely be my last beauty haul for a while but please do let me know what you're favourite Asian beauty products are and some of the interesting ones you'd like to try out.

 Products Mentioned 

The Face Shop

*Myeonghan Miindo Heaven Grade Ginseng Whitening Essence - http://amzn.to/2kxq2sz
*Real Nature Lemon Citron Sheet Mask - http://amzn.to/2l7TpUc
* Disney Mike Wazowski CC Long Lasting Cushion - http://amzn.to/2l7YrQB
* Disney Winnie the Pooh CC Cooling Cushion - http://amzn.to/2kJJGCN
* Disney Mickey Mouse BB Power Perfection - http://amzn.to/2l83cd5
* CC Ultra Moist Cushion - http://amzn.to/2kx79X2
Kakao Friends Melting Color Lip Creamer 11 Twinkle Neo - http://bit.ly/2lP9E7Q
White Seed Discovery Kit - http://bit.ly/2kJX49W

It's Skin

*Power 10 Formula PO Effector - http://amzn.to/2kStgur
GOT7 Jackson Honey Mask Sheet - http://bit.ly/2lPatyt

Cathy Doll

Pokemon Cushion Blusher - http://bit.ly/2kStLoa & http://bit.ly/2lKHqPI

Innisfree

*Orchid Eye Cream - http://amzn.to/2kxLqOu
*Green Tea Seed Serum - http://amzn.to/2ljBj3M
*Green Tea Moisture Essence - http://amzn.to/2kK5zSu
*Green Tea Moisture Cream - http://amzn.to/2kK4Ctr
*Green Tea Balancing Cleansing Oil - http://amzn.to/2kSUHnS
*Green Tea Balancing Cleansing Foam - http://amzn.to/2ljPyWe
*Green Tea Seed Cream - http://amzn.to/2kxIDow
*Olive Real cleansing Foam - http://amzn.to/2ljNQnP
*Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam - http://amzn.to/2kSUroG
*Jeju Volcanic Clay Mousse Mask - http://amzn.to/2l8f8eR
Perfect 9 Repair Special Kit - http://bit.ly/2lQZTq0
*Jeju Lava Seawater Mist - http://amzn.to/2kT3m9P
*Orchid Enriched Cream - http://amzn.to/2kK7ZR4
*Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask - http://amzn.to/2kSZ6He
*Aloe Revital Soothing Gel - http://amzn.to/2kxQhiG
*It's Real Squeeze Sheet Mask - http://amzn.to/2kSVJQy
(*Contains affiliate links)

Thanks for watching & let me know what videos you'd like me to make
Love & Lipstick
Cate
xoxo