Sundaze 250: Celebrating Valentine’s, Sick Week and Yatay with Winnie

Happy Sundaze!

It feels like it’s been an absolute age since I last checked in on here, even though I’ve had posts published and managed to reply a few comments here and there. That super-contagious cold that’s doing the rounds got me good. Then, I had an incredibly busy week or so with studies (I completed and passed my short course!), belated Valentine’s celebrations and early birthday treats. Paris Fashion Week is also right around the corner, which means work has been satisfyingly busy for me. And, my boyfriend and I are flying to Rome next week to celebrate my birthday. I told you, it’s a busy season indeed.

How have you all been? Tell me all about your Palentine’s, Valentine’s, Galentine’s get-togethers, and other February happenings.

Sick Week

Let’s start with the worst of it: getting knocked out by a cold wasn’t quite on my agenda for February but, around here, we take things in our stride. It was a strange one as I was incredibly ill for 24 hours, then felt better, managed to head to my boyfriend’s for our usual weekend together, and then got much, much worse as the evening hit. As such, our Valentine’s dinner ended up with me having to box up my meal and drive home early. My boyfriend took such good care of me and thanks to plenty of paracetamol, home-cooked congee, soup and rolls, I didn’t miss too many days. Plus, rest is always good.

Celebrating Valentine’s

Like I mentioned, our Valentine’s dinner ended up being cut short. We’d gone to The Guard House in Royston, Hertfordshire, which was absolutely delicious, but I felt so unwell just before we arrived that I had to box up most of my dinner (for a second round later!). Really, it reminded me that love isn’t shown or proved through grand gestures, it’s the little things. It’s the homemade desserts he prepares for me after long weeks. It’s the way he never lets my glass of water get empty. It’s the way he made sure I was warm enough when unwell.

Dreamy red roses in tow, I spent Valentine’s Day nursing the remnants of my cold and working from home. I got to rest a little more – ultimate self-care in this busy world – and spend the evening cooking dinner with my Mama and sister! Instead, my boyfriend and I continued our Valentine’s celebrations last weekend with a visit to a local wildlife park (so cute and fun!) and dinner at a spot that’s been on our list for months.

A London date with Winnie!

Having been extremely restrained with social plans thus far in 2023, I was really excited to spend some time with my girl Winnie today, in London no less! We haven’t seen each other since the Before Times™ so it felt extra special to see her.

We started off with lunch at Yatay in Soho – incredible, although an odd vibe inside – and then headed to the British Library to explore the free ‘Chinese and British’ exhibition, a celebration of British Chinese communities and culture. Winnie and I are often sharing our experiences as British-Chinese women with one another, as well as our online communities, and we really enjoyed it! A really lovely day out with an even lovelier friend.

On the watch, read and listen list

With several days spent confined to my bed, I did my fair share of Netflix, book and podcast consumption. I ploughed through Physical: 100 and The Vatican Girl on Netflix – both great! – and read Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner at last, then got through plenty of podcast episodes, which I’m planning on writing a separate post about. What have you been enjoying, entertainment-wise, lately?

Links I’ve Loved

The Superbowl may be over but I’ve still got my eyes on Love & Lemon’s Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower recipe. It looks delicious and I’m definitely rustling a batch up for a mid-week snack.
I really enjoyed and appreciated Alice Wong’s article on Teen Vogue: a love letter to activism and the disability community.
TALA have (finally) expanded their size range! I wax lyrical about this brand – and always recommend Girlfriend Collective for a diverse and inclusive size range – so am thrilled to see TALA now cater to sizes from 2XS to 4XL. Their Skin Luxe collection is one of my favourites.
50 Journal Prompts and Affirmations for Self-Love via The Everygirl
The inimitable Demi Colleen has relaunched her blog and she penned a post all about breaking up with fast fashion, a necessity in these trying times.
Of course I’m still keeping a bullet journal, but I really enjoyed Auderoy’s post about the journals she’s keeping in 2023.
Equally, Megan’s bullet journal posts always inspire me. We have different journalling styles and methods, yet I find it so interesting to see others’ mindful updates to their personal systems.