Naveesha

Why I hate my birthday – an ode to being 24

January 19, 2020January 19, 2020by Naveesha2 Comments

I sit here typing this on the final day/night/hour (for the truly poetic) of being 23 and I am filled with anxiety and dread for my birthday tomorrow. For some, birthdays are the biggest social gathering of the year, multiple outfit changes, lots of presents and attention central for the Tinkerbells of us.

A lot of my birthdays have turned out disappointing – people flake, plans change and it usually ends up with me compromising rather than my original plan

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My 21st has probably been my favourite birthday to date; I was in Sydney while travelling across the East Coast and my birthday coincided with me also meeting up with my friend Megan who I’d only met a month ago while in the Gold Coast. This worked out so well because not only was I in a new exciting city with plenty to do, I was also with someone – solo travel is great but two is better than one for a birthday extravaganza, no? We partied 4 days in a row, explored Bondi/Coogee beach and just had so much fun, I don’t think anything can top having your birthday in Australia to be quite honest. Shoutout to Megan for the makeshift backpacker birthday cake of chocolate muffins!

Birthdays always give me so much pressure because you’re expected to have the time of your life, a huge social occasion and for me a lot of the time it’s turned out to be a normal day coupled with the depressing fact that it is just a normal day except you’re one year closer to death x

I’m slowly realising that it’s okay not to have the best day of your life or have 300 people singing to you and your birthday is literally what you make of it. This year, instead of going hard and drinking so much I get the hangover from hell, I opted to have a lie in (probably the best present ever at the moment, I hate you, working life), booked myself a massage (big up the endorphins), had a lowkey family dinner with yummy Thai food at Elephant Royale and then had a night in with drinks and monopoly

I’m going to aim to do more fun and chilled stuff for my birthdays and not put so much pressure on myself to conform to societal pressures blah blah. Maybe even make it a rule that I’m always in a different city/country because a holiday just tops it all, doesn’t it?

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What do you like to do on your birthday? Let me know!

humour, lifestyle, Memes, society

People you see on Instagram: Millenial Edition

January 12, 2020January 13, 2020by Naveesha2 Comments

Aloha! I thought I’d start 2020 with a ‘fun’ post on Instagram stereotypes. Before anyone who this post targets come for my neck, it’s a joke so live laugh love people.

VSCO Pro’s: Super chic with a capital C. Thinks the right filter makes the photo look deep. Favours a black and white cityscape. Wants to move to Paris,obviously. They won’t shut up about the fact they used Tumblr before it went mainstream.

Soft boys: Selfies with eccentric captions. Will comment on your photo with “👀”. Will take selfies while lighting a spliff incase no one knew he smoked weed. Shares his taste in music through Instastories repeatedly.

Influenzaaaas: Internet version of Influenza. Influencers will use the ‘gram to plug everything from hair extensions to weight loss drinks (judging you). Their selfies all look immaculate, they know how to werk that pose and their posts are glamorous but very dull. They probably order lemon and herb at Nandos. #cheekyspon

Huji girls: VSCO girls but less original. Incense and yoga and half lit photos with seductive hair and captions that have no relation to the post. Has at least two finstas and one of them is a poetry account. Carries around their polaroid everywhere.

Hard boys: Captions photos of their new whip with Drake lyrics. Always trying to rope you into a pyramid scheme. Will comment “👀” on your photos. Type to post a shirtess selfie and write a caption about the fact he’s done trusting people

Boomeranger: Self explanatory. Boomerangs favoured include: Bath bombs dropping into a bath, drinks clinking together, car radio, etc

Travel basics: They’re going away and they want you to know it. Their name written in sand with a heart? Tick. Unimaginitive airplane wing? Tick. Hot-dog legs at the beach? Another tick. A photo with a drugged tiger? Stop being basic and enjoy your holiday please x #CatchFlightsNotFeelings

Gym junkies: Viewing someone’s workout is like writing a grocery list. Everyone does it but no one cares to see yours. Or something. We think it’s great that you hit your targets !! But we don’t care. Put away the sweaty selfies please.

All About The Aesthetic: ThEy foLloW a ThEme. Favours instagram worthy shots of pastel paradise locations such as Élan cafe or Peggy Poschen. Think sugar, spice and all things nice.

Are there any other types of Instagrammers you love to hate? Let me know!

If you want even more basicness, follow me on Instagram: @Naveeshaaa

lifestyle, Review, society, travel, USA

Miami Munch: Where to eat

December 10, 2019December 10, 2019by NaveeshaLeave a Comment

Thought food in the USA just consisted of massive portions of congealed lard and a double portion of fries? Well you’re half right. Some portions are supersize but I found that there was a whole range of deliciousness in variety of cuisines Miami had to offer. Read on for my reccommendations!

Limonada Bar and Breakfast
I really fancied some eggs and this brunch place served me up with a tasty Eggs Benedict with a breakfast potato and hollondaise sauce of course which really hit the spot.
There were loads of other brunch options such as steak and eggs, multiple healthy variations of avocado and toast, a ‘craft your own omelette’ for the creatives, quinoa for the health freaks and sweet options such as waffles and Nutella french toast. Hangover brekkie is sorted and it’s a good ‘un.

Big Pink

This 50s style diner came with massive portions of comfort food on the menu and vibrant red canteen style tables and chairs for that extra chill factor
I ordered the Portobello Mushroom wrap which came in a substantially large tortilla wrap filled with salad and onions, served with potatoes
~~Did I mention the portion was supersize~~? It looks smaller in the photo I promise!
I washed it down with a shot of tequila which must have been at least two shots because this doesn’t look like the one I normally get at Spoons…
Is everything double here? Am I meant to share? What if I don’t want to?

Rosetta Italian Bakery

The perfect little bakery filled with lots of luxurious savoury and sweet slices to nurse that hangover after a night on Ocean Drive
Nutella doughnuts really satisfied my sweet tooth enough and there’s more custard and jam pastries if you’re still craving some sugary goodness
A lot of the late starts we had meant we missed breakfast so I was more than happy to grab a florentine or margharita slice which did the trick
There are also fresh juices and a range of breads.

1-800-Lucky

Set in a location that can be hailed Miami’s answer to Boxpark, there were a range of Asian foods from ramen to Vietnamese sandwiches with a variety of different flavors
Stir fried noodles mixed with sizzling veg and tasty tofu was the dish I opted for – are you drooling yet?
Hip Hop played from booming speakers outside and there was a cocktail bar which served a range of cocktails for $9. Did somebody say happy hour?

Chef Créole

Carribean food in Little Haiti? Let’s go!
I managed to find a vegetarian dish which consisted of flavourful rice and kidney beans, sweet plantain and salad which really satisfied my taste buds
Naturally, there was a variety for meat eaters to choose from like oxtail, barbequed ribs, stewed conch and fried fish

Burbowl

Takes the contender for one of the best burgers I have ever tasted
First you pick the choice of meat or veggie filling you want, then you can choose between a pretzel bun, lettuce wrap and potato bun, choose the type of cheese you want and salad and lastly an array of sauces to choose from
Served with waffle fries, this meal is the ultimate source of comfort food and it put me in a severe food coma

Bodega

Classic Mexican joint with a twist – the interior is small and resembles a Subway size seating plan but there’s a door at the back which opens up into a substantially sized casual Weatherspoons style bar
Waitresses are on hand to take drink orders and you can sit back, relax and enjoy the range of food options
I opted for soft veggie taco shells which were so good I have to order some more and paired it with a cocktail so I could start my pre-drinking early

Mega Pizza

Ok so this place may serve congealed pizza and bucketloads of cheese and fries but it was the perfect spot to get food from a night out when you’re drunk and craving junk food
Pizza, burgers, wraps, sandwiches, wings and side orders…this is the perfect place to pig out.

Uncategorized

Self Care: “It’s not just avocado and face masks Karen…”

September 28, 2019October 3, 2019by Naveesha1 Comment

Self -care has become such a huge thing in the current years that I’m here to highlight the importance of what some see as such a trivial thing. So what is Self -care? I see it as maintenance of one’s physical, emotional and mental self and all the parts in between. self -care might be seen as an overindulgent Millennial’s pamper time but it’s a time to reflect, maintain and push for growth.

People are hungry for knowledge and information on how to better themselves and there are so many articles online with ideas on how to make sure you’re always practising self care. With such strong links to mental and physical health, self care is more important than ever in 2019 with millennial’s busy lifestyles and crushing anxieties having a damaging effect on their heads. It’s no surprise that there are apps, podcasts and articles which all tell you the best way to eat, exercise, read and relax to keep up with nourishment for your brain

Many people value self-care as a lifestyle option but it’s so much more than that. Yes we do love a good avocado and a face mask but it’s more about what personally helps give you a slice of sanity amongst 21st Century Mayhem. Self- care isn’t selfish. Don’t listen to baby boomers; they’re just jealous they can’t figure out how to rotate a pdf.

For some people, self-care is more than just an activity and a fad. It’s doing things for YOU, being SELFISH and striving to be HAPPY. This can mean cutting out that toxic friendship even if it makes you feel bad. Not replying to messages after 10 pm so you’re taking out time to relax and unwind. It’s about putting yourself first for once and not cutting yourself in half for other people. A lot of adults struggle with telling people ‘no’ and will often force them to do things that won’t make themselves happy. Next time you get invited to something and don’t want to go for whatever reason maybe it’s time to be honest and just speak your mind rather than push yourself. Maybe don’t get into a relationship with someone who is constantly putting you down. Self- Care, Self- Love and Self Maintenance is the mantra!

Tips on figuring out a Self Care Routine

Keep it simple: It could just be something simple as putting a face mask on after a hard day at work? Or it could be booking a flight (personal fave). Just pick an activity or ritual that helps you feel better in any shape/form. I’ve joined the gym in an act of Self-Care (eek) to improve my overall fitness and tone up
It doesn’t always have to be healthy: Sometimes picking up a Mcdonalds after a hard day at work is my act of self-care for that day. And that’s ok. If you don’t indulge once in a while you’ll never be happy.
Make it routine: Having Self-Care as part of your daily/weekly routine keeps you sane and less stressed out and exhausted. You have something to look forward to and it can transform your life for the better.
Prioritise: Sometimes it’s about paying attention and seeing what your body and mind need. Like maybe you’re too tired from work to head into town and get drunk with your mates and maybe you need a cozy night in with pizza. Maybe you need to stop “Netflix and Chilling” with that guy who keeps ghosting you every now and again and just cut him off for your own sanity.

Hope ya enjoyed my post, I’m gonna go procrastinate now and call it my Self-Care of the day x

mental health, personal, Uncategorized

Mental Health Awareness Month – Body Image

May 13, 2019May 13, 2019by NaveeshaLeave a Comment

Aloha, it’s been a while but I’m here to talk about something super important and that is the concept of Mental Health as it’s Mental Health Awareness Week. There’s lots of things I don’t feel comfortable discussing on this blog and maybe one day I will but right now I’m focusing on this year’s theme of Body Image. Disclaimer: I am in no way a professional and I urge anyone who is suffering with mental health issues to see their GP or go to A&E if you are feeling suicidal. TW: Body image, body shaming, eating disorder, fat shaming,

Body image can be defined by “the perception that a person has of their physical self and the thoughts and feelings that result from that perception.
These feelings can be positive, negative or both, and are influenced by individual and environmental factors”.

Perception is everything when it comes to body image. If you look in the mirror and make a snap judgement about yourself “Oh my god, I look so ugly and I feel fat and worthless” then it’s bound to completely jeopardise your day and how you feel about yourself. The BBC reported the results of a survey which found that a third of 4,500 “adults felt anxious about their bodies, with one in eight experiencing suicidal thoughts”.

This figure is shocking and prompts the question: “why are we so critical about the way we look?”. Why is fat shaming/any sort of shaming still a thing? Why is there a body shape that is considered perfect’ and why are men and women constantly pressured to look a certain way. I blame social media for part of it. With apps like Instagram, looking ‘perfect’ is something that is integral to one’s lifestyle. Filters and angles add to the pressure of making one look picture perfect and with the rise in celebrities coming out about the use of photoshop in the media, body image is increasingly problematic in the media. ‘Flaws’ can be airbrushed, lightened or increased or decreased in size and it’s a problem because it teaches us that we must dislike these characteristics of our body. Celebrities such as Jameela Jamil are drawing attention to the problematic side of social media and highlighting issues with fat shaming and body shaming, encouraging us to feel more empowered and love ourselves. Check out my blog post about her here.

I’ve definitely fallen prey to the wicked ideals of body image on social media a few times. I decide to upload a picture of myself and then scrutinise myself, scanning my entire body for flaws that I can crop out or add filters to so I appear more desirable. Or there’ll be times where I’m getting ready and I look at myself in the mirror and I hate what is looking back. Why is my stomach so bloated? Why are my eye bags not going away? Why is my skin so discoloured at times? These questions constantly go through my head and I end up going through my entire closet until I feel comfortable with what I’m wearing/covering, or putting on enough make up until I look ‘ok’. Or making plans on how I can change my appearance so I’m happier with how I look (hah that gym membership still needs to happen)

I have to remind myself that everyone experiences certain characteristics and as I’m not a celebrity with access to a personal trainer, plastic surgeons and a dietician, it’s not gonna be as easy as snapping my fingers and shapeshifting into someone I prefer to look like. Yes I have eye bags and discoloration but that is something a lot of Indians experience and comes with my heritage. Yes sometimes my stomach swells in size even when I haven’t eaten anything but that comes with having Crohn’s Disease which has messed up my intestines so much that I need to have surgery in order to fix this and there’s nothing I can do otherwise about this. Being Indian doesn’t always help because Indians love commenting on people’s weight (lol) but I’m learning to ignore that and accept my body is changing and no one needs to comment on it. Yes sometimes I hate the way I look and I’ll put some make up on or skip meals and then hide behind big clothes because I feel disgusting when I look at the mirror but I’m reminding myself that I have a normal body and I deserve to nourish myself and not care about what others think. There isn’t always bad ‘body image’ days. Sometimes I’ll dye my hair and feel empowered like a punk princess. I guess it’s because my hair is something I have control over and I don’t have a lot of control over things related to my body but I’m slowly learning that it’s okay. With so many positive body empowering women I follow in Instagram and Twitter, I’m slowly realising that there are lots of body types out there and instead of focusing on the flaws, you gotta remind yourself of the positives and ‘werk it’. Instead of following celebrities that endorse weight loss teas (cough cough Kartrashians), follow empowering women such as singer Lizzo, Jameela Jamil, Cupcakke rapper and lots more!

No matter your sexuality, race, gender, ethnicity etc you don’t have to let anyone dictate how you should look. Remember, you’re amazing and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise <3. A “hells yeah” to all my fellow beauties who aren’t comfortable with the way they look, I gotchu.

europe, travel

Copenhangin’: Day 2 of The Hygge Adventures

April 15, 2019April 15, 2019by NaveeshaLeave a Comment

It was my friend’s first time staying in a hostel and the first night really cemented why people avoid hostels – there is always someone who decides to make as much noise as humanly possible. I mean, if you wanted to go the whole hog, why didn’t you just bring a trumpet and wake everyone up with a fanfare of ‘Ave Maria’? Okay, so maybe I’m being slightly dramatic but one of the girls in our room decided to turn on the lights at 5 AM and rearrange her whole suitcase before walking out and leave the lights on.

Moving on swiftly, we woke up pretty late and decided to take our time getting ready as we wanted to take some pretty pictures in our next stop…Nyhaven!

On the way to Nyhaven it was pissing it down so we felt like a pair of alley cats trying to nativage these murky waters in search of food. We stopped by a cosy looking burger place called Nyhavn C which claimed to have the “Best Vegetarian Burger Ever”. Bold claims but I like a challenge so I opted for just that while Adi got a Chicken burger.

The Goods

Photo 02-04-2019, 20 45 38 — The best damn veggie burger ever*

*allegedly.

Well someone’s eyes were bigger than her stomach at this point

In a state of post meal bliss, I lay back and groaned in both pleasure and overindulgance. Cause of Death: TOO MUCH BURGER

It was still pouring down at this point so me and my friend delayed our adventure for as long as we could but then managed to make it outside and take some pretty pictures of the pastel houses surrounding the waterfront. Think Balamory but with elegance!

Ignoring the rain, (gosh how many times have I mentioned the weather, it hurts being this British), Nyhaven embodied the classiness and striking architecture that Copenhagen is deemed incedible for. Taking a walk to admire the refined and polished sights the city has to offer was such a good shout. #HyggeFactor

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We stumbled on Amaliensborg Palace which was magnificent and houses the Danish Royal family. It consists of four different classical palaces and in the centre of the square there was a statue of the founder of Amaliensborg Palace, King Frederick V.

Unfortunately the museum was closed by the time we got there so we couldn’t find out more and check out the interiors but this is definitely something I will come back and find out about!

Seeking solace from the rain, we found a beautiful church with stunning architecure and incredible paintings. The Marble Church is west of Amaliensborg Palace and we sat inside for a bit to really admire the art pieces, altar and the rich detail in the design of the church. I also took this time to ask questions about Christianity and find out more about the history behind the church and designs. It was relaxing and peaceful just to sit down and take it all in.

By this time it was starting to get dark so we decided to leave and grab some food on the way back. We stopped off at wok place and I had some incredible Hygge food which was warming, nourishing and just delicious…the picture DOES do it justice

Ok it might not be the best quality picture but hey, I never said I was a food blogger. Just believe that it was bloody good.

Night out

No holiday is complete without a chance to discover the nightlife and that’s what we decided to do. Luckily, we were in the heart of Copenhagen and there was a strip of bars just a few minutes away from us so we started as we mean to go on!

Pros: The music is diverse-ish. I heard a mix of Pop, r&b, cheese and hip hop. It was crowded but intimate and each bar was slightly different. Some had a dive bar sort of vibe which was a little different to what I’ve normally experienced in London whereas others had studenty vibes with younger adults and drink offers

Cons: The drinks were hella expensive. I know that Copenhagen is expensive but as we hadn’t had a chance to pre-drink I was counting my Krona and was not happy to see it deplete massively. Also some bars were way too crowded and tiny. Breathing space is a must

You should check out: The Jane, Aloha Beach Bar, Andy’s Bar, Cucaracha etc

Whew! That’s a wrap on Day 2.

Uncategorized

Copenhagen – Denmark – Day 1

April 13, 2019by NaveeshaLeave a Comment

Aloha…or should I say ‘Hej’ as they do in Denmark?

I recently read an inspirational book titled “The Little Book of Hygge” and I will probably write a separate post about it but this book was bloody brilliant. It’s all about the Danish concept of Hygge which translates to a mood of being cozy and content. But it’s more than that. It’s a way of life and this book gives you the ideas and the means to live like a true Hyggemeister (I hate myself). Denmark is continuously ranked highly on the World Happiness Report of happiest countries and this intrigued me. Scandinavian culture and Hygge promotes a good sense of security and well-being which is something that a lot of Western nations, especially the UK and the US lack. But that’s all for another post…

In January, me and my friend Adi decided to book a short break to go and explore another city sometime in early Spring. Scouring Ryanair and Expedia, we decided on Copenhagen and I was eager as ever having just finished the book. Our flight was on Thursday morning from Luton Airport which is a bit of a trek from us but we travelled there the night before and stayed at Adi’s cousin’s house which isn’t too far from the aiport.

Day 1

I was exhausted on the morning of flight due to sleeping late the night before (great move, I know) so waking up, getting ready and making sure I had everything took longer than normal. We got to the airport in good time and I had a small window of time before the gates for our flight opened so I opted to get some pancakes and a Woo Woo from Frankie & Benny’s. What? If you’re at the airport, it doesn’t matter what time it is you’re basically obliged to drink, it’s just polite.

A short flight later we were in Copenhagen! We decided to get the Copenhagen Card which is an all-inclusive card with unlimited travel and 87 attractions. It’s 99 Euros for one adult ticket.

Copenhagen’s version of ‘The Tube’ seemed so much cleaner and less crowded than the one in Landaaan Town. We reached our destination and the hostel (The Generator) was about a 15 min walk from the station. The heart of Copenhagen looked like a less crowded, prettier and cooler version of London so I was excited to explore more once we were settled.

We checked in, chose our bunk beds (sorry Adi for ‘dibsing’ the bottom one) and dumped our stuff in our rooms. By this point we were both starving so headed downstairs to get some food from The Generator’s bar/restaurant area. The aesthetic was on point! Vintage arcade machines, a cosy reading area with dozens of books and comfy sofas and beanies. Dim hygge lighting and pizzas were a good choice for my first meal in Copenhagen and I scoffed away.

We were both so zonked out from the late night and the flight that we decided to keep it lowkey on the first night. We opted for a Shisha sesh and found a decently priced place not too far from us. Smoky purple lighting and some R&B bangers, not a bad start to our break!

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