march favourite things
getaways, glowy skincare, and pisces szn
March whizzed by. The highlights being that it’s my birthday month, which I realize in retrospect, means nothing much to me because I’m not one for month-long celebrations of myself. But I did celebrate my birthday, escape for a little break with my kids, and mark the beginning of Ramadhan. Since I’m writing this at the beginning of a long weekend with everyone home and mom duties full-on, this month’s fave things will be short and sweet.
reading:
Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride - I’m very, very excited about this book. I found a blog that logged books by the number of reputable “lists” they’ve been on, and this scored the highest - mentioned on 19 lists!
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune - I call this genre of books “palate cleansers.” They’re easy, not too deep, fast, and light. I like them but can’t read the genre back to back. Sprinkled in, amongst other types of fiction, is the perfect balance for me. I’m in the middle of it, and all the references to lake life are bringing up past summers with the kids. It’s always nice to have somewhere you’re connected to referenced in a book.
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano- I read this incredibly slowly, but I did like it. We had a fiery discussion about it at book club (it wasn’t the pick, but a few people had read it), and the conversations revolved around siblings, sister relationships, family dynamics, the role of mothers, and how families change with time. I would recommend this as a book club read if you’re looking for one because there’s just so much to unpack.
Manifest by Roxy Nafousi - You might know that I love a manifestation moment. I think I love reading about manifestation because the practice and space is filled with hope and possibility. I don’t live and die by the concepts, but I like having something in that space to uplift me whenever the usual goal-setting concepts don’t feel inspiring enough. I don’t resonate as much with her online persona, but the book is nice to have on your nightstand for a little uplifting and direction when needed.
watching:
One Day - that’s all. Obsessed, OBSESSED, in love - the acting, the build up, the music, cinematography, everything. The show had so much truth about life, dreams, missed opportunities, regrets, friendships, and loss. I went down many rabbit holes and am not even embarrassed to admit it. Ambika and Leo were a perfect pair. I watched it twice - yes, I’m that girl. My favorite scene is in the final house, with Dexter leaning against the blue wall and Emma sitting beside him on the floor. I just cried and cried.
trying (skincare):
I told my sister that her birthday gift to me was a skin consult because she is the master of Korean skincare and has stunning, glossy skin (by day she is a gifted trauma therapist). She happily obliged and gave me a wealth of information. I now have a small shipment of K-beauty on its way to replace all my Sephora empties. I'll share my thoughts once I start using it.
wearing:
I've included a few favourites as some outfit inspiration. There's a real lack of colour, but I guess I wore a bunch of black?!
These are screenshots of videos, so apologies for all the mid-talking pics LOL
loving (beauty):
Merit instant glow serum. Guys, it's lovely and gives your skin a natural, lit-from-within glow. The only issue is that it annoyingly spurts out when you pump it, and I have to be careful if I'm dressed and don't want the product to get on my clothes. However, I still think it's worth it because when I use it, my skin stays soft and moisturized longer, and my makeup sits really beautifully.
Merit Flush Balm Cream in Stockholm is the prettiest baby pink for minimal spring makeup. I will say that my blush seems to disappear after a few hours of wear, but I have this issue with most of my blushes. Is it because of my dry skin, or would a primer help? The colour, however, is the perfect pink.
journaling:
Faezu gifted me a special bullet journal from Notebook Therapy for my birthday. It's reinvigorated my interest in bullet journaling, something I oscillate between doing formally and informally. If you get into the flow, it's both a productive and mindful habit. I dusted off Ryder Carroll's authoritative text on the matter and am well into two weeks in. I recommend using a journal/notebook to track tasks if you get easily distracted or have loads on your plate. I still use my Google calendar for appointments, activities, events, etc., but the bullet journal helps me organize my daily tasks and stay on top of what I still need to get done.
cooking/eating:
I've been baking and experimenting a bit this month. I made these delicious paleo-friendly layered bars that everyone enjoyed. I'm planning on perfecting them and sharing my adaptation soon on the feed. Until then, this recipe by Ambitious Kitchen for healthy twix bars looks great.
More importantly, this month brought the start of Ramadan. I love doing an Iftar spread for breaking fast. The food is utterly nostalgic and brings back the Iftar dinners of my childhood. I grew up in Kuwait, and our family was part of a vibrant and social Pakistani expat community. It's where I made some of my lifelong best friends and spent most weekend evenings. The food was always homemade, abundant, and delicious. Crowding around a table and breaking fast with friends, aunties, and uncles always felt like a joyous affair.
A few things that are a mainstay on my Iftar table when having people over - a much pared-back affair than my childhood days - are aloo pakoras, fruit salad, samosas or spring rolls, rooh afza, dates, nuts, and chana chaat - my go-to for these recipes are Flour & Spice, Tea for Turmeric, and @spicespoon.
holidaying:
Going away to Blue Mountain with my older two was the break we all needed. Meeku went to a fantastic camp, which he loved, and Ali got the house (almost) all to himself. He and Mikhail are the same person, and they get on like two peas in a pod. Faezan got nature and the outdoors, and Aiza loves hotel living and skiing. Anyway, we had a blast making the most of all the activities Blue Mountain had to offer, eating in the little town every night, and swimming in the evenings with the pool all lit up. We missed Ali and Mikhail, but sometimes, with a family of five, splitting up is the only solution, and that's okay!
I'm sure I'll think of ten other things after I hit send, but these are definitely some of the highlights of the month. I hope your March was lovely. April is going to be busy on our end with Eid and our middle child's birthday, which he makes sure is all we think about for the weeks leading up, iykyk.
Love,
Sana
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Loved this one and loved your description of ‘palette cleaner books’- the perfect name for those ones!