A little motivation...

I could use some extra motivation this week, so I thought I'd share 5 of my favourite motivational quotes.

Let's kick this week's butt! ;)

Travel tip: My guide to visiting Lyon

As you may know, I studied abroad in France last year! While studying there I visited the city of Lyon several times and it kind of stole my heart ❤️ 

Lyon has some of the beautiful features that Paris has, without  being too busy or touristy. I definitely recommend paying a visit if you are ever nearby (or even if you're not)! 

Here is my advice on what to see, do and eat when visiting Lyon!

1) Get there early and start your day with a typical French breakfast consisting of coffee, fresh orange juice, croissants and/or pain au chocolat.

2) Start your tour of Lyon on the impressive Place Bellecour and just take in its grandeur.

3) Wander the small streets of Old Lyon and take in the atmosphere by walking past the little shops, cafes and restaurants.

4) Walk in the direction of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste cathedral on Saint-Jean Square.

5) Head up to the basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. The basilica is situated on the Fourvière hill, from where you'll have the most amazing view of the city. You can climb up the hill on foot: the path through the parc is beautiful and it makes reaching the top even more worthwhile! If you want a break from walking, you can also take a cable car from Saint-Jean cathedral to Fourvière hill. I personally tried both options on different occasions and can recommend both, it just depends on what you're feeling like... I won't judge! ;)

6) When it's time for lunch, head back down to one of the bouchons (typical lyonnais restaurants) in Old Lyon. If you're feeling particularly adventurous, go for a three course meal consisting of local specialities (I recommend the lyonnais salad, quenelle and about every tarte on the menu!). And the best thing, it will only set you back about 15 to 20 euros!

7) After lunch, rent a Velo V bike (my favourite means of transport in Lyon) and ride along the river Rhône. There are wide designated bicycle paths where you can ride completely seperate from the busy trafic. The atmosphere by the water is amazing, especially if the weather is nice: there are playgrounds, benches, deck chairs and even a pool alongside the river! 

8) Bike to the Parc de la Tête d'Or: a beautiful public park with a large lake, open fields, beautiful pathways and even a zoo!

9) If you need a pick-me-up in the afternoon, try the local confectionary: pralines, almonds in a pink sugar coating. I especially like the praline versions of popular french pastries, like brioche aux pralines or tarte aux pralines.

10) And last but not least, Lyon offers a lot of shopping possibilities. Lyons main shopping street is the Avenue de la République, where you can find most popular European brands like H&M, Zara and Sephora. For a more authentic French shopping experience, also explore the surrounding streets! If you prefer indoor shopping, head on over to the Part-Dieu or Confluence shopping centres.

Have you ever visited Lyon? Are there any recommendations I missed?

Recipe: Lemon chia energy balls

These lemon chia energy balls are one of my favourite healthy snacks! They are easy to make, require only a handful of ingredients and can be kept in the fridge or freezer for up to a few weeks. I found the recipe on one of my favourite Instagram accounts and have made it multiple times ever since.

The only thing you have to do is put the ingredients in a blender or food processor, blend them into a paste and roll it into balls. Put the energy balls in your fridge or freezer, and enjoy when you need a quick pick me up (or throw them in your bag as you run out the door)!

Ingredients:

• 15 dates
• 1/3 cup of almonds
• 2 tbsp shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• zest of 1 lemon

I always start with the measurements above and add extra dates to form a paste that can be rolled into balls.

Give these a try and let me know what you think!

February recap

Disclaimer: I'm sorry to start my february recap on a negative note, but these recap posts are kind of my online diary so here it goes...

February was a month of ups and downs, or better yet: downs and ups... Because it started pretty down: exams were over but I didn't have that "exams are over" feeling and I had to get back to college immediately after. If you read my post on why you should study abroad, you'll know I studied in France last semester so I returned to my school for the first time in literally 7 months! 

Another consequence of going abroad for the first semester is that I only have 5 hours of courses left a week! This sounds like heaven on earth, but I was thoroughly bored and totally unproductive... 

Okay, enough with the debbie downer talk! Because things also started to pick up during this month. I found a student job to kill time and make some extra money, I passed all of my exams and I finally received the work permit for my internship in Canada next month! :)

Beauty favourites: I know I promised you a more exciting month on the beauty front, but unfortunately February really wasn't that interesting either... I'm using up products that I already own in order to get rid of as much stuff as possible. Most products are okay, but nothing more than that and those are not really the kind of things I want to share on this blog.

My favourite products for voluminous, messy hair: Big shampoo from Lush and Surf Spray by Bumble&Bumble. 

Heavy duty moisterizing, courtesy of The Body Shop Raspberry body butter, Polaar hand cream, Origins Drink Up Intensive overnight mask and Revlon Colorburst lip butter in 096 Macaroon.

And like last month, the perfume favourite is a rediscovery: Jo Malone's Earl grey & cucumber cologne. Only downside is that it is a really small bottle...

Health favourites: Juicing

A lot of the free time I mentioned above was spent in the kitchen, especially juicing. I really enjoy trying different flavour combinations and the cleansing effect it has on my body. Ideally, I would buy a good quality juicer (the one we have is just a cheap version that is a pain to clean), but this will have to do for now...

Technology favourites: Audio books and Pinterest

Going back to school means spending a lot of time on the bus. Enter audio books! I've been really enjoying listening to them, as it's more "substantial" than just music. If I find a particularly engaging story, it even makes me look forward to taking the bus! I buy my audio books from Audible (new customers get a free trial book, if you want try it for yourself).

Too much free time = spending hours on Pinterest. Need I say more?
Follow me if you'd like to see what I get up to!

What were your favourites this month?

Organizing 101: Spring to do list

I know it's technically not spring yet, but I caught the spring cleaning bug! I'm feeling inspired to reorganize the whole house, however I haven't actually started organizing anything! Ideally I would follow one of those "30 days to a clean house" printables on Pinterest, but I still live with my mom and sister which means not everything is my mess to organize (kind of a positive thing, I know!).

So today I made a personalized plan! I wrote down the 3 main areas of the house I want to organize. Then, I divided these into smaller projects. It looks a little something like this:

I found the printable on this blog.

I'll keep you posted on the progress!

Why you should study abroad!

The school of life doesn't have holidays

I studied abroad for 3 months this past year and I can honestly say I had the time of my life! In such a short time, I learned so much: about myself, my strenghts and weaknesses, about cultural differences, about living in an appartment with 4 girls and so much more... 

My tips for living or studying abroad:

1. Always keep an open mind.
2. Take every opportunity and try everything at least once! Well maybe not everything, but you know what I mean...
3. Try to learn a new language while you can: native speakers teach you things no text book or teacher can.
4. Immerse yourself in this new culture: food, language, music, books, etc.
5. Get to know the locals, they are the best tour guides!

I know this is my personal experience and it is different to every individual. But if you are thinking about living abroad for a while, whether it be for study, work or other reasons, I strongly encourage you to take this opportunity! I guarantee you will become a much richer person because of it. 

Wish list

1. Lancôme Miracle Cushion foundation; 2. H&M Seamless Sports Bra; 3. The Glam Guide by Fleurdeforce; 4. Balenciaga Rosabotanica perfume; 5. TIU Ultimate Shaker Bottle; 6. Clarisonic Mia 2; 7. Astrid and Miyu Rose Gold Zodiac Ring; 8. Mr. Kate Tuxedo ear pins

What's on your wish list at the moment?