Tag: lifestyle

My 2019 New Year Wish

I’m holding a coin wrapped in tin foil and everyone is cheering me. Surreal.

It just turned 2019 and I was the ‘lucky’ one this year, the ‘lucky charm’ was in my slice of Vasilopita, the traditional New Year’s cake. Who knows, maybe luck would be on my side this year. That will be a first!

I don’t do New Year resolutions. Instead since last year I make a wish.

https://elenisworld.org/2018/01/01/my-2018-new-year-wish/

(And the family and I started a New Year Day tradition from 2019, baked Camembert and fresh bread for brunch!)

I read somewhere a few days ago, a post reminding me and all of us not to believe the ‘perfect lives’ and ‘reflecting on another amazing year‘ social media portray and oh my God is so true.

I regularly reflect back on my life but inevitably it also happens once a year.

It hasn’t been an ‘amazing’,’incredible’ year. There’s been highs and lows. I’ve climbed Ben Nevis (if you want to find out more on Ben Nevis you can do so here) but on other days my anxiety was so bad I was paralysed, I travelled on my own for the first time but also lived with a flatmate I didn’t get along for six months, I sang at the Mayflower with my Solent Choir gang and made great memories with family and friends, I felt loved and at the same time I experienced rejection. I signed up to volunteer for two great charities but I’m still stuck at a meaningless job.

No matter what happened I had wonderful moments with my nearest and dearest who I wouldn’t survive with at times, and for that I feel blessed and happy.

That’s life. Good and bad. Easy and tough. Each of us follows their own path and are on their own timezone, so you can’t and shouldn’t compare your life to others but we all go through the same motions.

So I won’t say much this year, the only thing I’ll wish to everyone other than health, physical and mental, which is major, is happiness and love. I hope you all do whatever makes you happy and make great memories with loved ones.

Happy New Year! Here’s to 2019!

Eleni

Cypriot family brunch in Larnaca

I have a list. A wish list. A wish list of cafes and restaurants I’ve heard about or discovered through Instagram I want to visit.

Today I made it to one of them. Lazaris, a bakery bar in the centre of Larnaca, serving traditional Cypriot delicacies with a modern twist, I couldn’t wait to try their food ever since I discovered them by chance on Instagram.

I finally felt better and it happened that the whole family could make it, a rare occasion and I’m glad we did.

In the heart of Larnaca, right next to Agios Lazaros Church, Cypriot vintage decor, I particularly loved the beams, it was buzzing with people (we were lucky to get a table) and felt warm and cosy.

Most of the family went for Cypriot breakfast (lountza, halloumi, fried eggs, Cypriot fresh bread, olives and a side beetroot salad) and I went for one of their sandwiches, with avocado, edam cheese, halloumi (can’t go wrong with double cheese), chicken, egg and tomato in traditional Cypriot bread. Everything was well seasoned and flavoursome. My green tea with dried fruit was also superb.

I was too full to have something else after that but the rest of the family tried a few of their puddings.

After a while a couple of friends I haven’t seen for a long time joined us and we all had a chat and a laugh.

Great food, friends, family, laughter, a wonderful afternoon!

I definitely recommend it. The place. And the combo of food, loved ones and laughter.

Eleni

Blogmas Day 24- Last Minute Christmas Shopping

Happy Christmas Eve!

I’m still suffering but I’m so happy I spent the day with my sisters, doing some last minute Christmas shopping.

I love that my sisters are my best friends and how we laugh with the silliest things.

That’s happiness for me. Special little moments with loved ones. Just by being with each other.

Now time to attempt for the six of us (parents, sisters and Oscar the great) to watch a film together, it rarely goes smoothly.

Last Blogmas tomorrow. I can’t believe I made it!

Eleni

Blogmas Day 14- Christmas Jumper Day

Happy Christmas Jumper Day! 

The Christmas Jumper I ordered for 2018 has not arrived yet, so I put on the one with the most sentimental value for me, the one my sisters bought and sent me years ago, the one I wear on my flight home for Christmas, the one we all have and wear together every year. God I love my sisters.

Now time to have a break and later on today it’s time for one of my favourite Christmas shenanigans, the annual staff Christmas party. Jaba already put me in great mood with a pre-lunch glass of Prosecco. Love you!

Eleni

Blogmas Day 10- A different kind of Monday

I usually dread Mondays. It takes me a day or two after the weekend to get used to my 9 to 5, desk based job after a couple of days doing only what I enjoy, draw, play my guitar, write, read, go out, stay in, watch a film, enjoy delicious food at local restaurants.

But not today. I was only at work until noon, we made our first HESES successful submission and in the afternoon I joined the wonderful Touch team for their away day. 

It was by far the best Away Day I’ve ever taken part in. Fun, creative, positive with a great mixture of different people, experts and ideas, from interns, fresh out of university with innovative ideas,  Sam an experienced digital marketing expert, Hannah and Rachel who work for Touch and have inside knowledge and are both insightful and creative and Debs, the Touch founder, creative, thoughtful who has a clear vision on how she’d like to develop Touch.

By the end of the day, everyone contributed and we had a clear, detailed plan on how to expand our events across the country so as many people as possible can share their story and inspire each other. 

What made a difference for me was that we all felt comfortable sharing our ideas and knowing that everyone’s ideas were valued. I guess there were no corporate limitations or culture or disappointment that usually occurs on away days in large organisations.

On this away day I  felt that no matter how it all pans out is that we’ll try our best and what’s on paper will be materialised (with a lot of trial and error as with everything) because we all care. 

We did  all this  whilst enjoying lunch at the White Star on Oxford street. I haven’t been there for a while but I was delighted the quality of food had not changed since. I enjoyed their roast pumpkin, spinach and walnut gnocchi so much I actually finished it. I rarely manage to do so, but it was too scrumptious to resist. 

A creative, positive, fun, exciting Away Day with great food we all looked forward to. That rarely happens. 

No idea what tomorrow will bring but only two weeks to Christmas Eve!

Eleni

Blogmas day 9- The Christmas Tree

Oh the Christmas tree…

How much prettier and cosier it transforms the living room into, in an instant. I wish I could keep it up all year around.

I love the Christmas tree and everything that comes with it. The decorations, the lights, the unique ornaments, the gifts under it.

After I moved on my own, for the last three years I’ve decorated the tree with my bestie, Shebs who unfortunately is not around this time so my lovely friend Sukes offered to come and help. 

I couldn’t wait since the tree arrived on Friday. Since I now live in a much larger flat I couldn’t not get a bigger and more grandiose tree.

So today as soon as I woke up I put one of my Christmas jumpers on -Olaf!- ,my favourite luxurious Santa hat and put on a Spotify Christmas list. 

We decorated, sang along to Christmas music and had tea and chocolate, a wonderful Sunday afternoon. 

We did a brilliant job, the tree looks amazing!  I need a few more decorations and a fluffy rug (which I just ordered) and then I won’t want to leave my living room ever again.

I’d love to get a real one at some point, I’m sure it will happen one day. But I’m pretty happy with this gorgeous one for now.

Eleni

Blogmas day 8- The Christmas Presents

New Year’s Eve, 1994

(that’s when Santa visits children in Greece and Cyprus, on the 1st of January, the name day of St Vasileios, ‘Αη Βασίλης’)

My sister Stella, a then naughty with short curly hair 5 year old and Ι, a stubborn 8 year old were eagerly waiting for my dad who popped outside to meet Santa Claus and get our presents. A year earlier we woke up and ran straight to the real Christmas tree we picked with mamma and papa a few weeks earlier and before we even saw our presents we knew Santa’s been because he ate the cookies and drank the glass of red wine we left for him next to the tree. Oh yeah, we treat Santa to wine in our household, and we are not the only ones in Cyprus who do that. But Santa is supernatural, he doesn’t get drunk with all that wine!

I can’t even remember what Santa Claus brought us either year, I just remember the joy and anticipation. 

Christmas is not about what’s become with all the commercialisation or the presents per se, it’ all about the joy and the kindness that should be celebrated every day, not just at Christmas or the International Kindness day but these little traditions add up to make Christmas… well magical.

I do my little bit helping others, donating, volunteering all year around and I sincerely hope everyone does, so once a year I may overdo it with treating myself and getting little treats for my near and dear ones. 

At this day and age most of us are lucky to afford to get things we really need, so every year I try to get something sentimental, unique and preferably handmade!

Today it’s all about a favourite Christmas tradition, wrapping Christmas gifts. After tidying up and dealing with the usual chores one must do every week (sigh), a bit of writing since I’m a day behind again, I had a lovely winter dinner, put a Christmas film on and I’ve wrapped most gifts. My wrapping skills are not the best I must admit, after the first couple I get impatient, but they turned out OK I guess…

I can’t wait to see everyone’s expression when they open them.

Now, time to decorate the Christmas tree!

Eleni

Blogmas day 5- Christmas preparations

Yesterday I got an email from Easyjet. Check in for my flight back home on the 21st, which is LESS THAN THREE WEEKS, has now opened.

It suddenly hit me. I was excited and terrified in equal measure. Excited that I’m going home very soon, terrified I don’t have enough time to prepare for Christmas.

I still need to decorate my flat, I still have to get all the Christmas gifts for the family back home and a few special people here in Southampton and I have very few evenings free until the 21st. So what do I do?

PANIC! That was my immediate reaction.

OK, breathe.

First things first, I checked in. I don’t normally do it that early but I needed some cheering. And I got a window seat. At least something is going right.

Next up was sorting out the work Christmas lunch. I’ve been the unofficial Christmas do organiser for the last three years but this year felt like mission impossible.  Although I’ve been  Monica, super efficient, set up a Google survey with possible dates, restaurants and their Christmas menus (for some of which I contacted the restaurants and asked for a copy of their festive menus since they hadn’t published them then, I’m that efficient) but there was not a single date that most people could do. 

So, I lost my mojo once again. It happens often lately. 

But we finally agreed to do lunch on our last working day with whoever is around. Restaurant booked-this year we are going for a different option, a Phuket festive tapas menu at Mango, I can’t wait!- deposit finally paid today after an unsuccessful attempt over the phone yesterday and I arranged Secret Santa, sort of. As every year I put everyone’s name in a Santa hat and went around to see everyone.

How unlucky am I for my name to be left last in the Santa hat and for me to draw it? 

I set it up online instead and hoping it will work! 

Tonight is the only free night I have until the weekend, so after a much needed Yoga With Adriene session, it’s time for Christmas Friends (is the holiday Armadilloooo), digging out all the Christmas decorations in preparation for tomorrow when my 6 feet (1.80m for my Cypriot friends) arrives (I might have not this through, not sure it will fit anywhere in the living room) and some online Christmas shopping.

Phew! 

How are your preparations going? 

Merry-almost-Christmas!

Eleni

Blogmas day 2- the Etsy festive market

Sunday 2nd of December

Today it’s all about the Etsy Local Festive market. I love everything handmade, personalised, unique, creative and to have all the local creative talent under one roof is pretty special.

It’s the second year it’s been running and though I loved the first one, the venue was way too small and couldn’t spend much time on each stall. I hate it when others are behind me waiting, especially knowing there was a queue outside.

But this year it was held at the Spark, our University’s enormous posh modern establishment and I looked forward to it.

After my morning coffee, I sometimes wonder what I’d do with out it, I can’t function, I can’t speak to another human being until I had a sip at least, I got ready. 

I felt like doing something different with my hair, I was aiming for wavy and ended up curly, not sure I liked it, but I never seem to get it right, maybe cause I don’t practise enough. Any advice ladies and gents would be very much appreciated!

And of course I couldn’t not wear another Christmas jumper. For the last 4-5 years I’ve started a few Christmas traditions I maybe one day will pass on to my family, if I ever have one, or inspire others to do something similar. One of them is to buy a new Christmas jumper every year. I threw away one or two, they reminded me of a darker time in my life I don’t need a reminder for but I have already a collection of 3-4. I can’t wait to get one for this year.

After a short stroll through the buzzing with people, Christmas music and beautiful smells city centre I made it to the Spark.

It was busy but there was plenty of space to browse each stall and I have made a couple of purchases. I’m trying hard not to overspend but it’s not easy, especially when it comes to handmade, just beautiful creations.  And there was plenty. Hats, scarves, pins, cards, jewellery, candles and much much more..

I only took a couple of snaps…

And by far my favourite stall, though you may think I’m biased since I know Susan through work, was this. Have a look yourself. And if you want to see more this is her Insta page https://www.instagram.com/itsverysue/

I’ve known Susan for years but I somehow never knew she makes such beautiful creations.  I’m always amazed when I discover something new about people, even more so when I see them every day. It just goes to show what a difference it makes when we stop for a moment in our busy lives to have a chat with friends, colleagues, even strangers.

Hope Susan doesn’t mind me mentioning a little anecdote she shared with me today. She doesn’t use her car often but today was one of the few time she needed it. And unfortunately she had a flat tire. Rebecca, a colleague I’ve known for a couple of years, offered to give her a lift and helped her unload her goodies at the Uni. Human kindness at its best. Rebecca is another lovely human I didn’t have the chance to get to know better, and she is leaving Southampton at the end of the week, but this is just an example of how many great humans live amongst us and that’s one of the reasons I still work at Solent. The people. 

Another Christmas tradition I started a few years ago is getting a new unique, handmade ornament for the Christmas tree every year. I’m hoping one day to fill the Christmas tree with special decorations I accumulated over the years, each with a story to tell. 

As soon as I saw this on Susan’s stall, I knew I had to have it. So here it is, this year’s Christmas ornament. I absolutely love it.

Tomorrow’s blog might be a bit late or I might post something shorter, as I’ll be at my last Touch event for 2018, this time at Hythe. If you are around and fancy listening to incredible, inspiring stories of every day people, you can grab a free ticket here. 

Now time for dinner and get organised for next week. I need a Christmas tree, I still have to get Christmas gifts for the family and still haven’t sorted my outfit for the Christmas party!

Eleni

Blogmas day 1- Christmas Tree of Light in Woolston

Happy First of December!

Christmas is officially here. Well, I’ve been watching Christmas films and looking for Christmas gifts for weeks but now we finally reached December, I can fully embrace Christmas.

I’ve been contemplating whether to do Blogmas this year. I did it for the first time last year and it was great but became exhausting towards the end. But since I loved writing every day in the buildup to Christmas, I’ll give it a go.

So here it is. Day one. 

Saturday, 1st of December

I woke up early for a Saturday, but I finally felt rested, after a busy week. I had a coffee, replied to my messages, put the Christmas channel on and snuggled on the sofa.

I was tempted to stay at home watching Christmas films all day, since it’s been grim, and raining all morning, but one of the great charities I volunteer for, Communicare were to light their annual Tree of Light, for which you can sponsor a light in memory of loved ones and special causes and I offered to help out on the day.

So I got ready, I put my Christmas jumper on (first time this year!) and headed to Woolston for the very first time. A day of firsts…

I can’t believe I lived in Southampton for almost ten years and I’ve never been to Woolston before. I drove over the bridge, but I’ve never actually walked on it. 

As soon as I arrived bubbles and snow (artificial as I found out a second later) were falling on me. I didn’t expect that. For a moment it just felt magical.

After about half an hour admiring the views and a brief wander at the Woolston Christmas festival, I made it to St Mark’s Institute. I covered our stand briefly and then headed outside for the Tree of Light switch on and to hand out some leaflets. The Local Choir Rising stars sang beautiful Christmas carols and then the Mayor of Southampton councillor Barnes-Andrews switched the lights on. What a lovely ceremony.  

Everyone, grown ups and children singing along, enjoying the Christmas festivities, it was just wonderful. And I got to meet great humans once again. A district nurse working across Southampton, a lovely old lady running bereavement groups in Southampton and Fareham and a sweet, elder couple amongst others.

One of the highlights was seeing the lovely Bob I met at the Communicare Vintage and Craft fair who told me all about Woolston’s history, how the area has changed since Vosper Thornycroft, the war shipbuilding company closed down its shipyard at River Itchen. That’s why I love humans. I learn so much from others. Thank you Bob!

On my way back I stopped on the bridge to take a snap of the gorgeous water views. Breathtaking isn’t it?

A great start to December and Christmas. Now, time for another Christmas movie and some chocolate.

Eleni