Things I have loved in February
Film, tv and theatre recommendations, a gorgeous scented candle, and a ton of gadget galore
For some mysterious reason, this month's edit seems to be a 50/50 split between things I watched and techy gadgets I have embraced in the pursuit of getting on top of my health. Oh, and there is a scented candle thrown in there, because why not.
So buckle up friends, you’re in for a ride!
1. Larq bottle
My closest friends know that I am never seen, in public or otherwise, without my trusty water bottle. It’s a habit I picked up at Uni, and having water on me at all times is a bit like a comfort blanket to me. There is nothing worse than being out and about and thirsty. Well, I’m sure there are worse things, but you know what I mean. Despite this, and despite the fact that water is actually, truly, my favourite drink (I know, I am that exciting) I always suspected that my cumulative daily micro-sips wouldn’t amount to the recommended 2+ litres daily intake. Something I know now for a fact, since my wonderful Joe, who knows me oh so well, gifted me a Larq bottle for my birthday.
Now, I love a gadget more than the next girl, and this is truly impressive. Not only does the Larq bottle come with an in-built nano filter, it has a self-cleaning technology that activates every two hours, so no more smelly bottles. It also has double-wall insulation, a detachable handle, and the best part is that it connects to an app that measures the amount of water you drink (you can also manually add other drinks like juices and tea) and flashes to remind you when it’s time to take a sip. I’ve been using it for a month now, and it is only at 53% of its first battery charge.
LARQ Bottle PureVis™ 2, Mojave Dune, 680ml, £119.00£109.00
2. Groove pillow
The second, extremely thoughtful birthday present I received from my sweet husband is an orthopedic neck pillow. What can I say, we are rock and roll like that. I have been struggling with neck and shoulder pain for a long time (which hasn’t been helped by me sleeping in a weird flamingo position), and this has made an actual difference. It’s by far the most comfortable pillow I have ever slept on, and it is designed to support you both in a supine and lateral position (which I learned are the best positions for neck pain).
3. Oura ring
Your girl is on a health mission, and the third, crucial piece of the gadget puzzle towards improving my physical age (since we have established there is little hope for my mental one), is an Oura ring. I have been wanting to give it a go for a long time, since it can monitor pretty much everything from your activity, sleep, fertility, resting rate, cardiovascular age and more. It can give you personalised feedback, for example, adjusting your activity target based on how well you have rested the night before, give you a suggestion on your optimal bedtime window based on your chronotype (mine is still calibrating, but I can’t wait to find out). I am positively addicted to checking my Oura scores, and I have already noticed an improvement in my activity levels. It ain’t cheap, and you have to pay a subscription to the app on top of the cost of the ring, but from what I’ve seen so far, I’d say it is worth it.
4. St Eval candle
I am a sucker for good scented candles, but I am also extremely picky when it comes to scents. St Eval is a brand I knew already (their Tranquillity candle is one of my favourites), but I had never come across this new terracotta format and most importantly, their Thyme and Mint scent. It is glorious, fresh and bright. It reminds me of the Bertholi Breathing Balm (I mentioned it in my January edit) – the scents are very similar but at a fraction of the price.
St Eval, Thyme & Mint, Large Pot, £14.75
5. Holm, somerset
Sometime mid mid-February Joe and I went on a little city break weekend, and we spent the night at Holm, a boutique hotel in Somerset. Our bedroom was one of their sweet attic ones, and it was just so charming. The food at the restaurant was excellent as well!
6. A Real Pain
My favourite movie of last month was A Real Pain, the touching and at times comical story of two cousins visiting their grandmother’s homeland, Poland, and the places she touched before emigrating to America after the Second World War. Aside from the beautiful movie, which just earned Kieran Culkin his first (extremely deserved) Oscar, watching the press tour and the comical tension between the two protagonists has been even more entertaining and hilarious!
7. Agelina’s wardrobe in Maria
Another movie I watched last month that makes it to this list (albeit for different reasons) is Maria, the titular biopic on the famous opera singer Maria Callas. To be completely honest, I found the movie a little slow and boring at times. But. Even though I could easily watch Angelina Jolie for hours (I find her so beautiful it’s like watching a moving piece of art), it was the costumes, hair & make up that stole the scene for me. Maria’s wardrobe in particular, was flawless, thanks to the hard work of Italian costume designer Massimo Cantini Parrini. I invite you to watch the movie just to admire the dresses – in particular a black trouser+blouse combo (I couldn’t find a picture online) and this absolutely glorious wollen house robe. Please can someone make it, I need it in my life!
8. Oedipus
If you live in London (or are visiting soon), I urge you to go to the Old Vic to see this modern rendition of Oedipus, if you can. It’s on until the 29th of March. The obvious attraction is the star actors playing the lead roles (Rami Malek playing Oedipus and Indira Varma playing Giocasta), but as excellent as they both were (the latter even more so), it was the blend of theatre and contemporary dance, the music and the clever scene design that took our breath away. An experience I would describe as visceral and primordial.
9. The White Lotus
White Lotus is back and you best be sure Joe and I are eagerly awaiting every Monday night for the next installment. We are so far at episode 3 and, despite the slightly slow rhythm and the lack of the familiar soundtrack in the opening titles (leaving us all feeling robbed, if the collective reaction on socials is anything to go on), I am already head over heels for Aimee Lou Wood Character. Despite having a very familiar face, this is actually the first show I am seeing her in, and her comedic timing is just precious (referring here in particular to the iconic “I don’t mean to be rude, but that doesn’t look like very much” scene in episode 1.
How fab were those costumes!! Dreaming about her house robe, and the very chic ‘70s looks. And her hair! Chef’s kiss.
I feel EXACTLY the same about Oedipus at the Old Vic - it blew me away, the ten dancers and the music in particular. I go to the theatre regularly, yet this production is still pulsating underneath my skin. As to Oura ring, I have had mine for years, call me an early adopter .) and I truly think no other lifestyle gadget on the market comes even close.