My Guide to Christmas

Recently I read the book 'I Heart Christmas' by Lindsey Kelk. At the back of the book there was a  Christmas guide and I loved the idea so much that I thought I would do my own version. I can't begin to explain to you why I love Christmas so much because I get very (and I mean VERY) excited just thinking about it. The decorations, the family gatherings, the crackers and the advent calendars...

Mostly, I love Christmas because it's the time of year when everything gets so festive and there are Christmas trees and lights nearly everywhere you go. Not only does it seem as if everyone is just as excited as I am, but people are a little happier as well!

 The best way to get into the Christmas spirit is to bake some Christmas treats. I made this amazing chocolatey Christmas fudge and it was really easy, but most importantly incredibly delicious.

The best part for me is re-watching all the Christmas movies under a big blanket. Near Christmas it also becomes acceptable to watch these movies everyday with a mince pie in hand (it is acceptable, right?) These are my top five Christmas movies:

This is my (super fabulous, amazing and spectacular) Christmas Playlist

You never really know when an unexpected Christmas dance party is likely to happen and when it does, you need to be prepared. 

I hope that you are having a wonderful Christmas season and have an even more wonderful Christmas day, even if that means you lie on the floor whilst massaging your food baby and chocking down one more mince pie.

Victoria xo

How to Make Momos

In amongst the teaching, traveling and sightseeing during my Dharamsala adventure we managed to find time to fit in a cooking class, which was held inside a small kitchen found amongst the roadside shops. Whilst rummaging through my India file after I wrote my previous post, I found a piece of paper which I realised was the recipe we received at that cooking class. The cooking class was momo themed. Momos are traditional Tibetan dumplings that you can find in just about any Tibetan restaurant. There are not many recipes online on how to make momos, which is why I thought it would be a good idea to share the recipe here. Whether you have had these before or you've never heard of them, I hope this is useful to you in someway. I think they would be great to add to a dinner party as an appetiser, as they are deliciously more-ish (it's quite ridiculous actually). Enough of my rambling, here is how to make Tibetan momos, enjoy!

The Dough Recipe 

(makes 18 momos)

Making the Spinach and Cheese Momos

(mixture makes enough for 6 momos)

You will at this point have leftover dough for 12 momos. Now that you know the basics you can choose whatever fillings your heart desires. You can make a meat filling, a vegetable filling or even a sweet filling (I am going to try a chocolate, apple and banana filling next time I make these). Comment down below what filling you would like to try, I would love to hear what you come up with! 

Victoria xo

My Adventure to India

In the beginning of this year an organization called Street School offered a trip for young adults to go to India. At first I was a bit unsure, but slowly the idea grew on me (with a little persuasion from my friend) and I decided to go. We set-off to India from O.R. Tambo International Airport on what felt like a pretty normal day (it still hadn’t hit me that I would be traveling without my mom for the first time and would go to a completely new and very different country). We would be traveling with a group of people who we would experience all the exciting new things with and share how we were feeling about some of the things we would experience. The aim of the trip was to teach Tibetan monks English and learn about Tibetan culture and history, but we also did quiet a bit of sightseeing.

The first twenty-four hours was filled with the majority of our sightseeing, we saw the golden temple, we went on a few tours, and then the next morning we went on our way to Dharamsala, which is where we would spend most of our time. Dharamsala (situated on the foothills of the Himalayas) is a city in India where the Dalai Lama lives and where the Tibetan people now live, as they no longer have their own land because it is now ruled by the Chinese government. What I found so amazing about this community of people is, despite all the hardships these people have faced or are still facing; they still manage to be so positive. It is also so incredible how a culture and religion can be so strong that it continues to thrive even without the land it originated from.

When we arrived in Dharamsala we did the lingor meditation walk along a path that was scattered with colorful Tibetan prayer flags. We did a few of these types walks and other types of meditation. I have tried to continue these meditations at home as they really do help me when I am feeling down, over emotional or when I just want to clear my head.

On the rest of the days we would go to museums, learn about Tibetan culture or listen to people’s stories about what they have gone through. I learnt many new things, but something that surprised me the most, is that many of the people who were living in Dharamsala had walked for months from Tibet to get there. We even met the Karmapa (who is almost as important as the Dalai Lama) and he answered our simple but very broad questions on life. He answered all of our questions with such humility, which just made the whole experience even more incredible. We had our conversation classes in the afternoons for an hour, where we would have conversations with the students about anything, as long as it was in English. This was my favorite part of the journey as the people were just so lovely and so involved with the conversations. I felt I had built friendships with many of the students and I am so happy I could help make their learning more interesting.

In the evenings we were allowed to go wandering around the roadside stalls, which sold beautiful jewelry and other unique trinkets. This was the part of the day I always looked forward to, as this was when the sun began to set and a soft breeze blew through the streets. The hustle and bustle became a bit less (not that much less though, it is still India) and the air would be filled with spices, as families begin to prepare their dinners. When my friends and I were finished our shopping, we would go to the hotel’s restaurant and order a slice of cake (this was particularly difficult as there was a huge selection). We would then play some cards whilst looking at the most exquisite view.

To end off our trip we visited the Taj Mahal, which in my opinion was the cherry on top of an amazing adventure. There is a quote that I came across recently that went something along the lines of, “travel - the only thing that you buy that makes you richer” and I couldn’t agree more. This trip has changed they why I look at situations and opened my eyes to so many things. I am so glad that in the beginning of this year I ended up deciding to go on this trip. I would like to leave you with this piece of advice: Go on adventures. Do things that in the beginning may frighten you, because in the end it is definitely worth it.

Victoria xo

November Favorites

Hi there! This is going to be my first post on this blog (whoop whoop), so grab yourself a seat and a drink of your choice and I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy posting on it.

This month I've been stuck writing exams and honestly I have been loving all these things A LOT. They have helped me not look too much like a zombie and have kept me feeling fresh, more awake and have kept me more together. It is also summer here in South Africa, so some these things are also my essentials for the hot weather. 

Toni & Guy - Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray

I have been loving this sea salt spray as it has given my hair so much texture without weighing it down. All I do is spray my hair from root to tip and scrunch it up and I have that messy "out of the surf" beach hair look, when actually I haven't left my room.

Dermalogica - Active Moist

This product is a bit on the pricey side, but if you are looking for a daily moisturiser that gets rid of dehydration, then you should definitely look into this one. It is very light on my skin and I have certainly seen a difference in my skin's texture.

Essence - Cooling Eye Roll-On

This has been my life-saver during exams. It kept my looking awake, which is exactly what I needed. It is also perfect for summer as it is very cooling, keeping you feeling fresh and looking bright-eyed. 

Swarovski - Aura Perfume

This has a light fruity, floral and musky scent. It is very feminine and isn't too strong. I have received many compliments when I have been wearing this, making me want to wear it even more. I think it is the perfect scent for summer.

Lush - You've Been Mangoed Bath Melt

I would like to just say that it did not look like this when I brought it, I have just been enjoying it so much and this is all I have left (sadly). This is one of Lush's bath melts which means it is very beneficial for the skin, which is just bonus to me because it smells incredible (but then again, I love mangoes, I am currently drinking mango juice right now actually). I have had quite a few pamper evenings to de-stress and this is honestly the best de-stresser. I don't even want to leave the bath once I have popped this in. 

Indian Roadside Stall - Crystal Pendant

I got this necklace in India during the August holidays (there is a blog post soon to come). It is just so special to me and brings back so many lovely memories.

My Cat - Garfield 

Lastly, but certainly not least, is my cat. He has been sitting on my bed every single day of my exams and he just makes me so happy. JUST LOOK HOW FLUFFY HE IS. 

I hope you have had a wonderful November and I would love to hear what you have been loving this month. 

Victoria xo