June/July Favourites


Uh oh! July is over?! The summer months are moving way too fast. I have just been enjoying summer and going out doing fun activites. I can't believe in a month's time all the fun will be over. But, let's not think about that just yet. It's still in the future. Anyways, these past two months have been lots of fun (expect exams) and I have lots of things to discuss. So, if you are interested in finding out the movies, shows, books, and music I've been enjoying, then keep reading! 

Movie Favourites


Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained warrior. When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, she leaves home to fight a war, discovering her full powers and true destiny.

Wonder Woman was absolutely in-cred-i-ble. There aren't enough words to describe how amazing this movie was. This has been one of the best cinematic expereinces I've had in a while. Gal Gadot was perfect as Wonder Woman and I can't wait for more Wonder Woman movies! If you haven't watched this already, you MUST!

Relax and De-stress


Hello there! Today's post is all about ways to reduce stress and letting yourself relax. I was just thinking about how stressed out I was getting because of all my school assingments and exams. I wanted to compile a list of a few things that help me when I feel stressed. I hope you feel these helpful and comment your recommendations for stress relievers down below! 


Music is probably the thing I turn to most when I want to de-stress. It's so easy to just put on your favourite song and get caught up in the music and feel immediately relaxed. I love listening to instrumental music when I read because lyrics can get confusing and I get easily distracted. I love Sway, Sway by Heinali because it just instantly calms me. I find it's simplicity so soothing. Constantly hitting the replay button! 



Tea is the most relaxing beverage besides hot chocolate. It starts your day, settles your stomach, can energize you as well as make you sleepy. Tea has so many benefits and I love drinking it every morning. In the past months or so I've been leaning towards Birthday Cake Tea by David's Tea. If you are from Canada then you know that David's Tea is basically like Teavana. They sell all different kinds of teas; the possibilities are endless! Birthday Cake Tea tastes exactly how it sounds. It's not overly sweet and is the perfect way to start the morning and end the day. 



Something I love to do on Fridays or on the weekend is to put on a face mask. It feels so refreshing and makes my skin so soft and clean. I was trying to find good masks for acne since I tend to breakout on my face. I kept seeing Lush Mask of Magnaminty Face and Body Mask being recommended so I wanted to try it. Lush is a handmade cosmetics store that sells everything from shower gels to lotions to makeup. They use natural ingredients which is why I really like this brand. I've purchased from Lush in the past and have been very impressed and satisfied with their products. The Mask of Magnaminty is very refreshing (minty in the title) and I feel squeaky clean after I'm done. It makes my skin so soft and really helps with breakouts. Try this if you struggle with breakouts or want a nice face mask! Putting on a mask is so relaxing because you keep your face still and it make you feel so clean. For me, feeling clean is the best solution to feeling stressed. 




I love to freshen my room and breathe in warm and inviting smells, especially while I'm reading. Candles are so relaxing because their glow creates a calming atmosphere and there are so many different scents to choose from. I've purchased so many candles this month (oopsie) but I've been leaning towards Berry Waffle Cone by Bath and Body Works the most. The notes in this candle are Sweet Summer Berries, Golden Waffle Cone, Creamy Vanilla. Doesn't that sound delicious? It smells incredible. The throw is so strong it fills up small rooms like mine in a few minutes and are also great for larger rooms. 



Something I want to start doing more of is yoga and guided meditation. I've tried both of them previously and enjoyed them. I created a playlist of yoga and guided meditation videos to assist me since I do not know many yoga poes besides child's pose and downward dog. I really look forward to practicing yoga especially so I know how to do the different poses without watching videos. I recommend trying yoga and guided meditaion at home since it is very grounding, relieves stress, and calms your body. 


In my Winter Esssentials post I talked about the Fireplace Channel. Since it is summer I decided to choose the Sunset Channel which is another favourite of mine. It is so relaxing to hear the the birds, the wind, the waves crashing on the shore and feeling like you're on the beach. I love taking a nap and listening to this in the background. If you have Rogers it is on channel 206. 


I hope you enjoyed today's post and found these tips useful. Have a great day and wonderful weekend! See you soon with a new post.

love xena

My Co-op Experience at Novotel North York


At the end of September I started my co-op experience at Novotel North York. I was very nervous as it was my first time ever being in a workplace setting. I've known I wanted to work in the hospitality industry since Grade 10 and I was hoping this opportunity would give me some insight as to what I could expect in the future. I'm really happy that I got this experience and learned about the operations of the hotel that I did not know before. I'm really lucky because I got to expereince working with Alex Nurse (Accounts Receivable/Payroll Administrator) and Alena Miatlushka and Jason Abirafeh (HR Managers). Below are some pictures of the hotel and my  co-op experience at Novotel.


This is a picture of one of the executive rooms in the hotel. I've visited all the different types of rooms: standard, executive, and superior. A lot of the rooms have been renovated recently and they look very nice and modern. The layout of the rooms make them look very spacious and the view from the balcony is also nice, especially as you go higher up. My favourite feature of the rooms are the lighting on the headboards which are a very nice touch and perfect for reading!


Setting up the Novotel booth. 


Alena, Joseph, and Me.


A few weeks after I started co-op at Novotel, my supervisor Alex Nurse (Accounts Receivable/Payroll Administrator) invited me to go with him, Alena Miatlushka (HR Manager) and Joseph Mercado (Food & Beverage Manager) to Humber College for their job fair. I had a really great time and I broke out of my shell a bit more as I talked to college students about Novotel and how to apply. Above are the job applications I created for the college students to complete. 





The picture above is my work area in the Sales and Administration office. This is
 where I sorted, organized, and filed audit packs and invoices, worked on commissions, spreadsheets, as well as sent faxes and made photocopies. 


I also worked in the HR office with the HR Manager (Alena Miatlushka and Jason Abirafeh) where I filed
 documents and certificates into employee folders. 


The Sales and Administartion team and I took a group picture together on my last day at Novotel 😔 
Left to right: Bridget, Violetta, Alla, Michael, Zorica, Me, Denisa, and Jason.


Lastly is a picture of Michael Singer (General Manager) and I. I received a certificate for
 my completion of 220 hours and a gift bag from my supervisor Alex and
 the rest of the team. 

I had a wonderful co-op experience at Novotel North York and I learned a lot whilst I was there. If co-op is available to you I highly recommend doing it as it really helps you to get an idea of what the workforce is like. Also, Novotel is a great place to do co-op if you are interested in the hospitality industry like myself. 

I hope you enjoyed today's post! It was a little different but I really wanted to share this expereince with you all. I hope you have a great day and a great week ahead. I'll see you soon with a new post!


love xena

Books I Want To Read This Summer


Hello everyone! Now that it's summertime there's more free time to read! I have a lot of books I want to read this summer and hope to finish. Most likely I won't finish most of these because I have a lot of stuff to do and I'm a mood-reader. With that said, I still like to make a reading list to give myself an idea of the books I want to finish soon. I hope you enjoy today's post and get some ideas for your own summer reading list. If you want a little challenge I recommend trying this reading list by POPSUGAR. Anyways, let's get into the books I hope to read this summer. 



I have been meaning to read Amy and Roger's Epic Detour since 2014 and I STILL HAVEN'T READ IT. In the summer I really love to read contemporaries which you will notice is a trend throughout this post. I've read every book by Morgan Matson except this one which is her first. She always adds little interactive things into her books like playlists, emails, etc. It really makes the reading experience even better and it makes me so excited to read this book.

Summary:
Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.



I talked about Lucky in Love in my Most Anticipated Books of 2017 and it's almost here!!! I seriously love Kasie West's books and have read all of her contemporaries. It comes out July 25, 2017 and I can't wait. Her books are super adorable and perfect books to finish in one-sitting.  

Summary:
Maddie doesn't believe in luck. She's all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment - She wins!
In a flash, Maddie's life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she's talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun... until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now, Maddie isn't sure who she can trust.
Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn't seem aware of Maddie's big news. And, for some reason, she doesn't want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?
With tons of humor and heart, Kasie West delivers a million-dollar tale of winning, losing, and falling in love.



I also talked about By Your Side by Kasie West in my Most Anticipated Books of 2017. It came out back in late January and I never read it. I'm probably going to read it this summer or save it for the 2017-2018 school year because Kasie's books are quick pick-me-ups and perfect for when I need a light-hearted read.

Summary:
  When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.
Only he doesn’t come. No one does.
Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn at first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?


I have heard nothing but incredible things about The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. It's a hate-to-love story set in the workplace and is supposedly hilarious. I'm really looking forward to reading this. It sounds like the perfect beach read!

Summary:
Nemesis (n.)
 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
2) A person’s undoing
3) Joshua Templeman
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.
Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.


I have heard about Nevernight by Jay Kristoff on Goodreads a lot since the sequel, Godsgrave, is coming out later this year. It sounds kick butt and incredibly epic. I'm really looking forward to reading this and hopefully I like it so I can read the sequel when it comes out. 

Summary:
In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.
Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father's failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father's former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.
Now, a sixteen year old Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic - the Red Church. Treachery and trials await her with the Church's halls, and to fail is to die. But if she survives to initiation, Mia will be inducted among the chosen of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the only thing she desires.
Revenge.


Well, this is something I'm very sad to say but I've never actually read any of the Harry Potter books or watched any of the flims. The only books I wanted to read when I was younger were Geronimo Stilton and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I really want to read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and finish the rest of the series this year. I hope to finish it before Christmas break so I can spend that break watching all the films. So cozy!

Summary:
Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!


I have read two other Jennifer L. Armentrout novels before and I really love the way she writes, especially the romance. I have heard great things about The Problem With Forever with most people saying it's their favourite book. I really hope I enjoy it just as much (I think I will). It sounds like it's full of drama, romance, and heart-break. I can't wait!

Summary:
Growing up, Mallory Dodge learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime. Now, after years of homeschooling, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at a public high school. But she never imagined she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.
It doesn’t take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet soon it becomes apparent that she’s not the only one grappling with lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider’s life spiral out of control, Mallory must make a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants and the truths that need to be heard.



I have read almost all of the books from the Shadowhunter Chronicles except for Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare. I love these books so much and this book follows Simon, one of the main characters from The Mortal Instruments, and the events that take place after City of Heavenly Fire. This book is a collection of 10 short stories and each story begins with a comic illustration by Cassandra Jean! I can't wait to read this as I need to read something by Cassandra Clare after finishing Lord of Shadows which made me so emotional. 

Summary:
Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire, and now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. The events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. Whomever this new Simon might be.
But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. At least Simon’s trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.
Join Simon on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy’s illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. Written by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman, these moving and hilarious short stories are perfect for the fan who just can’t get enough of the Shadowhunters. 


I read The Lightning Thief last year and The Sea of Monsters earlier this year and still haven't finished the rest of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. I really hope to finish the rest of the series as they are short books and I really enjoy them. Rick Riordan has written so many sequels and spin-offs for this series and I really want to catch up on them. I hope to finish The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympian this summer. 


Anyways, that wraps up this post. I know it's a lot of books but it's good to have goals! I hope you have a great day today and come up with your own summer reading list. Leave you list below! I'll see you soon.


love xena

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