It seems that, while April saw a bit of a blogging drought, May has been my most productive month yet, with around two blog posts a week. I’m nothing if not inconsistently inspired!

May has been a month of motivated highs and shattering lows in personal and public senses. With horrors and trauma, and loss and pain dominating the news, our minds and Twitter feeds over the last couple of weeks of this month, it’s been hard to find peace and joy in even the smallest of things.

I suppose, then, this post is even more poignant; a reminder to myself, at least, that there have been moments this month whenI have really felt truly alive and happy and motivated.

Here are the things that, during May, shone through the dark and gave me hope, happiness and moments of delight.

Listening to…

Tom Odell

I’m a big fan of music that makes you feel all of the feelings, and Tom Odell is just one artist that does it well. His sorrowful, sad and raw songs with powerful rhythm always get to me and I had the pleasure to see him at the weekend at Common People Festival in Southampton.

I still think he looks a bit like Macaulay Culkin too. Just me?

Happy Accidents

Also at Common People Festival were Happy Accidents! I had a great time watching them on the Uncommon Stage, and they’re a new firm addition to my Spotify playlist collection. They’re playing a few gigs over the next few months so it’s definitely worth checking out their Facebook page for more info.

Tuba Libres

Last week saw the album launch of the Tuba Libres; a funk-brass band local to Southampton. I saw the boys perform outside one of my favourite coffee haunts earlier in the month, and last week I went to their album launch party at The Talking Heads. I’ll be posting a review of the night on here very soon, but it’s well worth checking them out now: their album is over on Spotify and you can also find them on Facebook. Definitely ideal if you’re looking for something a bit different to the usual stuff on the radio right now.

Reading…

The Pier Falls by Mark Haddon

I was a lucky girl and won this book on Twitter a couple of months ago. I finally got round to reading it during May and it is transfixing. I can’t wait to review it properly and share it with you all; a smashing collection of (very) dark short stories.

Psychologies Magazine

I’m not usually one to buy magazines; I find most content I enjoy is online now. However, this is one exception, and every so often I’ll treat myself to a copy of Psychologies. It’s well worth forking out for; sound advice, strong women, tips and tricks and recipes too. It’s a thing of substance and quality, and I think it’s good to support quality content which is focused on wellbeing rather than just weight and wardrobes.

Watching…

Master of None, Season Two

Allooooora! What can I say about the second season of Master of None?! I devoured it as quickly as Dev devoured all of the pasta and gelato in Italy. This season was an absolute pleasure to watch, with simple episodes and a beautifully real storyline. It’s a great antidote to the fast-paced, frantic television we often experience and beautifully shot, too. Each episode is like a little film.

I now want to move to Italy, and can’t resist taking ‘Hey Cutie’ boomerangs when out for coffee or food. Cheers, Aziz Ansari and co.

Their Finest

I went to see this British film at my local Picturehouse Cinema before it vanished from the silver screen and I am so glad I caught it. It’s a beautiful story of love, loss, and determination in World War Two; and though this may sound stereotypical, it most certainly wasn’t. There were twists and turns and poignant moments, which made it gripping and tender. The acting was superb too, and had me laughing and crying until the bitter end. My feminist side also loved the strong female lead.

Funny Girl at The Marlowe Theatre

I went to see Funny Girl right at the start of the month (where has that time gone!?) and was utterly blown away. You can read more of what I thought on my theatre review. I also went to see Pygmalion at Nuffield Southampton Theatres which I also fell in love with. May was a good month on the stage!

Eating…

Overnight Oats

It’s now too warm for porridge in my book, so I’m trying to make batches of Overnight Oats to take into the office on when I have a lot to do. It’s basically cold porridge but it’s delicious and creamy and filling and utterly customisable. My favourite combinations include using almond milk and coconut yoghurt and popping frozen berries in there to defrost on my commute. There are lots of recipes out there but I swear by Lauren Conrad’s Overnight Oats recipe.

Brunch at Cau

If you haven’t noticed already I am a BIG fan of brunching and I’m always looking for new places to go. I recently saw photos of the new brunch menu at Cau and had to try it for myself. I’ve never been to Cau before as I am not really a big meat-eater, but let me tell you, brunch was heaven. I ordered sweet potato pancakes with goats cheese, caramelised onion and rocket (and a side of mushrooms), and it was honestly the best brunch I’ve had in a while. I’m already hoping to go back soon!

Learning…

…at Pint of Science

Across the UK in May, cities played host to Pint of Science, a science festival that brought the lab to the bar. I attended one night in Southampton called ‘Architecture with Atoms’, run by the ‘Atoms to Galaxies’ team. I nursed a pint of coke while listening to local academics explain computational chemistry, crystallography and resistors and, though I didn’t understand everything, it was fascinating and a wonderfully different way to spend an evening.

I’d highly recommend checking your local Pint of Science events out when they return next year! It’s brilliantly run by passionate volunteers and really makes you realise how much brilliant research is going on every single day, with people continually working to improve our lives.

Hot Yoga with In Balance Yoga

I’ve done yoga before, but when my friend Emma asked me to go to Hot Yoga with her, I started to get nervous. I’m not overly flexible and was worried I just wouldn’t be able to cope in the heat. However, the folk at In Balance Hot Yoga were so welcoming and supportive and I left the session feeling revitalised, stretched and content. It was possibly the best yoga session I’ve been to and I honestly can’t wait to go back.

Writing…

• A Pocketful of Inspiration: My favourite podcasts right now
• Here’s to the golden moments | Mental Health Awareness Week 2017
• Review | Pygmalion at Nuffield Southampton Theatres
• Switching off from social media: Part one – my detox diary
• Review | Funny Girl at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
• Corrie Jones on freelancing, social media and staying sassy