Some things that made me smile in… July 2025
Including easy iced tea, candid conversations and cerulean cool
If you’re a regular here, welcome back! If you’re new, this is my round up of some of the things that have made me smile over the past month. Please feel free to share in the comments anything that’s brought you joy too, whether big or small! Are you currently a free subscriber but would like to upgrade? You can do that here.
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“Don’t let perfection get in the way of completion.”
- Michelle De Swarte on Our Table
How has your July been?
For me, it seems as though the months are going faster as the year progresses. The strangeness of having to carry on ‘as normal’ day to day while knowing what’s happening in the world is something I struggle to put into words.
I’ll continue to amplify and support organisations I know of that are making a difference. If you know any others please share in the comments:
As well as seeing the Lionesses make history and how far the women’s game has come, here’s a few of the things that made me smile in July.
We Need To Talk
There’s been some brilliant interviews on Paul C. Brunson’s podcast, including Dr. Judith Joseph and Jordan Stephens to name just two, but this recent conversation with Nadiya Hussain is a real stand out and must watch.
Whether you know of Nadiya from The Great British Bake Off and her career since or not, this conversation spanning the topics of identity, survival, speaking your truth and much more resonates on many levels.
I was a fan of Nadiya’s before and now I admire her even more.
Watch the the full episode here:
Nadiya has continued to raise her voice in support of civilians in Gaza. She’s now teamed up with Illiyin Morrison (also GBBO alumni) creating two recipes to raise funds for Children Not Numbers and World Central Kitchen, two organisations working on the ground in Gaza. Get the recipes here.
Easy Iced Tea
Tastes change! As someone who was never fussed about iced tea, it’s become a bit of a staple for me this summer.
Courtesy of these easy instructions for making cold brew iced tea from from tea sommelier, Jee Choe, I’ve enjoyed experimenting and now I have another way to hydrate on hot days.
Cold brewing hibiscus tea (pictured above) has been my favourite so far.
If you have any forgotten fruit teabags sitting in your cupboards, this is a great way to make use of them. Give it a try!
Adding Collagen To My Routine
Roughly a couple of months ago I was contacted a company called Elavate, asking me if I’d like to try their collagen blend.
Collagen supplements have become more popular in recent years and I’ve always been sceptical. I’m perimenopausal and I know that collagen loss accelerates at this stage, but do collagen supplements really work?
Unbeknownst to the Elavate team, I’d been experiencing persistent joint issues when they reached out to me. When they said there was no obligation for me to post on social media or promote their product, I figured I’d try it and see for myself whether it made any difference or not.
I opted for the chocolate flavour which I find easy to add to smoothies, porridge, overnight oats, in baking (like my baked oats at the top of this post) and as a hot chocolate drink. (It’s also available in vanilla or unflavoured.)
I’m now almost two months into taking Elavate’s Multi Collagen Superblend and I’m very surprised by the results!
Before, I had been experiencing some form of joint pain (at worst) or discomfort (at best) pretty much every day for the past year. My yoga practice over the past twelve months has helped me manage pain levels immensely, but hasn’t eliminated it entirely.
As I write this, I’m pain-free 99% of the time and the only change I’ve made is adding this collagen supplement to my routine.
I went back to the Elavate team to let them know about my results so far and they have given me this discount code that will give you 15% off at their website:
Enter UCAN15 at the checkout on the Elavate website to receive 15% off your purchase.
If you don’t see a difference, Elavate have a money back guarantee.
I had no expectations but I’m glad that I said yes to trying something new. I’m planning to continue with this collagen journey and track my progress along the way.
Cerulean Cool
I experienced a bit of early noughties nostalgia this month when I went along with two school friends to watch The Devil Wears Prada Musical in London’s West End.
The cast were brilliant and it did take me back to a time when things seemed somehow less complicated. (Or maybe things were just as complicated and it’s more to do with the fact that I was younger then.)
If you’re expecting a re-creation of the movie on stage, it’s not quite that. This production takes some of the main elements of Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel and the 2006 movie (including Miranda Priestley’s famous “cerulean” speech), with music from Elton John weaving through the story.
Set in 2003, the obsession with thinness as status during the early 2000s was not shied away from in this production. Afterwards, it got me thinking that after the strides made with body positivity in the years since, we seem to have drifted back to that place.
Now that there is a film sequel in the works it will be interesting to see which themes have endured and what’s new.
The Devil Wears Prada Musical is at The Dominion Theatre until 3 January 2026. Details here.
Our Table
Watching this felt like sitting in on a welcoming dinner party.
Hosted by Judi Love, Our Table is podcast where over a Caribbean-inspired meal crafted by award-winning chef Dom Taylor, guests dive into honest and relatable discussions on identity, ambition, and the life experiences that have shaped them.
It’s often as funny as it is deep. I enjoyed witnessing some familiar faces open up in ways I hadn’t seen before and Judi Love is a brilliant host.
There’s now six episodes of Our Table available to watch on YouTube. I hope there will be more series to come.
Here is Episode 1:
Last but not least….
…this month’s kitchen dance track is That’s Alright by Laura Mvula
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE YOGA WITH ME:
In-Person:
Rest + Restore, Saturday 16 August 3.30-5pm at Embody Wellness, Vauxhall. Find full details and book here.
Hatha Flow, Wednesdays 9.30-10.30am at Yoga Point, Brixton. Book here.
Wake-Up Hatha Flow, Thursdays 9.30-10.30am at MIND Yoga & Pilates, Forest Hill. Book here.
Online:
Not able to join me in-person? There’s now more than two years’ worth of yoga and meditation practices from me here on Substack like this Simple Soothing Blanket Restorative practice:
#5 The Reset
Welcome to fifth edition of The Reset. This is a regular monthly offering from me along with A Peaceful Pause. Previous editions of The Reset include: