the weekly love list – edition 2
Welcome to the second edition of my weekly love list. In case it’s not obvious, I am on holidays at the moment, so the things I’ve been loving have been holiday related. Come back next week for a more holiday/New Zealand specific love list.
Oral B iO series 9 electric toothbrush
I have always been a diligent teeth brusher, mostly opting for the good, old fashioned manual toothbrush. I had never really found an electric toothbrush that I liked. I had tried out a few over the years, only to return shortly after to the manual toothbrush. But for the last five months, I have been using the Oral B iO 9 electric toothbrush, and have noticed a real difference in the cleanliness of my teeth. Despite religiously brushing my teeth twice a day, it felt as though plaque and tartar build-up were inevitable. Plus, due scarring on my tonsils, I would regularly get tonsil stones (if you don’t know what that is, google it, it’s gross). Since using the iO 9, I seem to have eliminated both of these issues.
The iO9 has an interactive colour display on the handle, and a motion sensor power mechanism. It has seven modes to choose from including daily brush, sensitive and super sensitive, intense clean, tongue clean, gum care and whiten, and coloured sensors to tell you whether you’re brushing too hard or too soft. The reason I got this toothbrush was because of it’s connectivity with your mobile phone. You can pair your toothbrush to your phone and it will give you real time data as you are cleaning your teeth. It detects where in the mouth you are and whether you are doing an adequate job. If you’re being sloppy, it will tell you. And to gamify your daily oral hygiene routine, the app will award you badges for your brushing performance.
The downside to this toothbrush is that it is expensive, like really expensive. You can pick one up on sale for around $250-300, but don’t be surprised if you see it advertised for upwards of $500.
Is it worth the money? I believe so. My teeth have never been this clean, except maybe after a dentist appointment. If you don’t have any problem areas in your brushing routine, it’s probably not for you, but if you have some improvement to do, and a spare couple hundred dollars, give it a go.
the beauty bar dee why
Not too far from where I live, there is an eye catching, pink bricked beauty salon, on the corner of Pittwater Road and Fisher Road in Dee Why. I would quite often walk past with my dog, always thinking I should go in and try it out. Last week, I finally did. I was preparing to go on holidays and before any holiday, I always get my nails done. Visiting Beauty Bar Dee Why was a great decision. Beauty Bar Dee Why is owned by Carly, who has worked in the Northern Beaches beauty industry for the last 18 years. Carly and her team combine experience, education and passion to bring a satisfying and relaxing day at the spa.
I went in for a quick Shellac coat, and ended up having a full manicure because my nails were in such rough shape (my words, not Carly’s). This extra service obviously takes more time, and she was able to tend to my extra request, all while not eating into the next client’s session. It’s been about a week since I had my nails done and there’s been no lifting, no chipping, all still looks great. A full Shellac manicure will set you back $55, which is pretty reasonable. I would be interested to try some of their other services, but I will be back for another manicure.
movie – past lives
There is a Korean philosophy, In-yun, the belief that there is a person close to you in this life that you have been close with in past lives, and will likely continue to be close with in the lives to come. A beautiful concept that supports the theory that there are just some people in your life that you are cosmically linked with, and will be forever. Well, that is basically what Celine Song’s 2023 film Past Lives is about.
We meet Na Young (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), two Korean children, who are best friends until Na Young and her family immigrate to Canada. They lose touch, but find their way back together 12 years later after Hae Sung leaves a message for Na Young, who now goes by her American name, Nora Moon, on her dad’s Facebook page. We see the two friends at three points in their lives, and they talk about their in-yun, and whether they are meant to be together in this life, or the next.
This is such a beautiful film. The cinematography is glorious, and the way the story is told weaves a lovely romantic tale to follow. The film is almost completely in Korean, bar a few scenes of Nora’s life in New York. It is an easy watch at 1 hour 45 minutes, you tend to forget you’re reading subtitles 10 minutes in. I will be thinking about this one for some time to come.
holiday wedges – Jane Debster ‘Idaho’ wedge
Being 5ft 2in, quite often if I am going anywhere there are crowds of people, I feel a bit more comfortable wearing higher shoes. You tend to get lost amongst the elbows and shoulder bags. So I was looking for a comfortable pair of wedge heels, a pair that is made of high quality material, looks stylish, and isn’t likely to cause me any ankle or lower leg injury. I had seen the Jane Debster ‘Idaho’ wedges months and months ago, but wasn’t sure whether i should buy them (no impulse shopping here). I then saw a woman walking on the street in these same shoes, and I was sold. I purchased these and have absolutely loved them. They are really comfy, the angle of the wedge isn’t high, the straps across the toes and around the ankles are soft and don’t rub, give enough height so that I don’t feel like I may leave a public gathering with a concussion, but not high enough to cause injury. I recently wore these on the first two days of my holiday, walked over 10,000 steps each day, and my feet are without ill-effect. The shoes are still in great condition. Having owned Jane Debster shoes previously, I knew they were of pretty good quality. This brand is well known for their quality leather, and this style comes in four colours, tan (pictured right), black, nude and white. These retail for around $199, but if you search hard enough, you can generally find these on sale.
The Brain by Amy McDonald
I am not much of a reader, nor do I have children, but when your best friend writes a book, you read it. The Brain, authored by Amy McDonald, is a psycho-educational book with information and experiences to support children’s brain development. It explains what is happening in a child’s brain at various stages throughout early childhood, from 0 to six years old, the best ways to support brain development and some practical activities to do with your child to support that development.
Amy McDonald is an experienced child development expert, having over 10 years experience working with children between the ages 6 months to 5 years old. Amy has worked with children and families across many different countries and cultures, and has provided support in potentially stressful times.
The book is written beautifully, in plain language that all parents can understand, and the steps to help work towards positive brain development are clear. The concepts are not difficult to understand and the activities are things that the vast majority of parents would be familiar with (I’m sure you’ve all heard of peek-a-boo). Amy tells you when the best time to introduce these activities are to best support your child’s rapidly developing skills.
Not only did Amy write the book, she also provided all the images, being a keen photographer in her spare time. It’s also not an arduous read, at only 54 pages. The Brain is available for purchase through Amazon, in both paperback and Kindle form. It is currently 5 star rated by verified buyers. So if you have any new parents in your life, or you are a new parent, download this book and watch your child’s brain flourish.
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