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Welcome back to Hayley Lately. Each month, this is where I chat about my life and what I’ve been up to in Melbourne. Keep reading to discover the book I couldn’t put down, my new favourite show and the best Melbourne eats.
My teeth whitening experience
I want to start off with writing about my teeth whitening experience at Smiles of Melbourne this month. I was contacted by the local business and asked if I wanted a complimentary treatment in exchange for my honest review. Seeing as I have had stained teeth from my braces days in primary school, I was really interested in giving it a go and to see what difference it could make.
Firstly, all of the staff I dealt with were very friendly, including Dr Georgy, who did my teeth whitening treatment. There’s a great video on their website I recommend viewing before your appointment, so you know what to expect. But it’s very straightforward. You lie down with a UV light pointed at your teeth for two 15-minute sets, with a top-up in between. I was surprised that it wasn’t uncomfortable AT ALL and the 30 minutes flew by (thanks partly to the chilled music playing, which fortunately featured a lot of my favourite songs).
When I looked in the mirror afterwards, my first thought was that my teeth just looked brighter. It was like a filter had been removed. My very yellow canines (as dentists call them) aren’t magically white, but I didn’t expect that. However, they definitely look improved. If you’re on the fence about getting your teeth whitened — like I’ve been for years — I highly recommend it. Smiles of Melbourne also have an in-home teeth whitening kit, which you can use weekly to prolong the treatment. After seeing the results, I’m thinking of returning to pick this up myself. Thanks Smiles of Melbourne for improving my smile!
I’VE INCLUDED MY OWN BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS BELOW, IN CASE YOU’RE INTERESTED IN THE IMMEDIATE RESULTS.
Life lately
I struggled with my motivation in July. Even though winter in Melbourne is nothing like what I faced in Canada, it still gets me down. On the days I wasn’t working outside of the house, I felt extremely unmotivated to do anything. Hence July consisted of a lot of TV time, reading time and not much else in the land of Hayley. However, I did check out the Finders Keepers Market after work on a Friday night in mid-July. My best purchase was a tub of raw cookie dough. SO good.
My favourite building and where the Finders Keepers were held.
But back home in Townsville, two big milestones occurred within days of each other. Firstly, my brother’s partner welcomed their first child into the world: Matilda Marie Simpson. I kind of can’t believe I’m an aunty now, but it’s true! Two days later my dad turned the big 6-0. We will be celebrating this milestone in Bali next week.
Eating lately
My Melbourne eating adventures in July were lacklustre, guys. Compared to June anyway. We did, however, head to Huxtaburger after the Finders Keepers Market and I had a delicious breakfast burger. I also caught up with a friend at The Beer and Burger Bar in Richmond, which does a $15 burger, chips and drink meal deal at lunchtime. Can’t complain about that.
Pretty winter sunsets
Blogging lately
Fortunately, I’ve been motivated to keep this blog going in July, with new posts nearly every week. Firstly, there was my guide to the best things to do at night in Vancouver. Then I shared my favourite photos from Lake Bled in a day trip post. If you haven’t checked it out, what are you waiting for? Next I talked about the best hostels I stayed in across the UK and Europe, because I found some gems that everyone needs to know about.
Reading lately
My name is Hayley and I read a lot of books (SEVEN) in July. It has to be a record. Firstly, I finished Wayfarer, which I liken to a YA version of Outlander. Then there was The Wedding Date, which I’d heard such good things about, but I couldn’t get into the author’s writing style. It was so lacklustre and cliche. Next I read P.S. I Still Love You, the sequel to To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and loved it. The movie adaptation of the first novel is being released on Netflix in August and I can’t wait!
I then finished An American Marriage, which is another book I’d read a lot of things about. But once again it underwhelmed me. I liked the storyline, but I didn’t really empathise with any of the characters. The next book I read in about five days was Force of Nature, which is set right here in Victoria. It’s a mystery and I really enjoyed it. The story effortlessly went back and forth between the past and present. This is the book I recommend the most this month. Book six was The Island, my first Elin Hilderbrand book (and definitely not my last). A great chick lit read. Finally, I finished July by devouring The Kiss Quotient in two days. It’s a little steamy but I loved it.
Watching lately
What haven’t I been watching in July? I’ve caught up on a lot of TV, including the latest seasons of Chicago Fire and Chicago Med, as well as the new TV shows, Station 19 and The Resident. I know, a lot of doctors and firefighters. But they’re such good shows to watch when you don’t want to think too hard. On Netflix, the only show I really got into was the latest season of Jane the Virgin.
Walks around Richmond
Writing lately
I wrote a lot of posts this month on the Northern Territory for The Culture Trip, including the most beautiful natural sights. I also wrote about the best ways to travel sustainably in Australia, which I enjoyed researching. At the end of July, I wrote two posts about the underrated Cocos (Keeling) Islands, which are an Australian territory in the middle of the Indian Ocean. They look absolutely magical.
I am so excited for my one and only overseas trip of the year in August. I’ll be spending time in Bali and Singapore, and I can’t wait to return to both of these beautiful places.
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