7/10/2019 4 Comments "Be FEARLESS in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire." A Podcast Episode featuring Alexandra Talty"Be FEARLESS in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire."
As many of you know, I LOVE supporting and meeting new women on Instagram and IRL. One of those incredible women is named Alexandra Talty. Alexandra and I met on Instagram now a little over a year ago. At the time, I was starting a podcast and thought she would be the perfect guest, you'll read why in a little bit. I've recently taken a bit of time to myself and haven't been writing as much BUT after meeting Alexandra in person I was thinking about this podcast and asked you all if I should post. You said YES! SO here it is, and it couldn't be better timing because cueing up the podcast one of the things that stood out to me was the quote."Be FEARLESS in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire." this is something we should always hold onto and an important reminder for me right now and hopefully after listening to this podcast you'll be inspired to embody this quote as well. Now without further ado, I hope you enjoy this podcast! AND if you enjoyed don't be disappointed as I will have a talk show dropping in a couple of weeks that I CAN NOT wait to share with all of you. A little background on Miss Alexandra Talty before you listen... Alexandra is a writer and a self declared part-time fish from Southhampton, NY. She has written for publications such as Forbes, Playboy, and Outside magazine. What is soo inspiring about this woman is that she built this career while living in the Middle East (Lebanon). She did not let outside opinions sway her from living in this taboo place and neither should you when it comes to following your dreams and living your life. Hope you enjoying hearing her inspiring story, you'll see that she really truly embodies the quote "Be FEARLESS in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire." Don't forget to follow her on instagram HERE and read one of her latest articles "Exploring Sri Lanka's Wild Coast in Yala National Park" HERE. Xoxo, @kellithinks
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There is SOO much to do in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa and as a SOLO female traveler it’s quite daunting to figure out what you can do easily, safely, and while staying on somewhat of a budget. Luckily for you, I teamed up with Cape Town Tourism to share a list of activities that is PERFECT for any SOLO female traveler. Check it out below! Xoxo Soo the key to ALMOST ALL of the below activities is the City Sightseeing Capetown Bus aka The Hop on Hop Off Bus. YES, this does seem very touristy, BUT you are a tourist and buying a 2-3 day pass can easily help you knock off some of the things on the list below saving you some very precious Uber (My preferred transportation in Cape Town) money. One of the great things about this bus is that not only do you get to see all of Cape Town BUT you get to listen to the history of this wonderful city. It’s always great to see all the fun sides of a city, but I also like to educate myself on where a country came from to get to where it is. The City Sightseeing bus is a GREAT way to do just that. One of the first activities that you should participate in using your bus pass is going on the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. As a SOLO female traveler, it probably isn’t the safest thing to hike the mountain yourself BUT you don’t want to miss out on seeing one of the New Seven Wonders of the World from the top. The view is SPECTACULAR!!! I recommend buying your ticket online and ahead of time and getting there early as the queue can get quite long. It’s definitely worth it though if you do happen to get caught in a line. Oh, P.S. DRESS WARMLY - It’s cold the higher up you get! P.P.S. When riding up, try to get a spot by the window, the tram does a 360 while you’re going to the top and those views ARE NOT to be missed. Another activity you can get to using the City Sightseeing Capetown bus pass is the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. A MUST when in Cape Town. The gardens are absolutely gorgeous and something you can explore by yourself no problem. Just try to keep track of time while you walk through this magical place because you’ll want to visit the Monkey Jungle at The World of Birds on your next stop. Yes, this place is called The World of Birds BUT you have to go for The Monkey Jungle. The little monkeys are just SOO CUTE!!! It’s honestly the best time. You walk into the “Monkey Jungle” an enclosed habitat where these little ones can run free and they instantly greet you. There are a couple of rules NO FOOD and NO trying to hold them yourself (For safety reasons). These little ones are soo curious!! There’s a little grass field in the back where you can sit down and the “handler” tosses little bits of food around and the monkeys go crazy climbing anywhere and everywhere to get to the food. It’s honestly SOO FUN!!! Just make sure you wash your hands really well after before touching your face and just your face in general quite quickly after, I did not and got a little pink eye. Nothing to worry about, it wasn’t bad and healed quite quickly but I learn these things so YOU DON’T HAVE TO! One of the things you can do on the main line of the City Sightseeing bus is visit a Township as well as take a walking tour of Bo-Kaap. DO THESE THINGS!! Cape Town’s past makes it the city it is today. It was quite eye-opening to me especially visiting a township as I was staying in the very posh and safe Camps Bay area. Nothing to fear, just always good to see all sides of a city and this is a SAFE way to do it and SUPPORT a local community. Okay, so by now you’ve done everything I think is worthwhile on one route of the City Sightseeing Capetown bus. BUT a visit to South Africa is NOT COMPLETE without visiting their wineries. Luckily for you, you can get to a few of these off of YOU GUESSED IT the City Sightseeing Bus. I visited Groot Constantia Winery and did their Visitors Route Tour. What was SOO GREAT about this, was that I got to explore the history of this winery by visiting their museum which is a preserved housing space where you can see how the family lived and made wine “back in the day”. There was also a guided cellar tour you can participate in. BUT LETS BE HONEST the best thing about visiting wineries is the WINE TASTING. I got to taste 5 different wines and they were all so good!!! My favorite one was their Chardonnay (I’m a white wine or ROSE girl, BUT HONESTLY, all their wines were good!). Oh, do grab a bite to eat here the food was great! Now something you MUST do that is not apart of the City Sightseeing Bus (I know Shocker!!) is go on a Kiff Kombi “The Road Trip” Tour. I literally got to do ALOT of the things that were on my MUST DO things in South Africa in one day. This tour picks you up from your hotel and you’re off for a day packed with LOTS OF FUN. The tour guides at this company will keep you amused and are DEFINITELY what make this company stand out from the others (At least in my eyes, I’ve been on ALOT of tours, and this one was GREAT!!). So, what you get to do on this tour….Ride along and stop for a bit to take pictures along the VERY picturesque Chapman’s Peak Drive. Visit the Cape of Good Hope/Cape Point where you’ll get to hike to the Lighthouse AND take a picture at THE SIGN (The most South-Western Point of Africa Sign). This is also the place where you’ll stop for lunch and get to hang out with baboons (Note: These are actual wild baboons CUTE but not as cute as the ones at the World of Monkeys nor as SAFE. They are wild!! SO get your pics for the gram BUT be safe. Xo) and wild ostriches (It was too fun seeing one SOO UP CLOSE!!). BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!! You’ll also get to go to Boulder’s Beach where you’ll get to see the penguins and Kalk Bay where the Seals hang out, AND the last stop but definitely A MUST when in South Africa is to go to Muizenberg Beach where you can take pictures with the colorful huts. See I told you, literally ALMOST EVERYTHING you need to do in South Africa in ONE DAY in such a fun atmosphere with Kiff Kombi Tours. What’s great about this is the cost covers all entry fees and lunch and snacks! WELL WORTH IT! If you do all of the above, you’ll be VERY HAPPY when you leave Cape Town. BUT I wanted to leave you with THREE BONUS things to do.
Which activity would you be MOST EXCITED to do? Let me know below. Xoxo **MOST of the activities (excluding the bonus ones) were sponsored by Cape Town Tourism BUT ALL THINGS are my actual opinion. Xo** 12/5/2018 2 Comments The Single (And Not So Single) Girl’s Guide to THE BEST Instagram Photo Spots in Cape TownCapetown, South Africa - A city full of history and scenic views for days. When I first arrived in Cape Town, I was almost overwhelmed with all of it’s beauty. I literally visited a new gorgeous place every day for the two weeks I was there. I had NO idea how I was going to break this list down into a Top 7 (10 just seemed like TOO Many. With this list you can do one a day for a week or even break this list into 2 Days if you do it right! ) that everyone was going to be happy with. So this list is truly for my fellow ladies who when they travel LOVE to explore a city’s beauty leisurely and occasionally treat themselves to the finer things in life, after all you are on vacation!! Here’s my Top 7, hope you enjoy! Xo @kellithinks Number 7 - Swan Cafe | Corner Buitenkant and, Barrack St, Zonnebloem, Cape Town, 7925 This Parisian Creperie Cafe was the ABSOLUTE CUTEST. I know I was in South Africa, but it was so nice to walk in and hear “Bonjour!”. (Paris will always have a piece of my travel heart.) Not only is the Swan Cafe’s decor CUTE but the food and tea are AMAZING! For food I ordered one of the Swan Specialties called the Terrific Talulah - a crepe with mixed berry compote, homemade lemon curd, and mint leaves. Tea wise I tried the Lady Grey - A French Style Earl Grey Black Tea with Bergamot and Roses, and I fell in LOVE. You won’t be disappointed starting your morning here and snapping a few pics while you’re there as well. Number 6 - Table Mountain National Park Whether you’re a hiking fan or not, Table Mountain is a MUST when you visit Cape Town. It is one of the New 7 Wonders and just something you have to do, you can decide if it’s by foot or using the oh so popular cableway (which I highly recommend). Whatever you decide, the view of Cape Town is absolutely AMAZING from the top. Things to Remember: Wear your warm photo outfit that day, it gets QUITE COLD at the top. Number 5 - Silo Hotel | Silo Square, V & A Waterfront, Cape Town, 8801, South Africa The Silo Hotel is a 5 Star Boutique Hotel and Cape Town’s most Exclusive Luxury Hotel. The decor and architecture is TO DIE FOR. I went to enjoy a cocktail at their Willaston Bar and was not disappointed. I highly recommend sipping on their Rose Ginvino while enjoying the views, it was absolutely heaven - light and sweet with grapefruit and rose notes. Things to Remember: Do dress up, this is a LUXURY hotel. AND If you want anything more then a cocktail and bar food (I recco just going for the drink), call ahead for reservations. Number 4 - Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens | Rhodes Dr, Newlands, Cape Town, 7735, South Africa You will absolutely FALL IN LOVE with Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. The scenery is AMAZING. When I was there, fog was rolling in and I felt like I was in a Jurassic Park scene (minus a T-Rex Chasing Me). You honestly don’t have to do much here but walk around and explore all this beautiful place has to offer. I went when they had a concert in the park and absolutely LOVED it. I could here music in the background while enjoying my walk. This is the PERFECT place to picnic, relax, and enjoy a show or read a good book after you’re finished exploring. Number 3 - Bo-Kaap (Above The Cape) Bo-Kaap is a city known for it’s beautiful colors, and my goodness are there colors galore. I enjoyed exploring Bo-Kaap and learning that the reason these houses are all painted so bold and colorfully was to celebrate their newfound freedom. Originally the houses were all white when the towns people weren't free. I say that's quite the reason to celebrate and bring in lots and lots of color. Things to Remember: Although you want to get the perfect picture, remember these are people’s homes. So please be respectful of their properties and DO explore beyond the popular row of houses. You’ll never know what photo treasures you’ll find! Number 2 - Le Petite Ferme | Pass Road, Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa You ABSOLUTELY MUST enjoy the views (with a glass of wine of course) at Let Petite Ferme. It’s the perfect last stop on a day of wine drinking in Franschhoek wine region. I recommend eating in any of the little towns along the way and coming here right before sunset to get the perfect spot of grass to enjoy the view and watch the sun going down. Oh and get a dessert too, they were so yummy! Xoxo Number 1 - The Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel | 76 Orange St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa If you don’t do anything else in Cape Town, do visit The Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel for High Tea. This iconic “Peace Pink” hotel is a welcoming luxury hotel and high tea is the best way to enjoy it. All of the food was yummy and they had SOO MANY PINK DESSERTS it made me happy (I tried to eat them all but couldn’t). After you enjoy your tea, take the time to walk the grounds and explore the hotel. You’ll definitely be impressed and want to come back again and again.
Which one is your favorite spot? Let me know below! Xoxo Post made in collaboration with Cape Town Tourism #lovecapetown 10/16/2018 0 Comments Wanderlust vs wander-lustWanderlust: A strong desire or urge to wander or travel and explore the world. WanderLUST: A strong desire or urge to talk to ALL THE BOYS while traveling and exploring the world. We’re all guilty of the wanderlust spirit. It’s definitely not a bad thing to have. BUT, have you heard of wanderLUST? Being single that is something that definitely happens to me when I travel and I know I’m not the only one ladies, so fess up! I mean how could you not have it? You’re in an exotic location, all the boys are different, you’re your most relaxed self so most likely more open to meeting new people. And is there anything wrong with it? No. You just need to make sure that if you do come upon a wanderLUST situation that you’re getting what you want out of it and not the other way around. Remember you’re also the exotic beauty in the situation, so hold your power ladies. Here’s how to spot a typical wanderLUST situation. Are they from the country you’re visiting or traveling as well? If they’re traveling too most likely they’re just looking to have a good time (all situations are different though) and nothing is wrong with that, you’re on vacation. But set your standards and keep them, you never want to compromise who you are as a person just because you’re on vacation. Quick Tip: Pick the locals to chat with, oftentimes you come away with friends that you’ll be able to keep in touch with for years and then next time you visit you’ll have a friend! Was there alot of alcohol involved? We all know those stories that start with “We had one shot of tequila and next thing you know….” Well those stories happen on vacation too, and even though they’re foreign and exotic, boys are still the same at the core no matter where you live. Sorry ladies! But like I said, all situations are different. Speaking from personal experience, I had a relationship with someone I met while traveling who was from the U.S. too and it was amazing because he "got me". Because as we know not everyone will understood your wanderlust spirit. Whatever your decide to do in your wanderLUST situation it so important that you remember to do the below…
Feel Out the Situation - We have an intuition for a reason ladies! Be Smart - Self Explanatory. You’re in a foreign country so just be smart make sure you’re always aware of your surroundings. Set Your Standards Ahead of Time - So you don’t get into tricky situations, and those will be different for everyone, no judgement here. Hopefully all of these tips, will help you make the best use of your wanderLUST time while you’re wanderlusting. Do you have stories to share good or bad that may be able to help other ladies or so we can share in the fun times? Let me know below. Xoxo, @kellithinks |
AuthorSingle. LA Living. Loves: Traveling, Fashion, and Beauty. Has A Really Cute Doggy. Constantly Navigating my Crazy Thoughts on Dating and Men. Ready for the Journey? CategoriesAll And Stronger Bad@ss Women You Should Know About Boss Babe Businesses Empowered Fashion/Beauty Lifestyle Living Fearless Monthly Theme Random Thoughts Relevant Thoughts For Today's Modern Woman Travel Archives
August 2019
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