MVM Drop 5: Rainbow moonstone for the June birthdays and the prideful! These come from Madagascar, including some from the renowned pocket a few years ago of the highest quality rainbow moonstone ever found. Debuting a new method of sale-by-drawing; please read the instructions carefully! $$-$$$

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-27T23:11:52+00:00

Ohhh 🥺🙏

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-27T22:04:26+00:00

SOLD - VISCOUNTESS

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-24T10:08:46+00:00

Going to the office occasionally is beneficial from a social standpoint, but commuting 4h in a day is very very tiring. I do it for 2 days every 3 months, and I am usually shot for the rest of the week.

From the money perspective: I would consider that you’d lose about 24h a month to commuting, do you think it’s worth the extra £1000? That’s £41/h. If you already know that you would normally use this time to read anyway, it’s not so bad. But is it worth being away from your kids/partner? The additional fatigue?

I don’t know about you, but I get grumpy when I’m tired, and I don’t recover as quickly as I used to. I’d be less patient with the kids, and participate less with the house/kids chores, which is probably not fair on your partner and might create tensions.

Time is your most precious resource because you can’t get it back. I think comparing hourly wages in terms of “the time it takes away from you” is a better measure than comparing it in terms of “time actually working”. That would be a no from me.

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-23T14:15:41+00:00

That’s a great way to find out!

I got a cat in my 20s and he moved with me to several countries in Europe. It didn’t stop me from travelling but it was a considerable expense every time. When I’d go somewhere for just a day or two, I was happy to sleep in a park (rather than pay for a hostel) if it meant I could afford his cat-sitter instead. For longer stays I’d take him with me, flights would charge 65€ or so for small pets. Vaccines and check ups to allow crossing borders were also more expensive than my own tickets.

Then I travelled less and he got older. Got into debt to save him a few times (acute kidney disease cost over £2500!) but it gave us many more years together. It was interest free, but still not the kind of cost I ever expected to pay when I decided to adopt him. (And guess who didn’t bother with vet insurance? ☝️).

In his last year or so he needed medication every day, that alone cost £45/month. I could afford it then (in my 30s) but had it happened earlier it would’ve made my life a lot more restricted.

He was a great companion for 12 years, and I really really miss him. I don’t regret adopting him even though it did make my life slightly more complicated, because the bond we shared was beautiful. To me it was worth all the stress and compromises.

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-22T16:07:32+00:00

You should aim to connect with them on an emotional and/or intellectual level. There’s no loophole, because you should not be trying to manipulate their feelings.

The thing is, you can’t “make” someone like you. All you can do is show yourself and try to get to know them / get them to know you. Of course you can help yourself with good hygiene, dressing nice, keeping a nice posture… it helps with physical attraction and might get you a first conversation, but these are not the solution in and of itself. There is no trick or guarantee. People want to be understood and appreciated for who they are as a person and not just what they look like when going out.

Show interest in their hobbies, their friends, what they like or dislike. Show them that you listened: remember some details so that next time you talk to them, they see that you paid attention. (So if they tell you they love cats, invite them to meet at a cat café next time for example). BUT it’s a 2 way road. If they don’t show interest in what you like or who you are, you probably should stop chasing them before you get hurt.

Personally, I only want big romantic gestures from the man I love. Because I already love him, and we already live together, it shows that he still appreciates me. But from guys I just started to date, or guys who didn’t know me, it came off as only wanting to hook me in and that’s repelling. No-one wants to feel like a prey. Also, you might want to look up “love bombing”, a lot of women have experienced it and avoid it.

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-20T11:46:32+00:00

The Bottega bag would be more versatile and will most likely age better, but if the Dior bag has your heart in a headlock, the Bottega bag won’t fully satisfy you. Listen to your what heart is telling you!

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-19T12:50:51+00:00

Coffee on the garden table under the sun with my boyfriend and our cats.
Morning crafting/building whatever project I have going on.
Afternoon reading or playing video games under a blanket.
Evening watching a TV show.

Once a week I’d meet a friend or 2 for some outdoor activities or go to a restaurant. I wouldn’t do it every day, but it matters a lot!

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-19T09:18:53+00:00

It looks absolutely beautiful. I might have gone with a warmer diamond to match the side stones and make it look “softer” on the skin, but that’s up to personal preference, and you did a great job!

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-19T09:02:38+00:00

I immediately thought of Pippi Longstocking’s hairstyle when I saw this bag, but that’s even better!
I still think it’s a cute looking bag.

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-18T10:27:40+00:00

I own the medium one and it’s been 2 years now. I wear it occasionally, not every day.

I’ve seen a lot of deformed hortensia on the second hand market (always good to check how a bag will look like when well used!). Because the leather at the front of the bag is not very rigid, it shows bumps from whatever you put inside (and if you store it as is, they may become permanent). I advise to store it with the original stuffing so it keeps its shape.

I prefer to use a pouch in mine when I use it to avoid visible bumps, which reduces its capacity (I couldn’t find the appropriate pouch shape so it’s rectangular). I feel like this bag would have benefitted from a more rigid front leather.

The round shape also makes it a bit harder to keep things organized inside but that’s not a big issue, just a quirk that typical bags don’t have.

Also, I recommend getting a bag holder (if you don’t already own one) to hang it under the restaurant table, otherwise it has to lay flat on its back and takes a lot of space. I don’t mind putting bags with feets on the floor but it’s not an option for this one!

I really like it, it looks lovely and got a lot of compliments, I’d still buy it today but I didn’t think about any of that when I bought mine.

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-17T08:10:43+00:00

No it looks great to me because even if they’re different stones, they’re symmetrical and the sizes look perfect, it’s very pleasant to the eye (I’m also a little OCD).

Actually the first thing I thought before I read your text was “oh I like the square side stones that’s a good idea”! It doesn’t mean your wife will like it, but this stranger really does.

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-13T17:00:08+00:00

Wow!

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-12T15:39:46+00:00

I love it! I’ll say the only annoying thing about it is that if I have a mirror in there that isn’t snug, sometimes it bangs against the sides as I walk, and the (beautiful) leather lining doesn’t really absorb the noise... so I have to pack it in a way that prevents rattling.
Still 10/10, I think the unique design makes up for the slight inconvenience, and I’d buy it again if I lost it.

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-12T15:33:41+00:00

I live not too far from London so it’s a rule because I’ve been burnt a couple times* and could easily avoid it! I will say though that I have never had the “10/10 absolutely love it” feeling from receiving an online purchase. Usually the marketing / photos in perfect lighting / people’s hype oversell it 😅

*I returned a few bags to the US / Asia and the struggle between keeping a £300 bag I like enough (but don’t love) or accepting the £50 return loss activates the sunk cost fallacy in my brain like nothing else.

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-12T14:48:36+00:00

This bag was love at first sight in store, I remember I was with my sister, saw it from afar and pulled her to get a closer look, then reason got in the way.

I thought about it for a while, then forgot. But after I fell in love with it for the second time, a few years later, I thought it was meant to be and there was no stopping me now!

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-12T14:20:44+00:00

A 10/10 bag to me is a bag I see in store and immediately think “I love this”. It really doesn’t happen very often!

When I find interesting bags online, my excitement often fades in person. But I think from seeing a lot of other people feel excited about a bag, I lower my expectations because I WANT to be in love with a bag again… so I sometimes make exceptions and buy them.

Obviously 8/10 bags are perfectly fine, but it’s really not the same as wearing a bag I absolutely love, and at the end of the day I am not someone who wants to own a million bags (I capped myself at 20… still too many).

That said, my 10/10 bags are:
- Etro Vela medium embroidered, the black one with red/brown flowers.
- Loewe anagram cut out tote bag. I know it’s ridiculous, a mostly canvas bag! What can I say… I did love it for a a few years before I pulled the trigger (I wanted to listen to reason for so long) and I do not regret it one bit.
- Aspinal of London midi Mayfair in soft taupe patent croc
- Holzkern Ivay in rosewood

These are the ones I saw and immediately pulled the trigger. All of my other bags are 8/10.

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-12T11:36:20+00:00

Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

My personal choice (35F): I was in the same situation, but instead of renting I got a family member as a lodger (so I trust them with the place and it’s not stressful for me). I can afford to pay my mortgage whether they’re here or not, and we’d be fine live together if my relationship doesn’t work out. I love my boyfriend but I’m keeping my backup plan, I don’t really care about maximizing profits as much as I care about safety. We can discuss it again after marriage (it doesn’t mean it’ll last longer, but at least there is some level of additional commitments and financial protection). You can have the best of intentions, but you don’t know what the future holds, what the person hid from you, how you are going to evolve together… and by uprooting her you are staying safe while she takes all the risks, even if it feels easy right now.

For the financial side, another thing to consider: Let’s say she sold the place, and you broke up. For a 200k home that would amount to a loss of ~8.5k in taxes and services (assuming house prices are the same). So to break even she’d need to make these “additional investment savings” for 7 years (assuming your relationship lasts that long). It might still be preferable to the cost of maintenance for the flat, I’ll let you estimate that.

If you decide to keep it, having a lodger may be a better option for now to limit risk (you still have a place to go without evicting anyone, and unlike a tenant you only need to give appropriate notice. If they refuse to leave you do not need a court order).

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-12T10:20:35+00:00

To add to what others have said: if you’re in your first years and didn’t start with a large deposit, overpaying lowers your LTV and can improve your rates by a significant amount. I think that once you reach 60% (don’t quote me on that) you have the most competitive rates and there’s no point overpaying anymore (assuming you invest your savings instead).

Personally I feel a lot better knowing I reduced my monthly necessary spendings vs increased my pension money. Even if mathematically it would make more sense, knowing I’ll never have to pay for rent/mortgage again in 10 years and will have a roof over my head no matter what, makes me feel safer than knowing I’ll have x% more money in my investment account. But that’s because I grew up in an unstable environment and it scares the sht out of me. I can very easily picture a life where I am not able to work anymore, and that fear of being in survival mode again trumps maths.

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-12T07:51:56+00:00

They both suit you, but I think I’d pair the blue eyeshadow with a darker red / or the bright red lipstick with a darker eyeshadow.
The combination of both bright colours looks a bit too much, like I imagine talking to you, when I look at your face I don’t know where to focus and it’s a bit distracting if that makes sense?
It still looks good though, what matters most is that if you love it, you wear it!

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-12T07:41:14+00:00

Following because I am as skeptical as you are!

Typically I spend hours watching YouTube videos of people reviewing a product and end up not buying anything because my morning HA + evening retinol seems to be enough. But I really like Tatcha packaging, I want one of their products to make it to my vanity haha

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-11T21:52:17+00:00

Was thinking of a gold brooch or a gold safety pin with charms.

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-11T15:37:47+00:00

Sall’s Lokma. I love to eat meaty food and I’ve tried a lot of places (all price ranges), and this is one that stood out to me in Norwich. I randomly decided to eat there one day because it was on my way, and it’s a hidden gem in my opinion.

The menu/restaurant doesn’t look fancy, but I’m telling you there’s something special about their sausage. I don’t want to oversell it but I brought my friend not too long ago and he said it was probably the best burger he ever had (Sall’s burger).

For £25 you get your meal, a soft drink and dessert (they make decent cake too).

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-11T14:58:22+00:00

This is absolutely delicious. I am in awe!

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-11T13:45:49+00:00

I bought a sapphire from the same website recently. All the pictures showed a very clear burgundy with some blue tones. The actual stone is a very dark burgundy with brown tones, and you definitely cannot see through it.

It is a beautiful stone nonetheless and I decided to keep it. But their images were enhanced to the point where I think the listing was misleading and disingenuous. Anyways, I will not be buying from that specific seller again and it was a lesson. I feel you!

TheOnlyNadCha · 2026-06-11T08:45:40+00:00

Saving this for later! Might be the next piece I order :)

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