🇨🇳 Shanghai Half Marathon 🇨🇳
A spontaneous sign up while on my 4 month sabbatical in Asia. I ran when my scheduled allowed and tried to find local gyms across Thailand, Vietnam and China. The harder part was definitely diet and fuelling.
On race day, the crowds were pretty tame. Unsurprisingly, the runners showed up for each other, encouraging one another with “we’re going downhill, let’s pick it up” or “加油” and “we’ve only got X km left”. Something you don’t get as much in Berlin.
My biggest downfall was letting my mind give up. On a few occasions I walked when I probably could have kept going. I’ll be focusing on being a better coach to myself 🙏🏻
Overall, I’m so happy I got to run the Shanghai Half, in my ancestral homeland. No matter where I travel, I find running brings people together. 🫶🏻
The little cherry on top: I unexpectedly finishing with my 3rd best time ✨🤟🏼♥️
Travels & Places of 2025 ✨
I was so lucky to visit many beautiful and vibrant new places, many of which with friends. And I also got to be back home in Canada 3 times this year ♥️
Lanzarote
Madrid
Bayreuth
Mount Etna
Ortigia
Venice
St Émilion
Dune du Pilat
(London)
Paris
Tarragona
Montreal
Métis
Montreal, again ♥️
New York
Istanbul
Vancouver
Toronto
I’ve teased Conal many time for his love of chairs (he’s acquired 8 new chairs and stools since moving in together last summer). But today he came home with the 9th, a chair just for me. My chair ♥️
In France, BI stands for Bouche d’incendie— fire hydrant. But when I saw it, I said gaily to Conal, “That’s me!” A little moment of pride ♥️
When I first came out, I felt a strong need for belonging and recognition. I shifted how I carried myself—I wanted the community to know: “I’m one of you!”
Today, that feeling is softer, more subtle. But every now and then, I still get the sudden urge to spring into action and say, “Hi! I’m here!” :))
Thank you, Saint-Émilion 💕 and happy Pride month! 🏳️🌈
PS. 8 is a very auspicious and lucky number in Chinese tradition!
#pride #happypride #queer
W13 t’was a good food week 🫶🏻
🍅 Last meal in Madrid was at @celsoymanolo and it was so tasty and fresh! Head there if you’re looking for bright fresh dishes!
🍰 We then headed to @duquesitamadrid - indulgent but damn their basque cheesecake is smooth!
🫓 Popped into Tina’s superfood in Neukölln for this vegetarian take on arepa!
🇫🇷 Prepare a French feast for friends, including Coq-Au-vin (easy to prepare and delicious) asparagus, potato salad and provincial style tomatoes 🥹 a hit! So good I made part 2 the following night 😅
🥣 Made a whole chicken noodle soup from scratch. Easy and so so tasty! Recipe by @jennys__table 🤗 with a side of scrambled eggs and baguette, then again the next day.
🍝 Lastly, made some pasta carbonara again 🫰🏻 I can’t get over how simple yet full of flavour this classic Roman dish is. Paired with a fresh celery and mushroom salad (leftovers from the French night!)
That’s the week! 🫰🏻
#aweekinmeals #aweekofmeals #eatwitholy
W12 | while life has its ups and downs, food’s a constant. What a great food week for the Gould/Lui household 👌🏻
🍛 Homemade Japanese Curry for dinner
🍝 Italian dinner at @caligari_berlin for date night 💞
🫒 First stop in Madrid: @bodega_ardosa_bravas .
First order: 2 vermuts y 2 gildas por favor! 🤓
🍷 Quiroga’s 10/10! Where I discovered Tinto de Verano!
🥔 Casa Macareno: where i accidentally ordered too many potato dishes
🇪🇸 Tapas at the Mercado 🫰🏻 Touristic, but great!
🍫 Churros and chocolate at San Ginés! Worth it!
🥩 An excellent dinner that kept getting better at @casalucio to close off the weekend 👌🏻
Happy happy belly - but now hand me a smoothie.
#aweekinfood
W12 | A week filled with confusing and frustrating emotions (and existential questions), but who takes pictures of that anyway?
Most of my highlights came from the weekend in Madrid, so here ya go 🫶🏻🇪🇸
👩🏻❤️👨🏼 my Alpha partner and I! @conalgould
🧡 Fresh New Balance gear for my long run. 👊🏻 @backtoclassic
☕️ Cafes in Madrid @panypepinilloscafe@faradaymadrid
🇪🇸 Colourful buildings in Madrid
🌳 El Retiro, one of the most beautiful city parks I’ve run through
🖼️ Picasso, Dalí, Miró at the Reina Sofia Museum 😍 Would recommend! But not on a Monday morning. There were probably 300 school children on there at once 🚸 A traffic jam of chicos.
#madrid #week12
W11 Food Edition 🕯️
A rare week of going with the flow 💫✨
This week, I felt a loss of control over my day-to-day life, and interestingly, I see a parallel in my meals— the food or the restaurants were chosen not by me, which is rare.
And guess what? Everything worked out and I enjoyed it all 🫰🏻
PS: it wasn’t a food photography focused week 😅😬
1. A Monday night at @sippi_berlin for a Roman style dinner, where we had a 4 course chef’s choice meal! Can recommend :) you choose between 20, 30 or 40€. All 4 courses, just portion sizes would differ. 🇮🇹
2. German comfort food at @trio.berlin - a rare occasion when two couples order the exact same meal 😬 thank you @kool_that_it_it_it for the recommendation :))
3. Cozy brunch and conversations at @ellenn_downn ’s 💞🫰🏻
4. @factormeals_de for dinner, paired with a non-alcoholic sparkling tea for me!
5. Sunday Roast with new friends 🫰🏻
6. A rare glimpse of me ordering a döner teller, to celebrate @laurenndianee ’s first döner kebab!
A week of fun, non-curated meals and food experiences. Thank you universe, and thank you friends 🫰🏻✨💞
#berlineats #berlinrestaurants #dinnersthisweek
