Books as TV Props
Oh, I loved this long read on BookRiot on how books are used as props in TV shows and, as it stands true in real life, you can learn a lot by paying attention to them. From character development to plot devices and even Easter eggs, it’s the fascinating work of the prop masters that manage to build whole worlds for our favourite stories and characters to live in, for us to fall in love with and dream about joining them as well.
Daria Morgendorffer and her reading list
You’ll spot some beloved bookish characters like Rory Gilmore and Lisa Simpson in the article, as well as some of the best series ever made, not to mention numerous solid book recommendations. I had no idea there was a Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge? Plus, now that I discovered this website dedicated to creating list challenges I’ll need to come up with my own.
Such a feel-good and rewarding read!
Rediscovering Renaissance Women Artists
Source – Restored Portrait of Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici
Have you ever wondered Where are the women? when reading about significant cultural, artistic but also socio-political moments in history? I have!
In another brilliant read discovered this week on NPR I was fascinated and grateful to learn about the Advancing Women Artists organisation, committed to safeguarding art by women and rediscovering a vital part of Florence’s forgotten cultural and creative heritage. Over the last decade, AWA has restored over 70 works by women artists from the Renaissance to the twentieth century. These works are all the more valuable for being rare, belonging to a time when women were in every way discouraged from such pursuits – they couldn’t produce art as a profession, couldn’t issue invoices or study, for example, anatomy, to become better painters.
Their founder, Jane Fortune, was a passionate American patron of the arts and she managed to leave behind in the world, but particularly in her favourite city, Florence, an extraordinary legacy. There is so much to learn on their website and there are a few different ways to contribute.
Bonus exquisite find while we are on the topic of extraordinary women in arts, is the news that the Louvre will have its first female leader in 228 years, since its creation. Kudos!
Style Documentaries – Crazy about Tiffany’s
After watching Nose, by Dior last week I’ve been craving a similar feel-good yet informative and ‘stylish’ watch. I haven’t had the chance to watch anything new, although a quick search revealed quite a few that will star in future letters as part of this new series – style documentaries.
In this second instalment, I looked into my archive and remembered enjoying Crazy about Tiffany’s, which I’ve watched a few years ago and which I recommend for a brush with history, a world of glam, a lesson in branding and a collection of pop-culture iconic moments, among many others. If you have an interest in style, jewellery and how a luxury brand works and thrives, enjoy!
Supplements for Women’s Health
It wasn’t until recently that I started thinking seriously about supplements, knowing that my diet probably doesn’t cover all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients I need even on my best days. It started more as a need to define a simple, quick and rewarding self-care routine that I could stick to every day. I currently take a basic multi-vitamin picked up while waiting for the chance to do a bit more research.
But this week I decided to do just that and I made a list of the key elements mentioned in every article I read, be it WebMD, Healthline or Women’s Health. Vitamins A, B, C, D, E & K, calcium, folic acid, iron, magnesium are the usual suspects. My supplement covers some, but not all. It is also important to look at the quantities on labels, to make sure they are within the daily recommended amount and if you really know your onions, you will also look at the formulation, which can influence absorption among other things.
I also came across collagen, Coenzyme Q10, Omega 3 fatty acids and probiotics quite a lot and these are also on my radar. I sense a trip to the drug store over the weekend! Please click on the links and read more about the benefits and the science behind each before thinking to join me and remember it is always best to get as much as possible from food!
Pill Boxes
I wouldn’t be me if, once I was done with the serious research about supplements, I hadn’t started searching for, of course, a beautiful pill case. As with many other things, this object has become mainly functional and most models available today don’t bother with aesthetics more than to offer variety in the colour of the plastic they come in. Such a shame!
I found a couple of exceptions, like these and this, but nothing really comparable to the exquisite antique precious pill boxes of past centuries (these have been around since the 1500s!) – jewels in themselves. Read more about pill boxes in this very insightful short history, including an explanation about what makes them different from snuff boxes.
Just look at the examples above (admittedly some of the most beautiful I could find on 1stDibs), and tell me you don’t want one too!
Artist Sigalit Landay’s Salt Sculptures
I have been meaning to share artist Sigalit Landau’s work for a while, after spotting her salt tutu online and reading more about her works and her most exceptional ‘artist’s studio’ – The Dead Sea itself. Another great example of a simple yet brilliant concept that translates into beautiful works of art in a collaboration between the artist’s genius and nature’s artistry.
Striking, no?
Rare Words – Euneirophrenia
I dream almost every night. Most often than not I don’t remember what the dream was, while sometimes the memory is so vivid that it feels like I have just come back from another reality. I find this absolutely fascinating and on the occasions when I have such powerful dreams, I carry the feelings and mood from the dream with me all day and can recall it even years later.
My favourite dreams are of my grandparents when I get to see them again and talk to them. Even if the circumstances are usually strange, as it’s often the case with dreams because they are a melange of reality and fantasy, I wake up with this amazing sensation that I have just been with them. Sometimes, I remember things they say and even though I know they are saying things that I want to hear, after all, it is my dream, it is incredibly special.
The opposite of euneirophrenia is malneirophrenia and both words come from Ancient Greek. Have you experienced this before?
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Merci!
