The Jólabókaflóðið – The Christmas Book Flood
It’s Christmas! I hope you are spending a cozy and mindful time, amidst the craziness that surrounds us all at the moment. I posted on Instagram yesterday because I wanted you to have a chance to actually use this exquisite find – The Jólabókaflóðið.
This is the Icelandic tradition of giving books as presents on Christmas Eve, and spending the evening reading (while also enjoying some chocolates)! I read the fascinating story and facts around The Christmas Book Flood here and I believe it is simply one of the best traditions I have ever heard of. I deeply admire the Icelandic people for their respect for books and for how they’ve made them such an essential part of their lives!
I would venture to say it’s not too late even now to jump on this train! Wrap up one of the books you’ve already read and enjoyed and give it to someone you live with or will meet in the next couple of days, order a book to be delivered to a dear one you won’t be meeting, gift an audiobook instantly – there are many options available, just spread the joy of a new book!
Blue Zones
I am always trying to be more mindful about food and I wanted to share this article about Blue Zones Pantry Items. First things first, what are, Blue Zones? In short, hot spots of longevity around the world. More from Wikipedia: regions of the world where, it is claimed, higher than the usual number of people live much longer than average. The five areas identified are Ikaria, Greece, Okinawa, Japan, Ogliastra Region, Sardinia, Loma Linda, California, Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica.
Now back to the article, I was looking for items that I could stock my cupboards with for quick but healthy meals or snacks. Since diet has been listed as one of the factors influencing longevity, who best to take cues from if not the pros? And it’s all about the beans, the greens, the grains and the nuts. And you can explore more food guidelines based on the lifestyle of Blue Zones cultures!
Bonus exquisite find, this article about the legendary Carmen Dell’Orefice pictured above, the oldest working supermodel, now almost 90 years old!
Kitchen Rugs
I recently bought a small kitchen rug (more like a runner), mainly for my son to sit on with his books or toys while I make us dinner and chat with him. Although not extremely common, maybe even a bit polarizing, I think the idea is worth giving it a try. It makes the space more welcoming than the bare tiles, it can obviously add to the aesthetic appeal of this room we spend quite a lot of time in (more than I’d like, really!) and there are all sorts of practical options for the kitchen accidents a lot of people fear. You can try a jute woven rug, a knotted rug that can be machine washed, or a regular rug with a busy pattern. More inspiration here!
Wearing Perfume to Bed
Sometime quite soon after this year became an unprecedented one, I started getting into the habit of putting on some perfume before I went to bed. I suppose I was missing doing this before leaving the house in the morning and enjoying the smell of my perfume all day. I didn’t give it much thought then, but in the past few months I’ve seen many articles about what seems to be a full-on trend. That’s how I learned that there are perfumes made to be worn at night, like Chanel Coco Mademoiselle L’Eau Privée – Night Fragrance, something I haven’t tried yet.
I think anything that can make us feel a little bit spoiled and a little more content is worth doing, maybe now more than ever!
Feather Trimmed Pajamas
And speaking of going to bed, here is an item I don’t see myself splurging on soon, but still I think it would be the perfect outfit for this year’s New Year’s Eve (Zoom) party! A ridiculously ostentatious set of pajamas, with an ostrich feather trim. Everybody has been raving about these for a good while and here I come, last to the party, but with something of a hack up my sleeve!
Buy yourself a set of silk pajamas (these are viscose!) for less than half the price (gasp!), get one meter of ostrich feather trim for £10 and DIY. It should be simple enough, it doesn’t even matter how well you can sew, I wouldn’t keep the feathers on after the party anyway, and you can also reuse the trim for a skirt, a dress or anything else you fancy.
I wonder if it’s too late to have everything ordered in for the 31st?
The Doorman, Art Dealer and Violinist
Another brilliant short documentary from The New Yorker, this time about the unusual working life of Yves Deshommes—as a doorman, art dealer, and violinist. I find it fascinating to see determined people pursuing their different interests and passions with such a force, while also going about their beautiful albeit normal lives, having a pretty basic job (or more), caring for children and for their family.
Someone said in a comment that this is a typical New York story and it just revived my deep desire to visit and maybe live in that city one day. One day…
Be sure to have a look at all these short documentaries, particularly this one about The Man Who Invented More Than 800 Iconic Toys!
Snow Art, by Simon Beck
I am still dreaming about snow this week and I just thought I’d look up ‘snow art’ on Google and let it surprise me. I do this sometimes when I can’t stop thinking about something, to explore it further, to find a new perspective or facet or simply to tame the craving for that something.
My endeavor did not disappoint, since I was immediately rewarded with Simon Beck’s work! It wasn’t even that surprising to see the results populating my page – I knew someone must have seen and explored the amazing potential something as special as snow can have to create art. Here is an interview with him talking about his work and here is a NatGeo short film, but there are many-many others!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. What a way to smash through that daily steps goal too!
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Merci!
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