voracious reader + full-time optimist
Brunch in London is our national sport, right after queuing and doing small talk. If you live here, then you’re probably always on the lookout for a new brunch place to try – so many restaurants, so little time. Consistent with my generation, who chooses to invest on avocado toast and artisan coffee, here’s a handful of places that never fail to deliver.
Moving to a new place can be both exciting and intimidating, especially if you’re moving to a place where you’ve never lived before and thus do not know anyone.
I read books like my life depended on it. Reading is something between my favorite past-time and my refuge from everyday life. [Even if she loves London, a girl might often need to escape to New York in the 30s.] In 2017, I promised myself to read 24 books, i.e. 2 books per month. I wanted a goal that would be doable but not stressful. By the end of December, I had managed these and a handful more. For 2018, I decided to raise the bar higher and aim at an ambitious 35! Let’s see how this works out.
One question that I’m always asked is how I get so much reading done. I’ve been a speedy reader since I remember myself, walking around with my nose stuck in a book at all times. However, I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks along the way that could do wonders, if your 2018 resolution was to read more:
Along with the 3-things-that-made-me-grateful-today that I text to my friend Lili before going to bed every night, I sometimes put together lists of all the amazing things that I’ve watched/read/listened/eaten. Here’s the three things that rocked my world this week:
At least a dozen new places have popped up every time I return to Athens to see my family and friends. So much to see and do – so little time. Blame it on me being a creature of habit or growing old and lazy, most times it’s simply because I’ve discovered a handful of places that I truly enjoy that I rarely deviate from them.
If you’re visiting Athens, either for the first or hundredth time, these urban spots are always in my let’s-do-this list. [To-do lists can be a tad stressful when on holidays.]
We’re having drinks in a somewhat low-key, dimly lit Italian place in the heart of Soho. There’s mainstream jazz music playing on the background and I’m halfway into narrating a funny story. He listens attentively, leaning against the bar, head tilted with interest – or the red wine’s working its magic. Then his smart phone screen lights up for a split second; he’s distracted. He looks down on his phone, a new message has arrived. He scrolls up and down, quickly skimming it or simply checking who the sender is. In the meantime, I’m sitting next to him, slightly dumbfounded, hands mid-gesture in the air (this will teach me to not gesticulate so much while talking), looking around to check who’s noticed: I’m on a date and my date is unabashedly checking his phone.
So, here comes my question: smartphones on dates – yay or nay?
Hayward Gallery at Southbank Centre reopened in Jan 2018 with the first major UK retrospective exhibition of Andreas Gursky. The exhibition maps out the evolution of the acclaimed photographer over a period of more than four decades, encompassing works from his early years to new pictures made in 2017.
Oh. My. Goodness.
Today I turned 25, which means that I’m about 9,125 days old – and I’m deeply grateful for every single of them, both bad and good. Here are 25 things that I’ve learned so far:
Giraffe-like necks, almond eyes and blank stares. The works of Amedeo Modigliani are easy to recognize. Born in Livorno, Italy, he arrived in Paris in 1906 with a burning desire to become an artist. Even though he was best known as a painter, as Tate Modern’s retrospective exhibition reveals, he created impressive sculptures and drawings as well.
