March 2021 : I will continue saving “Want to go” spots on Google map and looking up vegetarian friendly sushi restaurants in Tokyo for our postponed honeymoon for the foreseeable future.
Lockdowns and social distancing mean spending more time with our screens and carefully selecting what I consume online has become as important as a decent sleep schedule and eating my vegetables. What I watch and read every day directly affects my mood and my energy levels. Therefore I sometimes choose to be ill-informed about the state of the world and curate content that makes me feel optimistic, curious and relaxed.
Videos
Netflix
Street Food : Latin America
I am by no means a foodie but here the focus on street food is only an excuse to discover the people making it, its cultural significance and the traditions it carries. My Favorite episode : Salvador, Brazil. Probably because I did not know much about the city, I was fascinated with the rich mixed heritage between Africa and South America as well as the influence of the sea and the religion.
I also really enjoyed Somebody Feeds Phil , full of passionate people and mouth-watering bites. The Marrakesh episode is one of my favorite.
Grand Designs
When it comes to architecture and design, I particularly appreciate British shows. The quirkiness, the humor and the crazy patterns, all of it. Grand Designs which features unusual architectural projects led by the homeowners. What I love is that people are passionate and all projects have a lot of character.
My Favorite episode : “Kennington” (Season 10, the show’s 100th episode) with an impossible project of making a water tour habitable. I would not live there but the vision is fascinating.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Light, full of pop song and glittery costumes…I loved the movie and will defend it to anyone. The views of Iceland and Scotland are beautiful and all of the songs are now in my playlist.
Youtube
Liziqui
Liziqui is a Chinese young woman you moved from the city to the countryside with her grandmother and who uses her Youtube channel to promote ancestral farming, cooking and craft techniques. Her videos are beautiful, filmed over several seasons.
Favorite : The episode on Cotton, where she goes from planting seeds to making her own quilt. I am in awe of the precision, the dedication and the talent displayed.
I also recently discovered the channel of Miriam, a Swede who used to live in rural China and is currently back in Sweden or Nicki, an English lady living in Positano, Italy . I am fond of well edited vlogs around the world which make me discover how people live around the world with a soft spot for Europeans who have married into families with a different culture as their own. If you have any suggestions, I’d be happy to hear them !
Jennelle Eliana and her Van
As of this article, she has less than 30 videos on her Channel. One day the Youtube algorythm took a liking in her and she was in everyone’s suggested videos. I like that her lifestyle is unique ; she has her own plans and she goes for it. I am in awe of how many projects she takes on and the freedom she has managed to create for herself.
Reading
The little book of Lykke, Meik Wiking
I had loved The little book of Hygge by the same author a few years back. The book was beautiful and as an aspirational Dane, I thoroughly appreciated the content. I found this second book more meaningful. Granted, the key to Danish happiness is high-quality free education as well as free healthcare but it also gives practical tips to connect with neighbors and community and gives perspective on life.
Eva Zu Beck : my kind of Travel Blogger. Polish-born and British-raised, Eva is a true adventurer who seeks journeys over comfort. From spending lockdown on a tiny island off the coast of Yemen to her love for Pakistan and its people, she is an inspiration. I also appreciate that she has a real perspective and questions the future of travel extensively.
Liz Climo : an American cartoonist publishing adorable and heartwarming drawings. A lot of storytelling contained in a couple of speech bubbles
Desserted in Paris : This account makes me contemplate living in Paris…and that is saying a lot. The whole feed is drop dead gorgeous and I feel the pastries he is displaying are works of art that can be appreciated and consumed by most people.
Everything India
From my apartment in New Delhi or Gurgaon, I find myself sometimes disconnected from India and all that makes it incredible.
First of all, you can read here my suggestions for Bollywood beginners.
With Shubham, we have watched TV shows such as Masaba Masaba, A Suitable Boy and Bad Boys Billionaires. I was also shamefully entertained by Indian matchmaking, which I advise to balance with the heartbreaking A Suitable Girl. And even though it is old news, I recommend watching Daughters of Destiny a brilliant and moving documentary. All of the above should be available on Netflix.
I am also trying to read more Indian authors. Last year I read some Ruskin Bond, Shashi Tharoor, R. K. Narayan… In 2020, I read The God of small things by Arundhati Roy which broke my heart : set in South India, the story deals with forbidden love and casteism. I also enjoyed City of Djins by William Dalrymple, a British man who has been living in Delhi for decades and tells the story of his first years in the capital in the early 1990s. And I am currently reading Around India in 80 trains by the Monisha Rajesh and liking it.