Dreaming of Europe

As the months of lockdown slowly pass, I find myself increasingly wondering about when the next travel opportunity will present itself. Although it’s been frustrating to have our visible perspective limited, it’s important to remember the necessity of the restrictions and new requirements. While I wait, I’ve found some ways to slowly satiate my travel urges, some of which I’ll share below.

Watch the World through someone else’s eyes:

Youtube: @PurplePalace

My latest obsession is artist Shayna of Purple Palace. I easily spend hours watching her vlogs: her working studio, her afternoons spent wandering around Paris, her nights spent on rooftops with friends. Her perspective as an ex-pat in Paris provides fascinating insight into cultural differences; she often verbally explores the difference in treatment of artists between countries. She is thoughtful and passionate and her videos always inspire me in the pursuit of my own artistic passions.

Exotic Snacks

A few weeks ago I was feeling especially confined and cooped up, utterly sick of the expected. For a change of scenery, I took a trip to Cost Plus World Market and browsed the food section. Seeing so many new and exotic things was exciting enough but what especially caught my eye was the Haribo section. It was fun to pick out a few new things and have a taste test once I got back home.

International Music

I typically listen to music while I work, so by Wednesday I am often a little tired of my usual rotation. I like to switch it up with any number of Spotify’s selection of Parisian Playlists. The beautifully lilting melodies are the perfect background music for writing since I don’t get distracted by the lyrics.

Cooking Something New

Cooking vegetables in real, rustic kitchen. Natural light, short DOF, a little bit noisy.

To fulfill my brain’s urging for something undiscovered I have become more adventurous in my cooking. It has been fun to experiment with new recipes and discover new ways of using much loved ingredients. One thing I’m excited to make this month– Trader Joe’s spicy pumpkin curry.

Image sourced from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/511510470182603423/

Cooking Image Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/become-better-cook-avoiding-these-12-common-mistakes-ncna1064211