#11. baby, it's (not) cold outside & should we make resolutions for the new year?
january 2022 edition.
no to the cliches + the plan of not having a plan + jupiter in pisces + amy winehouse exposed + a new urban sanctuary + gin palace + 23 precious tips to begin the year with
“Well, Seneca allegedly stated: ‘Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity’. It’s good to get ready, to do your homework, and show up to meet the universe halfway. Beyond that it’s up to the Fates to decide. And whatever happens, good or bad, you must always keep in mind that ‘this too shall pass’.” - Pam Grossman, Sabat Magazine’s Le Tarot de L’Étoile Cachée (2018)
*PLAYLIST: Pate Jaar, Deixa a Gira Girar
My dear readers, I hope you had a good celebration and that your festive season was not full of end-of-year cliches. The first one came on the 1st of January: waking up on with 16 degrees. Yes, you read it right. A good sign for a new year.
First of all, I am deeply sorry if this edition was not sent on the 1st January, as it should be. I spent the Christmas week and the bank holidays in Yorkshire with my lovely family and young nephews and then was a frenetic rhythm when back to London. I felt guilty for a while, for not honouring my schedule, but then decided that’s is absolutely okay to postpone it a bit. Part of our evolutional journey is to allow us the space we need and when we need it. And as part of my 2022 resolution, no guilty allowed. It’s all fine. And today we have a New Moon in Capricorn, which is a great day to release it.
So let’s start this edition with some drops of self-compassion: did not read that book you’re loving today? No worries, you can make it tomorrow. Missed the gym class? Ok, was not meant to be. Prefer staying in bed during the weekend instead of going out for brunch? Honour your laziness. Did not like the movie everybody loved? Dislike it anyway. Allow yourself to follow your instinct, simply like that. Taking it easy with us is not that easy as taking it easy with others.
Speaking of cliches, should we make resolutions for the new year? Maybe. But what about letting things unfold? Maybe the plan is not having a plan. I think this year I’m going against the cliches. 2021 gave me a lot of insights and self-improvement. I deeply feel my journey to enlightenment just gained a deeper outlook. I believe what’s flourishing inside me will naturally bloom in 2022. Maybe this is my new year’s resolution: allowing the inner world to express itself in the outside world.
But as we love a list, I’ll happily share some things that bring me gratitude and joy like a few things in life. Take it also as a note to myself. After all, there are things we are doing it right, so shall we continue doing it!
Drinking cappuccino and doing a Fika ritual
Watching no hard news on TV
Reading the basics on the news about the pandemic
Writing my morning pages
Going for a walk in my neighbourhood, exploring new corners and being surrounded by nature
A warm bath with salts, oils and scrubs (special shout to Bramley, Herbivore and Caudalie)
Planning a trip
Having a list of restaurants to go
Having a list of the museums and places to go
Meeting friends very frequently
Buying better clothes in less quantity
Supporting independent businesses
Taking many pictures, even if just for you
Being gentle with others
Connecting with people during conversation
Asking people how they are, simply like that
Reading many good books
Writing, allowing live creativity
Creating your spiritual ritual
Circulate your body energy, whatever form this might be
Learning something new
Doing something that takes you out of your comfort zone
Unfollow digital accounts that do not support your self-worth
Did you get my point? We don’t necessarily need to look for resolutions in the new year. We maybe just already have resolutions, and the secret is the consistency of our habits. My wishes for your new year are reflected on this list. It basically means: that joy is closer than you think.
Now, grab your horoscope because during most of the year we have Jupiter in Pisces allowing us to dream again. And that’s just really good news. To a glorious 2022!
Aries
Even if it’s not that cold outside, you will like the idea to book a cinema session at the new Everyman Borough Yards, the perfect excuse to also grab a bite at the next door Borough Market.
Taurus
I am addicted to The Dusty Knuckle. Recently spoke about it here and the good news is that they are expanding it. The new Haringey branch is another reason we should go to this bakery the whole new year and beyond.
Gemini
Amy Winehouse had quite a personality, no? No, Gemini, I’m not trying to mean something here. But I just think you will love Amy: Beyond the Stage at the Design Museum. Expect rare pictures and an emotional take back to this beloved singer who had her heart at Camden Town. You’ll feel she is around all the time, as a big-screen releases a show where she is melancholically singing with that unbeatable voice. In the end, you’re invited to a mini show (surprise!).
Cancer
I’m a bit obsessed with places that look like abandoned shed with an industrial aesthetic. Milk Beach is one of them. With an Australian menu and colourful vibes, it’s one of those places worth commuting to have a proper brunch.
Leo
We know you like hot spots, Leo. London has some news for you: Mi Scusi, originally from Milan, brings another version to the cacio and pepe to Covent Garden and has that similar vibe of Vapiano. But better.
Virgo
The Annual Bloomberg New Contemporaries show is back in Shoreditch. The argument usually runs that during times of enforced confinement, ill health and trauma something special happens in the mind of the artist, resulting in a focused creative outpouring. As a one-off response to the current pandemic, it felt right for an organisation with an over 70-year track record of supporting emerging and early-career artists to work with nearly double the usual number in any given year. The exhibition champions emerging artists, selected by open submission, who are shaking up the art world.
Libra
Libras love a good performance, no? Cirque du Soleil is back at the Royal Albert Hall bringing Luzia to the audience, inspired by the richness of Mexican culture. The name merges the sound of light and lluvia, two elements at the heart of the programme's creation.
Scorpio
You love a hidden gem, right, my dear Scorpio? I know because I am one. You probably watched The Da Vinci Code, but most probably didn’t recall or visit Temple Church, mentioned in the movie. Described as “the house of God, the very gate of heaven”, the Round Church was built to be London’s Jerusalem in 1162 and around 1214–19, Magna Carta was negotiated in the Temple. A must-go!
Sagittarius
La Cave is a new addition to the town, a new wine bar, pop-up space, incubator kitchen and store with banging wines and snacks - the place where you stop by for one drink and end up staying the whole night. Why resonates so much with Sagittarius? By the way, they also have some pizza residency from time to time.
Capricorn
Clerkenwell is definitely one of my favourites areas in London. I am happy to announce new additions to the borough: Sessions Arts Club is not a private members' club, but it has that exclusive feeling all Capricornians love. An urban sanctuary that sits in the old judges’ dining room at Sessions House, is surrounded by three terraces with fireplaces, rooftop bar, garden and pool, which basically means a restaurant, bar, art and performance space that moves and shifts with the seasons via its curated collective program. Just what we all need in the new year!
Aquarius
Mother’s Ruin is a great destination to begin 2022 with. Nestled in the heart of E17, a trendy area I am looking into a totally different way, they are proudly part of London's long and disreputable history of gin drinking. The industrial look makes it even more inviting.
Pisces
Are you up to supporting independent restaurants too? Head to Casa Fofó, a small neighbourhood eatery in the heart of Hackney. The menu is simple and provides honest food.
Well, enjoy your bank holiday tomorrow and see you next month (hopefully on the first of February!). Enjoy this one at its fullest! With love, generosity and gratitude. x, NB