the best of 2024 I'm carrying to 2025
because it's not always about something new.
“Stop measuring days by degree of productivity and start experiencing them by degree of presence.” - Alan Watts
Not to sound corny, but the places that stick in my head and my heart over the years seem to be the little ones.
Not the chains—apart from Alice in Chains, lol, kidding—but the non-chain restaurants, the non-mass production brands, the independent labels, everything made-to-order, or the trending word, in small batches.
{stop. some publicity} By the way, did I tell you I now have a newsletter dedicated to astrology? Subscribe also to . I’m also offering birth chart and planetary transits readings, so you know what you can achieve next year. You can book one here.
Looking at 2024, I own my level of presence to those hidden gems I love: they allowed me to nourish every aspect of pleasure—a good meal, a great fit, something made to heaven—and be present in all those hedonist moments that make life worth living.
That’s why maybe, instead of visiting only new travel destinations this year, I visited Vienna, one of my love affairs, twice. I was back in Bologna, Modena, Parma. Berlin. It’s not about simply ticking off places from our lists in the degree of productivity but enhancing our presence in the places we call home.
Perhaps that's why I've prioritised familiar restaurants and neighbourhoods in London. After building an impressive foodie resume in one of the world’s most vibrant capitals, I’ve realised that it’s the tried-and-true places that matter most.
This year, I wasn't particularly ambitious or adventurous with my dining choices, and I’m glad for that. This might also be a sign of maturing, even if it's hard to admit. It could also be a way of settling down.
As we mention about home and settling down, in a year when the South Nodes of the Moon are transiting in my Imum Coeli (IC), an angle in our birth charts, defined by astrology as a person's origin, family, roots, ancestors, home, and foundations, activated by the series of eclipses we had this year, it was natural to visit the three places that are immensely connected to it all: Brazil, Seattle, and Italy.
Brazil is where I was born, Seattle is where my inner child was born, and Italy is where my descendants were born.
Take note of the pattern.
All those places came with a message and a purpose. But it was when I was watching Paddington in Peru, even if it was probably the most innocent movie I watched this year, that I had an aha moment. It stood out when the famous bear, reconnecting with his roots in his South American adventures, decided to return to London and concluded he was not someone born in Peru anymore, but “half-Peru, half-London.”
Or, in my case, half-Brazil, half-London.
In January, I will have spent 11 years living in a country I dreamed about calling home. It’s probably my longest-term commitment to date. And even if I honoured so many visits to what is decisively my roots this year, seeing my chosen (and not chosen) family, it was clear that London is part of me forever, although we belong to many places altogether. I can be half-Brazilian and half-Italian, but I am also, and probably permanently, half-London.
There is also no way to separate parts with Brazil, Seattle, and Italy in this mix. They’re too precious in different ways, and 2024 taught me to integrate all these other parts of me. That’s why, in my list of things I’m carrying to 2025, they also have some of those heritages: musical, spiritual, physical, or whatever you call them.
Even if this newsletter is about London, I can’t write about what’s special in London without broadening my horizons. So, I can’t only include my local perspective; I need to give space to the global me.
So forgive me if I push the boundaries.
Before I wrap up, I feel like sharing something that came up while chatting with a coach some weeks ago; she mentioned seven types of rest that can help us prioritise self-care and identify areas that need it. They are:
Physical: Listening to your body and doing what it needs, such as exercise, sleep, or yoga
Mental: Taking a break from thinking and focusing too hard
Sensory: Unplugging from external stimuli and giving your senses a break
Emotional: Processing emotions and feeling like you can share them
Social: Spending time with people who bring out the best in you
Creative: Engaging in activities that help you feel inspired, such as writing, painting, singing, or dancing
Spiritual: Activities that provide meaning, such as volunteering, spiritual practice, or community involvement
Remember, then, that resting is not always about stillness. It’s about socialising, reading, writing, creating, watching, practising, being in silence, grace, and so on.
As we head into another year, I ask you to reflect on your level of presence and what awakens you to the quality of time.
My wish for the new year, for both you and me, is to continue living with presence.
This awareness helps me recognise when I need mental, spiritual, creative, emotional, or social rest.
And for when you need social rest… I give you a hand!
What made 2024 worth and what is home to me
Magpie Vintage - As I embraced the Cancer ascendant in me more intensely, my wardrobe had some vintage additions this year. This Islington flagship store offers an exceptional variety of premium vintage alongside an exclusive collection of upcycled ready-to-wear.
Crescent Down Works - As you may have noticed, Seattle and the surrounding region of Washington—part of the Pacific Northwest (also known as PNW)—have become a significant passion of mine once again. Forget about The North Face and Patagonia, as this Made-in-Seattle cult fashion brand began showcasing at trade events and, in 1980, started wholesale manufacturing and opened its first production factory in Seattle's Capitol Hill, specifically inside Cafe Pacifico, a popular spot for members of the grunge scene to enjoy a drink or two. They continue to offer some of the best outerwear in the world, all made with a unique exclusivity.
Nagare Coffee - With a charming store in front of Spitalfields Market, it ranks among my favourite coffee shops. They indeed have talent and pretty potteries, too.
Good & Well Supply - This is a small, woman-owned business that sells one of my favourite candles! They’re sold separately by categories like National Parks, Campfire, and Destinations, so expect scents like Winter Solstice, Portland, and Mulled Cider. They also have products for personal care, incense, room sprays, and more. Every purchase you make invests in community, connection, and conservation, as they plant trees and preserve the lands we all cherish.
Print Culture - Based in Glasgow, they have one of the coolest e-commerce for lifestyle magazines and stationery. If you want to gift yourself or someone else something they wouldn’t find anywhere else, this is the place to go.
Darling's Eatery - Nestled in a quiet street of Hackney Wick, closest to Fish Island, it’s a living-room-pasta kind of place with the best tiramisú I've had in a long, long time. The owner serves you in stylish outfits, more like a catwalk in the middle of a small restaurant.
Haeckels - Their products are hidden in the best restrooms around London, and if you ever washed your hands and smelled an adorable fennel fragrance, you’re using this brand.
Wild June Co. - When I was strolling around Ballard, one of Seattle’s hottest districts, I came across this brand as a gift to a friend. They handcraft “free-spirited beauty” and have a soap collection that is terribly addictive to any astrology lover: the Eclipse, the Luna, or the Solstice soaps are all organic and a safe bet.
Wildsam - Is my new favourite magazine. It’s actually an American travel brand built upon telling true stories of place. They also own city and travel guides, with beautiful and authentic storytelling.
Loom Club - Islington is definitely my place to be. I own this little district for having had a good relationship with London over the years. This social club, based in an old factory, is the new proposal to build community through coworking spaces, cooking and pottery classes, fitness sessions, social events, and a welcoming 'second home' environment.
Giacco's Bar - It’s my Italy away from Italy go-to. You can’t go wrong with fresh pasta, Italian hospitality, and a cosy atmosphere in a charming Highbury street.
The Quality Chop House - Is +150 years old. You order one dish: Hereford bone-in sirloin accompanied by Confit potatoes. It's a feast—a memorable one.
Supernova - Burgers, fries and sundaes. In central Soho. That’s it.
Profile Coffee - They’re so serious about coffee. And you should be serious about visiting them. One of the few places in Londons serving La Cabra, a Danish roastery.
rosebar centrala - A mandatory stop in Vienna. Just completing their first anniversary in the Austrian capital, this restaurant serves great food and has a London vibe as the owners used to live here and brought British expertise to their menus and ambience.
Skopik & Lohn - I booked a table here to spend my birthday weekend, and it’s simply one of those places you’ll want to tell your friends about. Hype!
Goldener Papagei - or the Golden Parrot. It’s one of my favourite spots in Vienna, and it translates to why this city always speaks to my heart. And there is an interesting story behind it: when "Zlatni Papagaj" - the first all'italiana coffee bar in Belgrade - opened its doors in 1978, it was the starting signal for Italian coffee culture and lifestyle in the former socialist republic of Yugoslavia. Almost four decades later, the cult café and family business is being brought back to life - in Vienna. They want to take the Belgrade symbol of lightness and joy in high-quality products into the next generation and think further conceptually.
Jonas Reindl Coffee Roasters - Small batches roasting in this coffee shop in Spittelberg, my first stop when visiting Vienna. Perfect cappuccinos and flat whites are accompanied by Kinko’s accessories, a Japanese brand bringing the balance between warmth and aestheticism, difficult not to fall in love with.
Casamerlò —I recently paid a visit to Bologna, La Dotta, La Grassa, and La Rossa, which basically means it’s a glutton town. This small trattoria won’t disappoint you. It is adored by locals and likes.
For another year full of little places, coffee shops, and independent labels, that brighten our days with light and love. Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a new year filled with prosperity! x, NB <3