November '25 R.E.P.O.R.T
Reading, Eating, Playing, Obsessing, Recommending, Treating & Watching
I usually write these newsletters across the month, rather than doing everything in one go, but in November I was too focused on other things, and that’s why I am posting this on the last leg of December.
November was again a month with a lot going on: outings with friends, book club meeting, and my vacation, which culminated in a trip to Paris.
For time reasons I am not adding any photos to this newsletter, but you can check everything by clicking the link at the end, that goes directly to my November highlights on Instagram, so you get the best of both worlds.
Reading
Sea Of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel | Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro | The Mysteries by Bill Watterson & John Kascht
I will write more about this in a single post, but I do a yearly reread of Sea Of Tranquility, usually around October/November because it’s my Autumn vacation and I love taking the book with me as my travel read.
This month I managed to finish Never Let Me Go right on time for Educate Yourself Book Club meeting, but I wasn’t a big fan of it.
The Mysteries is a graphic novel by the same creator of Calvin & Hobbes, and it is a short but lingering fairy tale. It’s been on my TBR for a while, so it was time to pick it up.
Eating
Home-Made Pancakes | Oma Ietje | Kampong Express | By Jarmusch
After going to By Jarmusch for the usual brunch, I decided to try my hand at some savoury pancakes at home, and it did not disappoint. I wasn’t expecting avocado to go so well with maple syrup, but it certainly goes.
With By Jarmusch I usually go with the waffle, but decided to try their pancakes this month and I get why they keep winning awards.
I went to Amsterdam to meet a friend this month and tried this place called Oma Ietje. Super cosy place, and I had a great Korean beef bulgogi with rice there.
I used to pass by Kampong Express on my way to Kino, and it always looked like such a nice place. Super tiny, but usually packed, and the menu on the window looked delicious.
A few friends and I went to the movies after work this month and met there for some dinner. I had the crepe and it was delicious. I definitely want to come back and try other dishes.
Playing
Fleetwood Mac | Johnny Trigger
I know this part of the newsletter is usually dedicated to games, but I didn’t game much in November so I have to remix it.
This month I’ve been listening to an array of music, but I took the time to listen more closely to Fleetwood Mac on my trip to Paris. It’s actually great background music for reading, it turns out.
Nevermind that I keep calling them Macwood Fleet, Fleetmac Wood or, my favourite, Macweed Fleet, and barely ever the actual name, which I again had to google to make sure I got it right - I also ended up on a wiki rabbit hole regarding the band’s name and maybe I’ll be able to memorise it at last.
I wanted to game a bit in the weekend but didn’t want to commit to anything, so I ended up trying Johnny Trigger, which is simple but entertaining enough.
Obsessing
With these ceramic envelopes by Shannoramics.
When I attended ILFU back in August, my event companion travelled in the morning to Utrecht to visit a ceramics market.
I couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed that early, so I skipped the market, but regretted it later when she showed me the amazing envelope made of ceramics she bought there.
Luckily the maker is on social media and sells these beauties online, so when a new batch of envelopes became available I snatched one.
Aren’t they cute?
I now have it hanging from my bookshelf with a plant in it.
Recommending
Paris
I went to Paris for three days (well, in practice, one day and a half in town), and I went in without many expectations. In fact, I was expecting more not to like it, due to hearing so many people say they dislike the city.
Luckily, I actually loved it! Nice architecture, nice to walk around, cute things to see, a good vibe, great food, the metro is super easy to navigate.
I didn’t see any rats on the streets, so I have to go back there for sure to get that experience; I am planning a second trip in March next year. Oh yeah, and to see the Louvre from the inside, which I didn’t have time to visit this time around.
So if you have a chance to go to Paris, do it. And always ask parles vous anglais before started talking in English if you don’t want them to be rude to you.
I tried asking for things with my very rudimentary French, and they pretty much switched to English each time, so language-wise I got very lucky.
Treating
Educate Yourself Book Club Stamp
I love stamping things, so I figured it was time to make my very own Educate Yourself Book Club stamp, so that both myself and book club goers can stamp their book club reads with the logo of the club
I ordered it from an amazing seller on Etsy, who also made my stamp for The Book Tour Project, and they nailed it once again.
Watching
Legally Blonde | Friends | The Assessment | The Mastermind
I had never watched Legally Blonde before - I know, guilty! - and I have big regrets to have waited so long because this movie is so good! Especially considering the context of the time, it is truly a feminist movie, and I loved it!
I am doing a re-watch of Friends after feeling nostalgic due to coming cross some clips of the series on Instagram, and although it doesn’t pass the test of time in everything, it is still pretty fun and i am enjoying it a lot the second time around.
The Assessment is a dystopic story where two people in this highly controlled future have to prove they are capable of being assigned a child. It’s very messed up, and eerie, and I really liked it.
The Mastermind might have been one of the movies I’ve seen in the last few years that I liked the least. Maybe I wasn’t in the mood for a movie like this, but it just felt so pointless. At least I went out to watch it with friends, so it was still wirth going to the movies for the company.
Be good, stay chaotic. |
Liefs,
Carina