Summer Plans

If there is one thing we can all agree on in 2020, we have all had to let go of what we thought/imagined our lives would be and where we would be.

Whether it is major life events like weddings and graduations shifting and becoming very different from what we planned or more mundane things like summer plans getting canceled - we have all had to let go and reimagine.

I planned to be back in London (and Europe) in May/June to meet my niece; and travel. I had thirteen stops on my itinerary, including five new Countries. It was all tossed out the window, and my aunty time is now limited to weekly FaceTime calls for the foreseeable future. For July 4th, I was supposed to head to Panama, exploring Casco Viejo and spending time on San Blas Islands. Instead, I will be engaging in socially distant hiking; making apple pie and binge-watching  “it’s okay not to be okay”

The COVID numbers where I live are trending in the wrong direction. As I type this, an emergency alert has just come through mandating the wearing of a mask (FINALLY ! ). In light of those numbers and a deep desire for self-preservation, my summer will likely be limited to socially distant hike, lots of baking, and very many Netflix binge sessions. How are you spending the long weekend?

Here is this week’s offering of what I have discovered; treasured and delved into this week.

Burt’s bee tea tree complexion stick is my go for blemishes - it dealt with my period related zits in two days and its like it never happened.

Five things I want to tell my White friends - this said it infinitely more eloquently that I ever could.

This read was uncomfortable ; it made me cringe in parts but it will stay with me forever - You want a Confederate monument; My body is a Confederate monument.

In podcast land - I added the dating game killer to the list of listens this week and oh.ma.gawd - give it a listen if you are a fan of true crime pods.

Travel related news - the EU has banned flights from the U.S. due to our exploding COVID numbers (sad sigh) and a favorite travel podcast returned this week with its third series - if you enjoy seeing the world - you should be listening to Holly Rubenstein’s Travel Diary Podcast - it is a stunning listen.

I will be trying my hands at this tofu and kimchi soup recipe this weekend. It took me a few weeks to get Gochujang (Korean Chilli Paste). Now that I have got it , I am making a large pot of this soup and feasting on it all weekend. I have also been making these cottage cheese pancakes for weekend brunch every chance I get. It is simple and delicious.

I thought about this Ted Talk a lot this week in light of some ugly comment I saw on several people’s instagram page - this shaming culture is hurting us, y’all.

The only thing close to camping I will entertain is glamping but this camping menu by Joy the Baker really had me thinking about getting out into the outdoors.