I don’t know about other parts of the world, but spring seems to have truly arrived in Brussels. 25 degrees today! No wonder it’s a spring-inspired memo, then.

1. Spring flowers. One day, I need to tackle my love for cut flowers – all these roses* coming from Kenya, sprayed with who-knows-what and creating CO2 emissions like SUVs (and the Dutch ones are in fact more CO2-intensive to grow). But this day is not today. I also kind of hope that seasonal flowers are a bit better in this regard, even when industrially grown. Parrot tulips, French tulips, daffodils, paper whites, hyacinths – all of them look lovely. And not long now till the peony season.

2. Hugo awards. The Hugo short list was announced recently and it looks very good. I’ve read three of the best novel nominees (and will finish the fourth any moment now), two of the novellas and four comic series.** All of them are either good, great or exceptional. I might in fact do a post on Hugos once I’ve read all the nominated novels.

3. Reading in Vogue. For those book lovers who are not into SFF, here’s a reading list for this spring put together by Vogue. I understand that not everybody would trust Vogue with their reading, but their book reviews are generally good and recommendations worth considering (they can afford very good journalists). This list especially includes many books that have been on my radar. Two of them – Feel Free and The Only Story – I’ve already read and can recommend.

4. Small Estonian brands. I talked about Feelwear, a niche Estonian clothing brand, in my latest style post. As I said there, I’m very happy with my new merino wool turtleneck and will explore their other offerings. I’m also attracted to another Estonian small enterprise, Stuudio Nahk. They produce leather goods and have just come out with a new collection. If I had the funds, I would have already purchased a white or blush pink bag with the branded strap. It’s like a more elegant version of Off-White accessories.

5. A polished body. My aversion to body products that don’t do anything is well known. FINALLY, the industry is waking up and there are several new products available that contain active ingredients. REN’s AHA Smart Renewal Body Serum is the most accessible, but there’s also Express Delivery Enzyme Body Peel by Radical skincare and C Scape High Potency Body Lotion by DCL. Fot those looking for an Estonian alternative, D’Difference also does a body peel that includes acids. It’s very expensive, though.

6. Byredo hype. There has been a huge buzz around Byredo’s latest fragrance, Elevator Music, a collaboration with Off-White (here it is again). The brand is currently the hottest in fashion, as its designer Virgil Abloah was pointed the artistic director of Louis Vuitton men’s wear. The perfume is very limited edition and can only be bought in very selected stores. But I’ve smelled the sample and let me tell you, you will not be missing much. It smells like nothing (a faint woody-musky floral), which of course is the point and very clever, but the perfume is boring.

7. Spring cleaning. I’m generally not a person who enjoys cleaning or tidying, but a dramatic spring clean is something I can get behind. I have sorted through my clothes and beauty products, given and thrown lots of them away, stored my warm weather stuff and redeployed last year’s spring-summer items. I’ve also paid all my bills, organised my cupboards and drawers and built a tower of books that NEED TO BE READ AS A PRIORITY. Oh, and I emptied and cleaned my bags. I highly recommend all this, I feel much lighter.

*Not that I’m a huge fan of roses, especially the tall, prim ones.
**Pictured are the novels and the novellas, New York 2140 is the only one of these I haven’t read yet; I’m currently half-way through The Stone Sky.