8 Things I Will Do in 2016
I’m not calling them New Year’s resolutions, as this seems to be a bad omen. But I’m a big believer in telling the whole world that I’m going to do something, so that the potential embarrassment of not doing it would keep me on the right track. Great motivat..
Anni Jürgenson Ear Cuffs: War on Boring
There are two problems I often face, although not necessarily simultaneously. The first one I’ve mentioned before: it’s my lack of ear piercings (I tried, it didn’t work out) that is making my choice of earrings woefully limited. And I love earrings. Cue muc..
The Kingdom of Ice (And Some Make-Up)
The weather in Estonia has been strange. Black Christmases can and do happen, but roses blooming in December? That is extremely rare. Then, just after the warm and humid Christmas, it turned cold overnight. There was no snow, but everything, and I mean every..
Love In a Cold Climate and Other Light Reads
I owe one of my lovely commenters a list for light reading and here’s my attempt to pay that debt. I considered calling the post Comfort Reads, but I find these to be very personal and not always recommendable – although quite a few titles below also work as..
Happy Holidays!
In Estonia, we celebrate Christmas on 24 December*, so I’m writing this in the middle of our family’s Christmas dinner (a decision not necessarily appreciated by all family members) to wish you wonderful holidays – no matter where you are or what you celebra..
Best Non-Beauty Buys of 2015
My original 2015 Best Buys list was completely taken over by beauty items, so here’s another one, without any beauty products. Although there are shoes.
1. Penguin Books mugs. Brussels Waterstones sells these exceptional drinking vessels and I keep going..
Best Beauty Buys of 2015
This list is a response to a reader request and I’ll do vol 2 next week, about non-beauty stuff. I love Best Of lists, but they are a pain to put together. To make any progress at all, I had to lay down some ground rules: only things that I bought for the fi..
Pomegranates, Roses and Saffron: A Simple Holiday Menu
It’s not often that I have genius ideas, but last weekend was one of those rare occasions. I was trying to come up with an easy, somewhat unusual and festive cocktail that would go with the Persia/Middle East-inspired food I was preparing. And then I thought..
Woman of the Month: Diana Athill
I know Diana Athill – or I know OF Diana Athill, to be more precise – because I’m a regular reader of The Guardian. In 2009, they published an essay by Athill, who was already over 90 at the time, about why she decided to move into an old people’s home. I re..
8 Gifts I Wouldn’t Mind Receiving
To say that I like giving gifts is like saying Darth Vader isn’t averse to the idea world domination. I make long lists, analyse people’s preferences, cross-check with previous lists to avoid repetition and spend hours researching online. It seems only prude..