all things I loved in aprilšµ
trying a new R.E.P.O.R.T format š
I am very aware that we are close to hitting the mid-may mark, but writing these monthly roundups are my non-negotiables to keep showing up here (plus also what brings me the most amount of joy!!!)
one of my go-to comfort youtubers becca uses this for her weekly roundup of things, so hereās me giving it a shot to see how I and you like it?
R. reading.
I mentioned by TBR list in the march roundup and am very happy (and relieved) to write back that I am slowly getting back into my reading rhtym.
whatās really helped me is to set a timer for 15 mins and just read - I canāt pick my phone, canāt get up from where I am sitting. a few sessions like these and now I have readerās gravity pulling me to sit & read.ws3e3
great big beautiful life by emily henry (2.5/5āļø) the plot and setup had so much potential and the prose was beautiful - but the character arc did not do it for me!
broken country (4/5āļø) reading it currently but omg do I love it!
choosing easy life (DNF, ongoing) very self explanatory title for why a type A person like me is trying to read it.
tiny experiments - how to live freely in a goal obsessed world (DNF) maybe itās me but I really pushed for 4-5 chapters but to me the key essence was 1 line and the book felt a bit of drag. might try again in a few months.
E. eating.
we have very successfully replicated the masala chole bowl by pali kitchen (itās our go to takeaway place on busy office days).
also, just grating some beetroot and adding it to yogurt to turn it this gorgeous pink is such a dopamine hit. try it yourself.
P. playing.
I wasnāt a selena gomez fan growing up - but her latest album with benny is doing it for me!
š§ some cool podcasts I could also recommend if you just like listening to girl talk on walks or while doing chores
- call me daddy episodes with kylie kelce, monica lewinsky
- and then michelle obama on kylie kelceās podcast not gonna lie
- and then meghan markle and whitney (founder of bumble) chatting on her new podcast!
šŗ netflix recs! I surprisingly picked adolescence for our post-dinner watch and we liked it - and then S surprisingly picked north of north and we liked it too. very off brand choices for both of us!
O. obsessed with.
šø this little canal walk. itās been almost 5 years since I have lived in london and have seen countless influencers recommend the walk from little venice to camden - but we did it for the first time one glorious sunday in april. and then I was so obsessed with it that we took our friends and did it again. and now I canāt wait to have more friends and my sister to come over so I can take them too!
š¼ gaudiās casa vicens. been there before during pandemic, and continue to be obsessed with so dragged my design team to see it too! 10/10.
R. recommending.
these warm, makes-you-wanna-write kind of essays out here.
āļø 21 observations from people watching - how can someone be soo good at articulating people watching??!
āļø why junior designers struggle to find footing - highly relatable tldr by
. we are all too busy keeping up with AI to mentor.āļø pablo picassoās stunning repetitions - a joyful break from all the āI tried using AI tool to create an appā articles.
some more on my insta.
T. treating myself.
this was such a welcome prompt to stop and think - how have I been treating myself lately? and what would I consider as TREATS!!!
š· solo date nights in barcelona
I traveled to barcelona twice this month, and each time instead of filling up my empty evenings - I walked around the city like I used to when I lived there 332and asked for āmesa para unoā. honestly, it was number one thing that made me feel the most like myself this month!
š¬ free will days
there is a tiktok trend going on where people post absurd insane things they can do because they are adults and have free will (from having dessert as breakfast, to wearing a bouquet on streets of newyork)
we did two days this month where we got out of the house with zero plans. these two days filled with 20K+ steps and the most randomest of things across city were the most freeing and rejuvenating days we had in a while. these are gonna be part of my monthly ritual now. will try vlog one of these!
also leaving you with my favorite quote at the moment - coming out of springful april, may and heading into summerā¦
personally it feels freeing that I can choose where to put my energy and that area of my life will bloom.
hereās wishing you a very free-will freeing blooming coming weeks.
talk soon,
chhavi
wishing you the same :)