Traveller's Diary: A Compilation of Things I'm Loving Lately

The best show on Netflix, the best bed I've slept in in years and the most versatile bag I own.

Photo by Camille Brodard on Unsplash

Watching

I’m so hooked on Resident Alien, which I randomly started a few weeks back and have since finished all 3 seasons. This show is the perfect mix of wit, humour, drama and science fiction. The cast is perfect—I cannot imagine a better alien than Alan Tudyk with all his very refreshing indiosyncrasies and one-liners. All my close friends and husband will tell you how I have not stopped recommending this show to them as well.

Reading

One afternoon, I found myself at Kinokuniya flipping through The French Art of Living Well: Finding Joie de Vivre in the Everyday World by Cathy Yandell and reading about how her daughters were adjusting to the French school system as foreigners. This got me hooked and I decided to buy the book.

Granted, somewhere in the middle it felt very much like a lecture, more so than a leisurely read. There is only so much regurgitation about French literature I can take. I give this book 3 stars at most, but otherwise, it’s a good introduction to France and French culture as a whole.

Beautifying

I’ve always used a retinol serum but had been on the lookout for something more affordable yet equally effective. Enter The Inkey List Retinol Serum, with 1% slow-release retinol. I use this every night (or almost) on my face and neck, and although I’m not in love with the chemical scent, it has definitely helped with the deeper lines on my neck.

For sunscreen, I recently restocked the Make Prem UV Defense Me No Sebum Sun Cream, which I love for its mattifying effect and SPF 50 PA++++.

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Nesting

It will be an injustice to gatekeep the amazing mattresses that are from Wright. Turns out, the mattresses in our hotel are from this brand and I cannot be more thankful for that. As I write this from the middle of NYC, I have woken up every single day without any ache in my back. This mattress is life changing, I wish I can buy and bring it back to Singapore. Sadly they are wholly American, but I now know what a good bed feels like, and so I am definitely switching out our current one.

If you’re curious the one our hotel uses is the W2.15 Hybrid Foam/Coil mattress. I checked. You’re welcome!

Wearing

I’m currently loving the Beyond the Vines Poofy Bag in Pink and carry it with me on quick errand runs and even exploring the city. Who can resist the vibrant, fun pink shade? The shoulder straps are super adjustable, so I wear it either as a crossbody or a shoulder bag, depending on my outfit and how many things I need to bring along with me.

Eating

At the request of my brother to re-live a memory of his when he visited NYC many years back, I went for lunch at Junior’s Restaurant mainly to try out their famous cheesecake. It did not disappoint, and yes, I sent him a video of me devouring it. Ah, sibling love, am I right?

Also, if you are ever in La Toussuire in France, I highly recommend Chez Annisette because the food there is amazing. I ordered a duck breast in fig chutney and it was simply delish, with a generous serving size.

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