This week on Link Loop: Photo nostalgia, Travel hacks, surprising science and much more.
Winters in Auckland can be a drag, it's damp, cold and everyone seems to go into mass hibernation - except of course when a world class film festival lures everyone out of their caves ! Every year the New Zealand International film Festival (NZIFF) is the highlight of winter for me, and this year is no exception; on top of countless international winners, they are showing a record number of films from directed by Kiwi women. I'm currently compiling a list of do-not-miss-films so watch this space.
One of my other fool proof winter pick-me-ups is a decent read - I've recently joined a book club (with none other than my dream girl crush Jenna !!!), and I'm currently taking my time with 'Sodden Downstream' by Brannavan Gnanalingam in preparation for the first meeting. Nervous is an understatement, but I'm excited to hang out with some preeetty great new people. On the subject of reading, the book nerd in me is absolutely in love with this '100 Essential Novels Scratch Off Chart' from the Pop chart lab - they've got a while range of beautifully designed charts including 'Birds of North America' and 'The Origins of Whiskey' (who knew there were so many !). A fun little check box project for the shortened days.
If you're joining everyone I know (or at least everyone I follow on instagram) and heading overseas to break up the winter, you might want to check out some of the brilliant travel tips in THIS bon appetit article. They've handily listed some of the most original and well thought out travel hacks I've read in a long time (and if you know me, you know I am OBSESSED with reading online travel hacks). There are plenty of gems but I love the idea of plotting out 'do nothing days' and the old school glamour of taking a favourite candle on holiday - I'd be packing up this sumptuous Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Travel Candle (available online from Smith and Caughey).
In a bid to break up my minestrone monotony, I popped over to my parents place for dinner last week; I love hearing what they've been up to over a home cooked meal - this week we got talking about things that have become obsolete. My mum has draws and draws of holiday pictures from the last forty years, but she can pin point an exact era and sometimes the location from the photo negative wallet that the pictures are stored in ! Do you remember that process ? We had a good laugh about how carefully you have to load your film, how considerate you had to be when using one of your limited shots, and how consciously you had to roll the film on once a photo had been taken - not to mention the rigmarole of having to wind the precious film up and carefully transport it to the pharmacy AND have enough money to get them developed ! There was more than a little nostalgia for the lost art of the photo negative wallet.
Added to my 'Bookmarks' this week is a great little website called The Observers. Three very talented friends interview inspiring, influential and creative people, and get them to recommend photography books that have informed or inspired their work. Such a cool, well thought out visual resource - something I'll be revisiting again and again.
My last stand against winter boredom is to trawl the net looking up beautiful home renovations - part to dream, part to try pinch ideas and partly because I am a nosey little so and so who loves spying on other peoples homes ! This delightful little cottage in Cape Town has everything I'm fawning over at the moment: Rustic details, clean but homely simplicity and views to die for. Definite cottage goals for my one-day-imaginary-home.
It wouldn't be a #linkloop without a little brain fodder, and I have two great offerings this week:
First of the block is this quick TED talk from the great Frans De Waal looking at some of the misconceptions we have around describing and understanding 'Alpha' males. VERY interesting viewing for anyone who knows a strong woman (aka everyone !)
This GREAT study (with references, swooooon) from the World Economic Forum about how many people it takes to save the world. Some days it can feel a little overwhelming to think about how big the worlds problems are, but this definitely made me feel a little less helpless ! Sounds like a good enough reason to start thinking about how we can build and boost our communities.
What have you been reading lately ? Have you got any red hot picks for the NZIFF ? I'll be back later this week with my top picks and list of films for every type of film watching friend !
Til then xxx
Comments