February Favourites | 2023

 

It’s finally March! The weather is still not the best. But I am glad we left February behind because it is a sign that Spring is coming soon. Here, we are, trying to organise my favourites for last month. I should start doing more posts like this on the blog, simply for personal reference only. However, it would be great to share them with you. Who knows we share the same taste for books, music, documentaries, and TV shows? Plus, these posts make me appreciate what I did and had during the month.

Post on Blog 

Let’s start with what was new on my blog. With Spring coming, I start to plan new holidays for this year. We usually book holidays around April and September.

As we had postponed many holidays during the last two years due to the Pandemic, I have a quite long list of places that I would like to go to this year.

Most of them are destinations that would be great to be visited in the winter for many reasons. The cost of your trip is reasonably cheaper, beaches and restaurants are empty, etc. With this said, here are my favourite countries to have a relaxed holiday in the colder months of the year.

Wooden Egg Cabinet  – Home Organiser 

I am still at a loss for words for this product – and in a positive way. The product we were looking for, but it was hard to find! You might even say it’s not something original because everybody has it in their kitchen. But I love it.

My new favourite home organiser. This wooden egg cabinet is just perfect to optimise spaces in the kitchen. It’s a great value product made of rubber wood and works perfectly as a little egg hutch. I am in love!

 Felicidade by Ana Beatriz Barbosa  – Book  

I am a huge fan of Dr Ana NBeatriz Barbosa, a Brazilian psychoanalyst and writer efference in the treatment of mental disorders. This is the first of her books I am reading, and I can`t wait to go through the other titles. Felicidade – which means happiness – is about our constant search for happiness.

 

Dr Ana Beatriz talks about the importance of knowing and learning more about yourself and others, in addition to having goals and purposes in life, which help a lot in this quest.

It’s a brilliant subject to read about, considering we are living in times where people consider it “normal” to be happy all the time. With this book, we can learn how practical everyday actions can lead to healthier acts for the body and mind and, of course, even happiness. And if you like reading, check this post on 5 websites to read novels online for free.

Racionais MCs: From the Streets of Sao Paulo – Documentary

If you ask me about memories of when I used to live in Sao Paulo for most of my teenagerhood, I will always relate it to music. I have been to many concerts since I was young, and all my friends were into all kinds of music. Hip hop was one of the genres that bring me back to the early 90s, and Racionais MCs are probably the most important name that comes to our minds when we think about the Brazilian Hip Hop scene.

Then, Netflix produced a documentary about Racionais MCs’ legacy a how the rap group from São Paulo turned street poetry into a powerful hip-hop movement in Brazil and the world. It’s a must-see if you are keen on pop culture.

Roadrunner: A film about Anthony Bourdain – Film

I watched some good films in February, but none of them was so touchy such as this film/doc on Anthony Bourdain’s life. As the New Yorker’s article ( and interview with the producer) on it summarise it well – he was both the hero and villain of his own story.

That’s when the painful realisation that it was impossible to change history makes it so significant. Roadrunner presents a series of interviews with people that Know/Knew Bourdain quite well and misses him immensely.

At the same time, it was so delicate and painful to watch and realise that Anthony was struggling with fame. And you know, there is no happy ending. But it is quite ironic to be reading a book about happiness, and then you read the words of the filmmaker Morgan Neville that sums up what we didn’t want to accept about Anthony, this way:

Bourdain was “given everything he always wanted: money, a chance to travel, and freedom,” he continued. “Does that find him happiness? Of course, it doesn’t, because happiness doesn’t come from external things.”

Ditto by NewJeans – Music

I can say I am in the prime of my interest in pop culture. And I don’t understand why it should be different. I love getting into new trends and artists that are different from what I usually would listen to when I was quite young.

So, here I am with the most played song from my playlists in February. Ditto by the K-pop group NewJeans. It is no secret to anyone that I am a fan of Korean pop music. I understand that it is not for everyone, but I do understand that the way people see idols are problematic sometimes.

NewJeans members are quite young, and the music is quite good. And if you watch some of their interviews, especially the ones where they talk about their music references, you will quickly understand why they are not just hype.

But let’s talk about the video made to the song Ditto. For me, that is a fine example of why I love Korean cinema, tv-series and aesthetics.

The video of Ditto is quite nostalgic and carries a lot of different fanfic when it comes to the meaning and inspiration behind it. It is worth it to have a look at (and listen to) this pop song.

Wyre Forest – Outdoors

We were back to our walking officially in February and it made me feel so good. I have to confess it is due to the fact we have picked a brilliant location to visit – The Wyre forest. It was the first time I have visited it, but there is so much to see there.

For those who don’t know, Wyre Forest is the largest woodland National Nature Reserve in the country and can be found to the west of Birmingham. You have several trails to follow, so it is nearly impossible to make it all in just one day.

I don’t know about you, but walking is the way I like to boost my energy and recharge my mood. I hope to join many more walks this year!

Simone Ribeiro
Hi! I'm Simone, a citizen of Britain, where I live for over a decade, and of Brazil, where I was born. Midlands Traveller is where I combine my passion for travelling, business and an Eco-friendly lifestyle.

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