Togetherness
On meditation apps, sleeping well-ish and breaking bread.
Welcome to Small Joys, a bi-monthly(ish) newsletter about finding great joy in the little things. Here are a few recent things that have sparked joy.
A world of calm
A few months ago, I received a three-month membership to the Calm app and during this time, I discovered Sleep Stories, which is basically like bedtime for grown-ups. The people who read to you have the kind of silky smooth voices that make you wonder whether there’s a Director of ASMR who says, dulcet tones only, please. I listened to Harry Styles lull me to sleep with a bedtime story and Stephen Fry walk me through the lavender fields of Provence. There’s a new HBO Max series called A World of Calm, which brings the meditation app to life with the help of stars like Zoë Kravitz and Idris Elba. I’m fully on board and would absolutely listen to Keanu Reeves talk about trees for 30 minutes (which he does, FYI).
Into the night
Speaking of things that help you sleep, here are two nice-to-have products for your bedside table that also sit on mine: Pixi’s Dream-y Mist ($20), which lives up to its name with its jasmine, lavender and chamomile scent, and works as both a face mist and pillow mist. And Lotus Aroma’s Insomnia Roll-On ($18.99), an essential oil blend from a Canadian brand, which is a soothing medley of orange peel and lavender, and helps with late night doomscrolling.
Party of two
On the table: pakoras, kale salad, quinoa pulao, garlic-ginger chicken and feta paneer.
When I first moved into my own place, the thing I was most excited about was being able to invite friends and family over and cook them a big meal. And so what I miss most these days is not being able to gather around a table with loved ones. I also miss the simultaneous stress and elation over planning a menu, and the really great conversations you can have when everyone feels really relaxed and at home. I’m coming to terms with the fact that it’s probably going to be that way for a while (again). In the coming months, I’m going to try and enjoy some of the things that made entertaining fun—setting the table (instead of eating on the couch watching Netflix), lighting the candles I save for special occasions and eating on the nice plates.
Tales from the kitchen
For me, my kitchen is a place of bringing community in. It's an open door policy. If I’m at home, my neighbors know that at 3 o’clock, a pot of chai is gonna be brewing.
I first discovered Material last year when I wrote a story about director-to-consumer cookware brands redefining at-home cooking. They’ve been creating such great content for their website, especially on their blog. They have a new series called, The Story of My Kitchen where people talk about their go-to tools, precious heirlooms and what makes the space unique to them. The first in the series is an interview with chef Asha Gomez.
Custom carbs
I love personalized stationary (or personalized anything, really). Put my name in cursive lettering. Give me a gold foil monogram. On a tote bag, a passport holder, a notebook! This is a custom letterhead from The Illustrated Life and you can either choose 'Coucou!' or customize it with your name. You can also pick a croissant instead of a baguette, which is the only difficult decision you’ll have to make here.
From my bookmarks:
A few housekeeping things:
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If you enjoyed reading this, please feel free to share it with a friend and spread the joy. <3
Have a great long weekend!
x Mishal