Current Favourites

Xie Zhiliu, Rhododendrons, ca.1930s

Current Favourites

Some recommendations to cover a couple of senses, since I am busy with work, applying to universities and planning out my life in general. Reading, listening to music and visiting museums and cultural events tend to relax my brain and have me see matters in a more logical and clear manner.

To listen

–This John Hopkin’s The Art of Chill is perfect on a spring evening with a glass of wine, an afternoon picnic in the park or just in the tram on one’s way to work for all the regular Joe’s among us (…like me!).

To see

Also, these pictures of Sofia Coppola are a treat to the eye, as she is an inspiration on defining style and staying true to one’s self.

This New York Times article shows the author’s favourite streets in twelve cities in Europe. A witty read with breathtaking visuals of some of the finest places in Europe (I agree with the choice of Madrid).

For my fellow Amstellodamoises; the Matisse ‘Oase’ exhibition in the Stedelijk Museum is a beautiful and tasteful selection of some of Matisse’s most colourful paintings, set up in a manner reminiscent of the last Matisse exhibition in the MoMa. Go early to avoid crowds and children on a school trip.

To read

If you’re just as much as a voyeur like me (alas, I admit) then these Vanity Fair ‘My Stuff’ articles are a pleasant read.

I’ve finished The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides not too long ago and found the story modern, refreshing and a realistic take on the double-layered intertwining relationships that people have.

I am currently obsessed with Haruki Murakami’s IQ84; the chilly writing and obscure plot make me want to finish it in an instant.