It’s coming up to 6 months of living in London.
It hasn’t been easy.
I don’t understand Asians’ over-romanticisation of this city.
It’s dirty, it’s expensive, it’s backward in so many ways.
But it’s my new home and for my own sanity, it’s best for me to remember the positives.
Here are 10 things I love about living in London.
The cooler, brisk air hitting my face.
The beautiful parks near my home, bordering on wild.
The amazing golden hour (and rainbow!) views from our balcony.
Long riverside walks.
Supermarkets here are a vegetarian’s haven. Long live high-protein plant-based meats.
Casually walking around, looking at (sometimes into…) people’s beautiful homes.
Access to great acts and performances. John Mayer was absolutely incredible.
It’s easier to get your steps in, here! An excuse to walk and explore more of the city.
A direct flight that isn’t too long, straight back to home. 🇸🇬
And just to remain rooted in reality, here are 3 things I hate about living in London:
How filthy the public transportation is. I have a rule of never sitting on the Tube.
The genuinely subpar standards of restaurants here, especially for the prices you pay.
How all flats turn into ovens the moment we roll along into ‘summer’.
Nonetheless, each week of living here has been better than the previous one. I’m grateful to be experiencing all the good and the not-so-good. And I know the next 6 months will be even better.
Wishing you a July that’s full of optimism and fun.
MONTHLY READS
Here’s how the coveted scent of rain is created, in a perfume, in India. Just the way this article was written feels like poetry. The descriptions are so deliciously vivid.
15 small habits that have a massive return on life.
The most bizarre article I’ve read lately. Ever heard of Major League Eating? They’re going through a rough patch because they’ve lost a long-standing partnership after a long-time hot dog eating champion signed a deal with a rival hot-dog brand. What in the world?
Dad advice from various real-life dads that are pretty appropriate for non-Dads too.
Period furniture is a thing - not furniture from a prior era; furniture for when you’re having your period, complete with an edited paint list of colours! I would love a heated massage chaise, wow.
My eyeballs are often tired from rolling at the world’s propensity to hype up ANYTHING (looking at you, Sabrina Carpenter + oversharing about your mental health). Here’s a list of overrated things in 2024, so far. (I do have to disagree - clear skin and dark chocolate will never be overrated.)
Israel has been killing off entire Palestinian families - branch by branch - and it is arguably more devastating that the physical destruction.
I’m starting the 75 Soft Challenge this month (and have added a few more of my own rules too) - join me! I’m aiming to be more active and better rested, overall.
LISTEN
This French song has been my go-to at the gym for the last few weeks.
Smalltown Boy has been all over TikTok, in the ‘how my parents dance to 80s music’ trend and I’ve been loving it.
WATCH
This is one of the most compelling ads I’ve seen in recent years, about overconsumption. Super simple but still whimsical!
Laapataa Ladies is such a sweet, simple yet hilarious movie about Indian villagers with feminism at its core. I hope Bollywood continues to make more of these movies.
The Influencer Insanity series by YouTuber Hannah Alonzo is a really good one to watch if you’re curious about critical analyses of influencers. Trad Wives? Parenting influencers? Rage Baiting? I really enjoyed each video and have learnt so much.
I came across the wilderness survival reality TV series called Alone. It’s 11 seasons in but I’ve only finished Season 1 and it’s incredible. Mental resilience trumps all.
I live with and am married to one of the world’s greatest Federer fans, so much so that I have started to like him too. He recently gave a very earnest commencement speech at Dartmouth and it really shows you how introspective and resilient he is. (‘Effortless is a myth’ is my new favourite learning).
I watched Killings of the Flower Moon after months of hearing about how good it is. It’s good. It’s uncomfortable. Worst of all, it’s real. Watch it out of respect for all that the Osage people had to go through.
SHOP
I recently purchased the premium version of the Habit app. I’ve been using it for almost a year and love how it helps me keep track on my habits (I’m so bad at drinking water!!)
I’m also stocking up on my favourite hand sanitisers of all time. It makes even the most skeptical hand sanitiser-user want to use it because they smell so good!