October Openings

What an intense month… October started with travel and excitement, then turned into 2 weeks at home on a sick leave, before picking up again with gentle, autumn vibes.

1) October sun in London 2) Frameless 3) Lee Miller at Tate Britain 4) Early October treasures

At the beginning of the month, I travelled to London for a work conference and decided to spend the weekend beforehand enjoying the many perks of the city. One of the highlights was the Frameless Experience near Marble Arch. I’ve been to similar immersive exhibitions featuring a single artist before, but Frameless was different — it brought together forty-two masterpieces by various artists. I loved the dynamic visuals paired with beautifully chosen music, some of which was composed especially for the exhibition. I’ll admit, I was pleasantly surprised — I had expected it to feel repetitive after what I’d seen before, but I was delighted to be proven wrong in such an awesome way.

Another memorable moment was visiting the Lee Miller exhibition at Tate Britain. It was a moving afternoon on several levels. As a photography enthusiast, I was fascinated by some of her early work — I think it was the first time I truly realised how progressive those photographs were for their time. I also found myself thinking about the women she captured during the war, and how she highlighted their contributions, skills, and resilience.
I left the museum feeling both inspired and uplifted.

A couple of days after the conference, I got a surprise — and not the pleasant kind. I fell ill and ended up spending two weeks at home.

I often reflect on this kind of conundrum. On one hand, being sick is exhausting: not having the energy to move, being unable to go outside, even for something as simple as grocery shopping. All the logistics that come with being unwell seem to add extra weight to the day.

And yet, there are things that bring a small ray of light into such a heavy period. I have more time to read — especially when I’m in the middle of a guilty-pleasure series (each book around 700 pages, I’m guessing; I haven’t actually counted). I research which books I might like to read next and make lists. I dive into photography books and albums, chasing that familiar tickle in my heart that keeps inspiration flowing until I’ve recovered. I share bits of that inspiration with friends.

Don’t get me wrong — I wouldn’t call it a vacation, especially when you need to sleep through half the day. And yet, there is a small pocket of serenity in it.

And then, finally, the day came. I felt much better — ready to go outside again, return to work, and ease back into my slow social life. So what else would I do, if not invite a friend over for tea and cookies — the ones I got so excited about buying at the London airport?

As it turned out, they weren’t the best choice. Still, they were worth experimenting with. I love the brand and many of their other flavours, so I’ll keep trying until I decide on my favourites.

Thank you for reading. If you have any cookie recommendations, I’d love to hear them.