Spring has arrived in the City. We even missed most of the magnolia bloom because that took mainly place when we were in Florida last week. At this point most trees have little green leaves. It even feels like, that with spring, New York City has regained some of its bustling. There are more people in the streets, and definitely more cars. If you don’t reserve a table, you might not get one for dinner in many restaurants. The same applies for a hairdresser appointment. Last year, in comparison, the whole City was like emptied. I mean I spent most of April 2020 in bed, suffering from Covid-19. Once I could go outside again and took long walks almost every day, I was one of the few people. The year before that I didn’t even live yet in the City. But I have dark memories of Boston usually having at least one more heavy snow shower in April.
When I think about April in more detail though, I realize that it is the month when usually bad things happen to me. Like Covid last year. Or when Canavar disappeared for a whole week from our apartment in Istanbul [here]. When I finally found out that my ex-boyfriend cheated on me and I moved out immediately. When I discovered a burglar in our kitchen one early April morning [here]. … Not my favorite month. But obviously it often comes more naturally to me to think about the negative things. Many Aprils were wonderful to me. It is the month when I seem to travel rather a lot. In the U.S. to escape the winter the North-East. In Turkey to go on weekend trips because the weather conditions are just perfect. I also loved exploring Istanbul in April when the whole city was full of tulips.
To me my perception of April is an allegory for so much more. That esp. after more than a year with the pandemic, I need to remind myself that not everything is bad. Even when I think of all the last months in a rather negative way. But things are slowly improving, like both Rich and I are vaccinated. My parents in Germany finally have their first vaccination appointments. We can actually eat inside a restaurant again. And even movie theaters recently reopened. As an introvert I actually also enjoyed a lot of the alone time – but now I can’t wait for the roaring 20s to hopefully start soon. I am already petting my sequin dresses in a thrill of anticipation.
Things I love this week:
- such an important topic and talk (and I am so angry at the Turkish government – once more -): Angelina Jolie Talks to Elif Shafak About Why Men Need to Be Engaged in the Fight for Women’s Rights
- this essay on What the Pandemic Showed Us About a Certain Kind of New Yorker
- I read The Power by Naomi Alderman this week – all girls wake up one day, have a new organ that creates electric shocks, and so the current world order is questioned – and loved it a lot; I even gave it to Rich who also already finished it and loved it, too
- I feel like making a fruit cobbler again, maybe this Twisted Mango Raspberry Cobbler, or something very similar
- on making the perfect pie crust: The Secret to Smooth Doughs and Fluffy Bread Is Already at Hand
- the Sephora sale is still going on and you can save up to %20 with the code OMGSPRING – I ordered products that I had been eyeing for a while – and my favorite eyeliner, which I had recently used up:
- Grace about leaving New York City
- this bar is now on my list to visit real soon: What It Takes to Open a Bar in a Subway Station
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© janavar
