The Book of Alchemy by Saleika Jaouad
If you like the idea of journaling but don’t know where to start, this book is a gentle companion. With short, thoughtful essays and optional prompts, it offers inspiration without rules or pressure.
A thoughtful, inviting book for anyone who journals—or wants to, but doesn’t know where to start.
Organized around themes like fear, love, and memory, it gathers short, honest reflections from over 100 voices, reminding us we don’t have to be “real writers” to write.
The essays are the real gift here—thought-provoking and grounding—while the prompts are there if you want them (and easy to skip if you don’t).
If you’re a writer or artist - you’ll love this book!
“Letting my hand catch up with my intuition has yielded some of the most unexpected insights.”
A joke from the old country
A joke from the old country:
Two men are sitting at a bar. The first asks, "Where are you from?"
"I was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire," says the second, "educated in Czechoslovakia, started my working life in Hungary, did a stint in Nazi Germany, then got married, had kids and raised my family in the Soviet Union."
The first man shakes his head. "You must have travelled a great deal."
"In fact," says the second. "I never left my village."
A quick trip to Berlin, Germany
NYU Berlin, semester abroad!
Great to have her closer to home!
Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin
Wall decor. xo
I tagged along to help her settle in!
The Artist
My 3-line (ish) book review:
A quiet, atmospheric novel set in 1920s Provence, exploring the cost of creativity and the pursuit of art.
It's a slow-burn kind of read: cinematic and slightly ominous.
Did I like it? hmm… I appreciated it. It was well written and insightful. It’s objectively a good book - but I think I was in the mood for something more escapist.
My 3-line (ish) book review:
A quiet, atmospheric novel set in 1920s Provence, exploring the cost of creativity and the pursuit of art.
It's a slow-burn kind of read: cinematic and slightly ominous.
Did I like it? hmm… I appreciated it. It was well written and evocative of time and place. It’s objectively a good book - but I think I was in the mood for something more escapist. This book is almost claustrophobic in its depiction of living in that house.
Winter Holidays in Annecy, France
walks, hikes, fruit dumplings and little house on the prairie
La Tournette, Haute-Savoie, France.
Lake Annecy, France - just after sunset.
The view from my office window.
Paragliding in front of the moon!
Annecy, -looking towards the lake with Pont des Amours in the distance.
Old town, Annecy
Just some street art.
+ carrots for Rudolph (or Míša - whoever gets to them first.)
still life with turntable
Ovocné knedlíky (czech fruit dumplings)
La Tournette again! I can’t stop taking photos of this view.
I found a fort in the woods.
One of our favourite restaurants in Annecy is a Little House on the Prairie themed restaurant called Chez Ingalls. It makes absolutely no sense, but it’s lovely and delicious!
Just after sunrise, the morning we left to drive back to London.
Anna Atkins, Algae
On the list for 2026: Learn to cyanotype. This artist: Anna Atkins, Algae
On the list for 2026: Learn to cyanotype.
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India, Part 2 - Fort Kochi
Chinese fishing nets. Fort Kochi has been a global trading port for centuries.
Street art of a girl creating a mandala with bird seeds.
Traditional clay pots for sale.
A curious monkey outside our hotel room window.
Roaming goats! Everywhere you look!
Hindustan Ambassador + Colonial Kochi + two lovers kissing
A little lizard.
A secret library.
Everything is Tuberculosis
My 3-line book review: A beautiful, accessible blend of personal story, social history and medical ethics.
If you enjoyed The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, this book is right up your alley.
Here’s hoping John Green’s work will shine a light on a disease that could be eradicated - if we collectively decided to make it so.
My 3-line book review:
A beautiful, accessible blend of personal story, social history and medical ethics.
If you enjoyed The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, this book is right up your alley!
Here’s hoping John Green’s work will shine a light on a disease that could be eradicated - if we collectively decided to make it so.
Reflecting on 2025, Planning for 2026
Happy final day of 2025! I hope you’ve spent at least some time reflecting on the past year and celebrating your accomplishments. Our family is super into rituals like this - so the other night over pizza, we went around the table and each shared something we are proud of from the past year.
Hello Friends!
Happy final day of 2025! I hope you spent at least some time reflecting on the past year and celebrating your accomplishments. Our family is super into rituals like this - so the other night over pizza, we went around the table and each shared something we are proud of from the past year.
As for me - I’m proud of my daughters, who have launched themselves from the nest and into another country. Obviously, we never “finish” being a parent - but it feels like the heavy-lift of their childhood is behind me. So I’m also proud of myself! I remember bringing home Sophia from the hospital (nearly 21 years ago 😳) and not knowing how we’d survive the night, much less the teenage years. And now look at them! Out in the world, learning to love and live life on their own terms.
And so… now what?
If you are one of those people who dislike New Years goals, first of all, what’s wrong with you? Second of all, look away now. I have LOADS of New Years goals. I have categories of goals. If we were sitting at a cafe, right now I’d squeal and pull out my Hobonichi Cousin 2026 Planner to show you in detail, all my goals for each quarter of the coming year. I freaking love this stuff.
I’ve probably set too high expectations for myself, because that is what I do. But I can’t help but assume that this year I’ll have a little bit more time on my hands. Plus I’m super excited by everything on the list… Here are just a few of the goals related to my creative life:
In 2026:
I will finally become a yoga teacher! You can learn more about my decision to start training and follow along here.
I will start tracking the books I read on Goodreads. Not sure why it’s taken me so long to do this? (Btw - here are my favourite books of 2025.)
I will keep blogging (here) and sending out the monthly newsletter: I’ll Have What She’s Having.
I will keep a commonplace book (more on this in a future post).
I will finish writing at least one book.
There are a few secret goals related to the above - let’s call them suuuuper stretchy goals, shall we? If I succeed at any of them, you’ll be the first to know.
xo, L
Preparing for Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga teacher training isn’t about flexibility—it’s about showing up healthy and strong. As I prepare for YTT in midlife, I’m focusing on overall health, joint care, mindset, and time. Here’s what I’m doing to feel ready before training even begins.
I told you in the last post that you don’t have to be super bendy to become a yoga teacher. And that’s true! That said, I want to go into my Yoga Teacher Training feeling healthy and strong. Here’s my plan:
🩺 Overall Health
Reminder, to my midlife friends: Just because your HRT was working, doesn’t mean it will continue working forever. I just had my annual checkups done and I’m so glad my doctor suggested running blood tests. My results came back wacky, so we made some changes. Now I’m on a different regime and I’m already feeling more energetic and focused.
🦴 Joints and Bones
I’ve had a shoulder injury for way too long (low estrogen didn’t help), so my doctor suggested I add a collagen supplement to my routine. I was put off by the idea at first because it’s a powder you stir into water, which sounded disgusting. But it just arrived today - I tried it and it’s actually not bad! I recommend it. It’s not cheap, but if it cures my shoulder pain, it will be worth it. (btw, Apparently you’re supposed to take it with Vitamin C for better absorption.)
I also started to see a physiotherapist who down-right astonished me with her diagnosis and treatment plan. The key, of course, is YOU HAVE TO DO THE PHYSIO. You can’t just think about doing it and have your pain magically disappear. If you live in west London and need a physio, I recommend Becca van Klinken.
🧐 Mindset
I mean, I guess I put this here because it feels like I should? But the truth is that I feel pretty excited and “ready” to start training. The only thing I'm worried about, I guess, is the day I’ll have to start actually teaching… but that’s why we train, right?
⏰ Time
One of my favourite podcasts is The Creative Penn by Joanna Penn. She writes about all things AI as it pertains to running an author business. Anyway, she was talking about a presentation she heard at Author Nation which I think applies to this topic:
“If you want to start something new, you need to first stop doing two things: first quit the easy thing, then quit the hard thing.”
As a person who routinely sets too many goals - this advice really hit home! We can’t do all the things all the time. I suppose that’s why I didn’t start YTT until now! I am no longer a full time parent, so I have space in my life for this.
That said, I do have other goals and projects I’d like to accomplish this year... But for Q1, my priority is Yoga Teacher Training. And blogging. And maybe writing another book (but not until February).
xo, L
My Favourite Books of 2025
My favourite books of the year - featuring literary fiction, memoir, and food writing - plus a three-line book review for each.
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
Of all the books I read about India, this one was my favourite! Set in 1970s India, four people from vastly different backgrounds find their lives intersecting in a city dominated by political violence and poverty. I loved how the book slowly reveals an interconnected social web, turning an unfamiliar history into a story that was intimate, fragile, and deeply human. If you enjoy historical fiction—or are interested in India—you should absolutely read this!
The Silence in Between by Josie Ferguson
Spanning WWII Germany and Cold War Berlin, this novel follows a mother and daughter whose lives are divided by war, music, and eventually the Berlin Wall. I’m a sucker for dual-timeline historical fiction, and this book takes the genre to a whole new level. Gorgeous writing - and the musical elements are to die for. If you read a lot of WW2 fiction and/or love novels about resilient women - this book is for you. I’m jealous you get to read it for the first time.
Heart the Lover by Lily King
Set between an unnamed New England university and Paris, France - the story follows an American woman whose intense love affair fractures her sense of self, ambition, and emotional stability. I love reading about the lives of writers—the pretension! The anxiety! The crushing disappointment! Throw in a steamy love affair and Paris and I’m in. Read this if you liked Writers & Lovers by the same author. (I liked this one better.)
James by Percival Everett
This is a brilliant retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of enslaved Jim. This novel is outstanding. The first 10% of the book is fine - it establishes us in place/time. But then at about 12% into the book we learn something that reframes everything else that follows. It’s so good. Maybe you’re worried you don’t remember enough of Huckleberry Finn to truly appreciate this book? No need to re-read the whole thing. Ask ChatGPT for a summary and dive into James.
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Told entirely through letters, the novel follows an elderly woman in New England whose long life is revealed through decades of correspondence with friends, lovers, and strangers. This was utterly delightful to read! When I finished, I immediately began looking for other epistolary novels to read. Looking for a fast, sweet book? This is it.
The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier
Spanning hundreds of years in Venice, the novel centers on a glassmaking family struggling to preserve their art as the world around them changes. I loved the strong female characters (of course) and the way the author plays with time. It’s quite a long novel, so I got the kindle and audible version so I could go back and forth. This helped so much, because the Italian accent on the audio version is beautiful and it makes the story that much more immersive. Read it if you love sweeping historical novels. Did you read The Girl with The Pearl Earring? It’s the same author.
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
Set in the sweaty, lawless kitchens of New York restaurants, the memoir traces Bourdain’s life as a young cook fueled by ambition, addiction, and adrenaline. I’m late to Anthony Bourdain and how sad for me! Because WOW what a voice. He narrates the audible version and it feels like he’s talking directly to you while drinking a beer. A must-read if you’re a foodie—or if you just love a great, unapologetic voice.
Some books for daily inspiration.
And a Few Daily Readers…
I really got into daily readers this year - books you can read in short, satisfying chunks, without needing deep immersion or long stretches of focus. Here are the three that still live on my desk:
A Book of Days by Patti Smith
A brilliantly idiosyncratic visual book of days. If you loved Just Kids - this feels like a companion piece.
How to Live an Artful Life by Katy Hessel
Artistic inspiration for everyday of the year. If you loved The Story of Art Without Men — or if you’re an artist of any stripe - you’ll love this.
Life is Meals by James Salter and Kay Salter
I keep coming back to this book, even though the title rubs me the wrong way. It’s beautifully illustrated and tidy - a little nugget of food knowledge for every day of the year.
xo, L
p.s. For more book reviews, travel photos and yoga inspiration - sign up for my monthly newsletter here:
Kerala, India
Here are a few photos, which cannot begin to scratch the surface. I’m so thankful to the bride and groom for this incredible experience. xo
You guys, I went to a 3-day wedding in India and it was insane. In fact, it was so unique and so special, I’m still processing the experience. I wanted to write up something special for you to read - but a few days ago, I sat down to write a quick recap of our trip - and it was 16 pages long. So instead I’m sharing these photos, which doesn’t begin to scratch the surface. I’m so thankful to the bride and groom for this incredible experience!
At the mehndi party, just before getting my henna applied.
We stayed at an eco-friendly resort on Lake Vembanad and its surrounding backwaters.
A map of property - because I love maps! :)
Professional dancers kicked off the festivities at the sangeet. Later, we all joined in as we’d memorized three Bollywood dances!
When everyone else went out for an evening boat ride, I took a walk around the property. (Not shown: I also went to a meditation class in a thatched roof shala lead by the oldest man I’ve ever seen in my entire life.)
Isn’t this pretty? And not coincidentally it’s very similar to the book cover of The God of Small Things (set in Kerala).
Kathakali traditional dancer, our entertainment on the second night. Words cannot describe what this man could do with his eyebrows and cheeks.
I mean look at this place!
Left: First night, dancing at the sangeet. Right: The wedding day… not to humble brag, but I stayed up dancing until 3am the night of the wedding, which is about six hours past my regular bedtime.
The groom on horseback.
The bride and groom under a canopy of flowers.
That’s all for now. You’re welcome for not posting the 16 pages I wrote earlier.
xo, L