January 2024
Happy new year to you all! I hope that it’s been a soft, healthy and easeful start to 2024, though I’m sending love to all of you for whom I know this hasn’t been the case. I ended 2023 with five days in my other home (Treasure Beach) and began 2024 with an additional two weeks off at home in DC. The first of those weeks was spent fighting and recovering from a horrible respiratory infection (not Covid or the flu), The second was the perfect mix of things I needed to do and things I wanted to do (more on that below). What I can say for sure is that I’ve never had such a calm and grounding start to the year, and I hope to make this “gentle entry” an annual practice! I also did Damp January, enjoyed cherished time with dear friends in NYC and marveled at the spectrum of the season (the season’s first snowfall, a full moon in Leo, balmy days of sunshine). So all in all…it’s been a pretty stellar beginning. I hope that it's a harbinger of a great year to come, with healing and peace for all who need it (I suspect that might be all of us).
10 Things to Check Out
As mentioned, I gifted myself a “gentle entry” to the new year. This meant time off at home, which was a mix of “life admin” (cleaning and organizing various parts of my house, doctor’s appointments, finances, etc.) and pleasure (meditating on what I want from this year, going to a museum, cooking nice meals and starting to learn the tarot). I’m all the better for it, and while I know that it’s very much a privilege to be able to take extended time off work, even a day or two (and it doesn’t have to be in January) can be restorative. Here are some other tips for a gentle start to the year, courtesy of Happiful.
On one of my days off, I went to the National Museum of African American History & Culture, which I hadn’t visited in quite some time. On the recommendation of my friends Nil and Ifti, I checked out the ‘Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures’ exhibit (on until August 18). A small and expertly curated collection, it explores the trajectory of Afrofuturism from its African roots to its future horizons, spanning different domains such as astrology and the cosmos, history, science, music, fashion, film and more. Highly recommended if you live in or are visiting the DMV!
Given the chapped lips that winter always bestows upon me, I finally decided to try the iconic lip sleeping mask by La Neige. With several flavors to choose from, you slather on just the tiniest bit before you go to bed and wake up with remarkably soft lips. After just a few days of using it, I’ve seen a big difference. I’ve even started letting Rohan use it from time to time, as getting him to apply lip balm is always a struggle. Retails for $24 at Sephora and similar stores.
While I was in Treasure Beach last month, I commissioned this beautiful creation of seashells and driftwood by Mermade in Jamaica. The artist Morgan Menzies lives in the Billy’s Bay area, and she crafted this gorgeous piece using driftwood from Port Royal and ethically sourced shells from Treasure Beach. In addition to windchimes and wall hangings, she also makes lovely jewelry, hair accessories and other pieces. She takes PayPal and can ship internationally, if you can’t make it to Jamaica.
While I don’t do New Year’s resolutions, I’ve written in the past about centering myself around a specific word or theme for the year. 2024’s word is a repeat of last year’s – Evolution, because I seek and welcome a lot more of that in my life in the year to come! For the first time, I also did a More/Less list, which was a fun exercise. I think that Julia Rothman was the first to write about this practice (she suggests drawing, I say use whatever medium works for you). Here’s my list…if you want to see 😊
During walks this month, I enjoyed listening to several episodes of Trevor Noah’s new(ish) podcast, What Now?. His conversations with guests such as Kerry Washington, Bill Gates, Janelle Monáe and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson are candid, funny and illuminating, proving once again that there’s no one quite like Trevor! Available on Spotify, Apple and likely other major podcast platforms as well.
Since I work from home 2-3 days a week, I knew that I had to upgrade my home office situation. After reading so many rave reviews, I ordered the ergonomic chair from Branch, and let me tell you I’m so glad that I did! It’s breathable, features eight different points of adjustments and melds perfectly to your body frame – even for someone like me who’s petite. Available in several colors (mine is graphite with a white frame).
I’m a big fan of Ruth Chan, illustrator of comics and children’s books. Her comics about grief and dualities (available on her IG) are spot on and hit close to home. I was super excited to learn that she has a middle-grade graphic novel coming out soon, based on her family’s move from Canada to Hong Kong when she was 13. Can’t wait to check it out!
I’m rather obsessed these days with musician Jon Batiste and writer/painter Suleika Jaouad, whose partnership and grappling with her leukemia relapse is the subject of the tender documentary film ‘American Symphony’. Jon features pretty prominently in my current seasonal playlist, while I look forward to Suleika’s soulful missives every Sunday morning. I was also majorly crushing on this house tour of their beautiful Brooklyn home, filled with music, art and their love for each other.
My friend Lazaro Batista is an Afro-Cuban painter and muralist who lives here in Washington. I’ve always been a fan of his colorful, inspired works, in which he draws inspiration from the Havana landscapes of his youth, the Santeria religion and the many twists and turns in his life’s journey. When I moved back to the area a few years ago, I purchased one of my favorite paintings of his, the gorgeous piece below entitled ‘Nacimiento’. It represents a mother and child and thus fits in beautifully in my home. If you’re interested in knowing more about Lazaro and his work, please let me know!
What I read
With all the quiet time spent at home, it’s been an active month on the literary front. More than anything else I read, How To Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair absolutely brought me to my knees. It’s a memoir by Jamaican-born poet Sinclair, whose tale of growing up in a strict Rastafari household under the isolation and abuse imposed by her authoritarian father is harrowing, visceral and heart-wrenchingly beautiful. For anyone interested in Jamaica, the history and ideology of the Rastafari faith (I learned so much about it in reading this book) or lush storytelling, you have to read this one. Ultimately, the book is also an ode to poetry, which Sinclair describes as her salvation and which permeates her writing, in passages like these: “In the chaos of our rented house, under a borrowed moon, I discovered that a poem was order. It was certainty. And, for the first time, it seemed possible for me to write my way out. There was no looking back. I wrote possessed, each night drawing closer to the girl who walked barefoot into the sea, leading her to the surface. And the light out there was the one we had made, a universe speckled with all that silver.”
What I watched
Rohan and I really enjoyed The Wonder Years. Not the one from back in the day with Kevin, Winnie and Paul but ABC’s two-season series about the story of Dean, a Black teenager who is coming of age in late 1960s Alabama. It’s poignant, funny and very real. Thanks to my friend Yoko for the recommendation! Now available on Netflix.
What I listened to
I recently discovered Blinky Bill, a Nairobi-based musician/producer/DJ whose music I then proceeded to listen to all weekend long. His music is an amalgam of genres (Afro-house, electronica, funk, hip hop) and proves that Kenya – and East Africa in general – is so exciting musically right now.
What I cooked
Having grown up in the (U.S.) South, I always try to make and eat black-eyed peas on or close to New Year’s Day. It’s said that they bring good luck and fortune for the year ahead, so why not?! This year, I really enjoyed this black-eyed peas with coconut milk and berbere, courtesy of renowned Ethiopian-Swedish chef Marcus Samuelsson. Berbere is an Ethiopian spice mix which you can find at Ethiopian restaurants/grocers (which we’re lucky to have several of in Washington), online spice stores or even Amazon. You could also make your own (lots of recipes floating around out there). Whatever you do, try this easy and delicious recipe. Would be great with rice, couscous or as I had it, with a refreshing little salad on the side.
And a poem to sign off…
FULL MOON LOVE I’ve been bewitched by you, Full moon of winter, fiery and knowing, Reminding me of all I am. I’ve been warmed by you, Air that smells like hope and cotton candy sunsets, Small miracles of life Going on, in spite of pain and fissure. I’ve been touched by you Who channels endless horizons and star tapestries, Incandescent love. - Ramya Vivekanandan, January 25, 2024
Thank you for reading and for being here! Please feel free to leave a comment, let me know what has inspired YOU this month or share this newsletter with anyone who you think would enjoy it. See you at the end of February!
Thank you once more for letting us immerse ourselves in a stream of uplifting words and poetry. Your post took me on a journey through my screen. Such a beautiful poem about the Moon.