Hello, earthlings.
It’s been awhile.
I hope you enjoyed Jetaime’s letter last week. I’m sure all my millennial and Gen X readers learnt a thing or two about Gen Z or felt inspired to book a trip 😉
I can’t believe we’re coming up to the end of February and that we’ve officially entered Pisces season. For me, this month has been all about: transition, spontaneity and new beginnings.
This month, there will be a few changes to Out of Hours. I’ve entered the world of full-time employment again (RIP) and I really want to take a step back to reflect and work on some new ideas (hint: possibly a podcast and guest column?). Therefore, from now on, you will receive:
Two letters from me every month
Two letters from guests every month
As I mentioned in my last letter - I started this month by escaping to Sri Lanka for 5 days, for some much needed R&R (this will be a key theme for me this year).
I flew to Colombo on Fly Dubai (for those who don’t know - it’s a shit budget airline similar to Easy Jet) via Malé (the capital of Maldives), followed by a 2.5 hour car journey through the jungle. I eventually ended up in a little coastal town in Galle District called Ahangama. It was everything I imagined, and more.
Here’s a round-up of some of the things I loved about this trip:
Fresh coconuts
Lion beer - when I wasn’t drinking a fresh coconut, I was sipping on a Lion (their local beer)
Hearing the ocean 24/7 (the best sound in the world)
People watching - I read a total of 2 pages of my book and didn’t listen to music/podcasts because I just wanted to soak up every moment and observe everything
Cute frogs - we had a little frog pay us a visit. My partner and I named him Toodles - he was adorable
Delicious and fresh food - we ate a lot. But we were particularly obsessed with fried rice and prawns, and The Kip’s breakfast (don’t miss out on this one).
Walking barefoot
Iced tea
Tuk-Tuks (I wish we had Tuk-Tuks in Dubai since the public transport system here is possibly the worst in the world?)
Friendly people - everyone we met during our stay was SO lovely and warm
Seeing how happy people are to be by the ocean
Being able to wear Birkenstocks 24/7
Stray dogs
Being immersed in nature
Here’s a round-up of some of the my favourite places:
The Kip - I really wanted to stay here, but sadly they were fully booked. However, we popped in for breakfast TWICE (it was that good) and we went for a candle-lit dinner. They also have a cute shop, which they’ve created in collaboration with Sri Lankan makers.
Ceylon Sliders - We only discovered this place at the end of the trip, but it’s worth checking out. They do all-day breakfast (try the breakfast burger) lunch and dinner and they have a surf shop. You can also spend your day on the beach if you spent ₹10,000.
Hotel De Uncle’s - We were in this place pretty much everyday - we loved it. They have happy hour everyday (many espresso martinis were consumed) and modern Sri Lankan food (the dosa was to die for)
TRAX - This place is located deep in the jungle and is the go-to place for live music or a quick boogie.
There’s still so much of Sri Lanka to explore so I’ll definitely be squeezing in a trip when I can (and recommend you do to 🤭).
Thoughts from my Notes App
I mentioned in my last letter that I’m not a fan of setting long-term goals, but that I want to try setting intentions each month. The aim is to not stress myself out with a long list of productivity-driven goals, but instead, it’s to push me to try new things and spend more time doing the things I love.
To hold myself accountable, here is my list of intentions for March.
Schedule more calls with LDFs*
Send a package to an LDF
See a herbalist
Play outside as much as possible
Plan my June holiday
*Long distance friends
ICYMI
Kristen Stewart Broke the Internet
Kirsten Stewart’s cover for Rolling Stones released on Valentine’s Day and it has caused quite the stir on the gay side of the internet. She’s coming out with a new film (Love Lies Bleeding) which I will reluctantly be watching, because I refuse to watch her in anything apart from Twilight.
British Icon Joanna Lumley Performed at LFW
Iconic. Joanna Lumley ate toast on the runway for Completed Works AW24 show at London Fashion Week.
Note to self: re-watch Absolutely Fabulous.
The Price of Being ‘First’ I made modeling history. Then the internet made me wish I hadn’t (The Cut)
I absolutely love Paloma Elsesser. In this first-person piece, Paloma talks about her experience winning Model of the Year, dealing with internet trolls, her experience working in the fashion industry and why she had to quit social media for 2 months.
100 Small Acts Of Love (New York Times)
I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. Why? Because I think it’s a celebration of capitalism, rather than love. Why would I want to sit in a restaurant full of 100s of other couples? Sounds awkward.
For Valentine’s Day, New York Times asked their 1,300 of their readers to share how they show affection day-in and day-out, all year long.
Is the Rom Com Dead? (Dazed)
“The focus on making ‘realistic’ romcoms can kill the romance, in a way. But that might just be a reflection of dating nowadays, which is inherently less earnest, less romantic and less vulnerable“ – Toju
Nothing beats a rom com from the 2000s. I regularly re-visit rom coms from the 2000s (mostly for a dose of nostalgia) and I can’t think of any rom coms released post-2014 that aren’t trash?
What to watch this week
Al Rawabi School for Girls
“As a teenager, I felt that the young adult genre had been neglected in our region, so when I started working on this show, I knew I should work on characters that the 17-year-old me could relate to.” (Tima Shomali in Vogue Arabia)
I’ve been wanting to watch this for ages. It’s a coming-of-age teen drama series set in Amman, Jordan directed by Tima Shomali.
The League of Pigs
This video popped up on YouTube the other week. I can kinda see why it’s appealing (who doesn’t like cute pigs?) but I’ve been trying to figure out who they’re targeting here? They seem to have an extremely hardcore fan base, with nearly 100,000 subscribers and millions of views.
If you have a ridiculous amount of time, want to watch something silly or you just love pigs - this one is for you.
A Dream Scenario
I’m patiently waiting to watch this one. Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams.
Anatomy of a Fall
I love a crime/thriller film. This one is a courtroom thriller that examines the line where truth becomes fiction and fiction becomes truth.
Things you should have on your radar
I have been daydreaming about future travel plans and mostly consuming travel-related content since returning from Sri Lanka (some call it the holiday blues).
Out of Hours doesn’t condone gatekeeping, so here’s a few places (hotels, restaurants, museums etc.) I have recently saved:
Abode Bombay is a boutique hotel located in Colaba, Mumbai.
Morocco has been on my list for ages, and I don’t have any plans on visiting just yet. But when I do, I would LOVE to stay at Farasha Farmhouse, which was once the residence and atelier of French painter Patrice Arnaud.
Okay this one is a bit niche, so if you don’t have any interest in art or cats this is irrelevant. But next time I’m in Amsterdam I want to visit Katten Kabinet - a museum entirely dedicated to cats.
I love bakeries (and I’m obsessed with cardamon buns) so this bakery will definitely on my list for my next visit to New York. It’s Bahraini-owned and looks absolutely delicious.
I’ve had two failed attempts to visiting Lisbon (the first time my friend forgot her passport). When I finally make it - I want to visit Cristina Guerra Contemporary Art gallery.
I would love to visit Hay on Wye in Wales. It’s known as ‘the world’s first book town’ - there’s 25 bookshops and only 2,000 residents. A book-lover’s paradise.
Villa Magnan is located in Biarritz (a French coastal city). It looks dreamy.
The Queer Arab Glossary
Marwan Kaabour has just released The Queer Arab Glossary - the first published collection of Arabic LGBTQ+ slang. I’m so excited to get my hands on this one.
Marwan Kaabour is a graphic design, artist and writer, and the founder of Takweer - an online archive of queer narratives in Arab history and popular culture (I interviewed Marwan back in 2021 - you can read it here).
@subwayhands
I’m obsessed with this account. Since moving to New York City in 2015, photographer Hannah La Follette Ryan has documented the hands of the city’s commuters. There’s something so intimate about seeing these interactions.
FYI, you can read last week’s guest newsletter here.
If you enjoyed reading this letter please share it with a friend, neighbour, lover, stranger 💋