Not Your Average Newsletter - July 2023
- Christina Bechtel
- Aug 2, 2023
- 7 min read
I had been racking my brain on how to share stories with all of you each month and do it in a way that didn't feel like you were reading a child's progress report or your boasting neighbor's Christmas card.
Then it hit me - the most original idea I've had to date... *drumroll * a NEWSLETTER!
So without further ado, here are Teenski's Tidbits from July 2023:
1. FAM BAM THANK YOU MAM'
The month kicked off with a series of visits from our family members. First to land in London Town was my mother-in-law, Sandy.
Now, I know that only around 10 people read this blog, and 9 of those happen to be my family members. But in case you're one of the rare ones who doesn't know Sandy, here are the fast facts about her:
She's a United Pilot and an Airforce graduate, as well as a devoted mother.
Sandy is incredibly generous with her time and energy.
Despite being petite, she can really pack a punch.
Above all, she's passionate, especially about the people she loves.
She quite literally landed the plane in London and hopped on the fastest train to Cambridge.
Our plan was to go get lunch together and explore our historic town - however I think we all knew that after 36 hours of traveling and flying Sandy *may have overestimated her energy.
We did the cult classic favorites starting with the Black Cat Cafe for lunch and then walked around the town center eventually stopping into The Eagle for an afternoon pint.
Not only was it where DNA was announced as a discovery but it served as the perfect place for Sandy to rest her eyes. As she was dozing off mid-drink, Robby and I made the executive decision to head back to our flat for an afternoon rest before she returned to her hotel in London.
We said goodbye to our sleepy Sandy and then the next day said "Ciao" to my twin sister, Caroline, and her husband Ross!
Coming off a delightful 12-day trip to Italy, they made a quick 24-hour pit stop in Cambridge before heading back to The States.
Since it was the last leg of their trip we wanted to show them around following an almost identical set up as to Sandy's stop, with the magical addition of the Harry Potter store. (see photo)
After an enchanting tour of Cambridge and an afternoon pint Caroline headed back to the flat to catch up on some much-needed rest.
While she was away - Ross and us played! We decided to spend the duration of the rainy Tuesday inside and went to The Alex a local pub near our house.
The Alex along with other neighborhood bars were hosting a pub crawl and since since we were going to waste the day away we thought we may as well do it! It was about four pubs and plenty of pints later that we also insisted on playing in a British Quiz Night which was our most questionable decision.
Despite our dreadful showing during the quiz -- it turned out to be a spectacularly fun day!
And last but certainly not least, to round out our visitors was one of Texas' finest, Miss Kristen Smith, or as I like to call her, KS.
Besides being the perfect spokesperson for Texas and a passionate Bills fan, she holds a special place in my heart as one of my closest friends and a bridesmaid at my wedding.
So, when she mentioned that she and her mom were coming across the pond, I was ecstatic!
Robby and I took the train into London and met up with her and her mom at The Ivy for fun-espresso-martini-filled brunch!
One of the things I love the most about Kristen is that when she plans things I always know they will be nice - but not like "nice good"... like "fancy nice wow" In the best way.
And that Sunday was no different.
You see rather than walking around everywhere we took a taxi - which was a fancy nice thing to do! And rather than look for things to do... she had everything planned including walking around Buckingham Palace and seeing the Republic of Texas Plaque.
We then spent a couple hours at St.James bar and bid farewell to Kristen.
All-in-all July was good to us with our visitors!
2. YOU WANT ME TO CUT YOUR HAIR?
Listen, I never claimed to be a hairdresser, but when your husband is dealing with a bad case of the Sunday Scaries, you do what you have to do to pitch in - even if it involves cutting his hair with kitchen scissors.
For context, Robby's career field requires him to maintain short hair and a clean-shaven face, which works out well for me since I prefer a clean-cut man.
However, when you move to a new country, finding a good barber, or even better, one who takes day-of appointments can be quite a challenge.
After visiting four different barbershops with no luck, Robby finally succumbed to my offer of chopping his locks. And in the moment, where I was holding the scissors, I did wish that I had a flowbee.
I don't think I did a horrible job besides cutting off his side burns (which is not pictured).
3. THEY SHOULD PUT PICTURES OF THE FOOD
I think one problem that particularly affects everyone is the lack of food transparency.
By this, I mean that we need more establishments to provide in-menu photos of their meal options.
And I'm not talking about Instagram or Tiktok or whatever else "insert social media app here".. I am talking about handheld-printed-out menus with pictures of food.
I often ask myself how Bluetooth exists or Facetime but not this?
Now, I think the only establishments that have hopped on board with my idea are Waffle House and local town Catinas.
But why not everyone else?
Do they know that if they have a photo of the food on the menu it can increase sales by up to 30% .
I am passionate about this topic for a variety of reasons but mainly that it directly affects my desire to try new food groups.
Recently, Robby and I visited a renowned North African restaurant in Cambridge called Bedouin. While the experience was memorable, we found that the food didn't quite suit our tastes. I can't help but wonder if we could have made better choices if we had seen pictures of each food option beforehand.
I don't know if you agree, but just some food for thought!
4. YOU ARE GOING TO THE ERA'S TOUR
Sometimes a headline divulges an article and sometimes it deceives its lethargic reader into embracing a fallacy. This occurs when the lethargic readers opts for skimming the headline alone rather than delving into the actual substance of the story. However, I am pleased to share a headline that does accurately encapsulate the content:
"I AM GOING TO THE ERA'S TOUR!"
And if somehow you are a part of the 1% (like my father) who does not know what "the Era's Tour is" it can be described by Wikipedia as
The Eras Tour is the ongoing sixth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who described it as a journey through all of her musical "eras".[1] A homage to her albums, it is Swift's second stadium tour after the 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour, and her most expansive tour yet, with 131 shows across five continents.
Acquiring tickets for the United States leg of the tour proved to be as hopeless as Tom Hanks' stranded character seeking rescue in the movie "Cast Away". However, similar to the 2000 cinematic gem, a glimmer of hope emerged in the form of our impending move to Europe.
Now, my narrative didn't involve crafting a makeshift raft or a dramatic rescue by a cargo ship, but rather a relocation to England. The move presented a golden opportunity to catch my bejeweled idol during her international tour stops
And tickets I got - I am excited to be going to Stockholm, London and Amsterdam! If you want to see the process of securing these bad boys feel free to watch this vlog on how I somehow achieved buying tickets and translating a Swedish website.
5. NOTTING HILL
Robby and I made a promise to ourselves that we would travel and see as much as we can while we are living abroad. Given my current status of being "fun-employed," I treated myself to a solo day outing by taking the train into London, specifically heading for the charming neighborhood of Notting Hill.
There were three reasons I wanted to visit this area:
Notting Hill, the Movie Setting
Vintage Shopping
Portobello Road
Cloud filled the sky as I rode the train in but as soon as I stepped into Notting Hill the sun was beaming.
It's as if the sun's rays were dancing on the streets, casting an enchanting gleam.
Excitement surged through me.
One of my favorite parts of traveling by myself is that I wander at my own pace without worry that I am slowing down the group.
Notting Hill proved to be the quintessential spot for leisurely exploration.
Portobello Market hummed with vibrant activity as vendors peddled a diverse array of wares, ranging from intricately crafted jewelry to captivating artworks and vintage garments. The restaurant scene was equally as diverse, offering an array of enticing restaurants and cozy coffee shops.
If you want a breakdown of my whole day watch this vlog and if you are looking for a guide to vintage shopping in London check out my guide!
6. WAIT YOU HAVE TO COUNT IN CROCHET
As you're aware, here in England, we have King Charles as our monarch. However, I'd like to assume the role of a fleeting hobby monarch.
I can't help that my heart finds solace in the process of acquiring and attempting, rather than conquering.
This could be a side effect of having ADHD or just my love for learning something new.
And this month, my crown adorns the realm of crochet.
However, I soon discovered that this hobby intertwines creativity and precision in a unique way.
And I usually steer clear of precision based hobbies like cooking or gardening, because my mind usually can't concentrate when numbers are involved.
I went to my local craft store, picked up yarn and a needle, watched approximately two Youtube videos, and thought, "Lets give it a shot".
I fell in love with the soothing rhythm of the needle, but there was a challenge I hadn't anticipated arose - the need for meticulous counting. Little did I know that each stitch and each row, required careful calculation to create the desired pattern.
Its been about three weeks of my crocheting journey, and I am thrilled to report that I've surpassed the initial two-week hold that most of my hobbies get stuck in. However, I must admit that I haven't made anything tangible as of yet.
I'll update you when something is made, but for now, I am having fun learning the single stitch and practicing counting!
Thanks for reading my first-ever newsletter and if you are keen to stay in the know for all my posts and updates feel free to subscribe below! Appreciate you <3 - Tina
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