spring has sprung & so have i

march musings, keepsakes and bookmarks

Can you feel it? This shift in the air? In the moods? Spring has sprung (officially this time). And so have I. I wish seasonality and the weather didn’t affect me so much. It feels like I’ve been mentioning it a lot lately.

I find it fascinating how seasonality shapes us. Our bodies and minds are deeply connected to natural rhythms, and we often don’t even realise it. Light, temperature, and environmental changes impact our mood, energy levels, and creativity. February is always a dull month for me. The New Year’s magic fades, taking my motivation with it. I know I’m not alone in this. But don’t worry—while the weather report may be an inevitable part of my Letters from Edinburgh, I’ve found my mojo in March.

As I scribble this intro into my notebook during a lunch break in the park, a live band is playing in the background. People are sitting on the grass, eating ice cream. Some have even brought picnic blankets. I’m watching a group of jugglers rehearsing in front of me. Everyone is basking in the sun. This might be the most blissful setting to write in at this exact moment. Even if I do have to head back to work once my break is over.

That said, spring can’t take all the credit. In mid-March, I spent a few days in Belgium—a break from work, from life, from everything. It helped me disconnect. The weather was very Edinburgh-like (of course, it hit a roasting 20 degrees the week after). Belgium felt easy. I revisited familiar places but with just enough newness sprinkled in. The change of scenery was refreshing. Ok, maybe my newfound energy also has something to do with the chocolate I brought back, which has been soothing my mood daily. But overall, something has shifted in my mind, and the air, as spring slowly takes over in Scotland.

Publishing my post about pausing my job search was freeing, like lifting a weight I didn’t even realise I was carrying. I had been doubting myself, not allowing myself to feel what I feel. I received some wonderful comments on that piece, so maybe there will be more vulnerable entries in the future.

Winter was great, but I’ve done enough resting and hibernating. Now, my mind is ready to bloom. I want to mirror the season by carving out time for growth and my passions. I’ve set myself a little schedule, nothing too rigid. I think of it like after-school activities, but for adults. It’s not about productivity, but about making time for creativity. If it worked for me as a kid, why wouldn’t it as an adult? We’ll see how it goes.

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Introducing (properly) Letters from Edinburgh

I’ve decided to rejig the format of this monthly letter. The original idea was always to share monthly musings and news from Edinburgh, but I was never quite sure what I wanted it to look like. I started with an intro, then added my monthly reads. Recently, I introduced the keepsakes category, and I quite like it. But I’m also type A and love a good structure. I like that monthly newsletters are a little like mini magazines—you get an editorial, then flip through the pages and stop where you fancy.

So, each month I’ll share my favourites in the following categories:

• Keepsakes – Moments to hold onto

• Screen Time – This month’s watches

• Empty Plates – Food favourites

• Music Interlude – Songs I kept listening to

• Bookmarks – This month’s reads

I hope you enjoy this new format. It’s a work in progress, so let me know what you think!

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KEEPSAKES

a morning by the sea, eating croissant & collecting seashells

❧ Coffee prices are set to increase in the coming months, or have likely already gone up. So, I decided to treat myself to a couple of bags from UK-based roasters. I’ve gone through one bag so far and just started the next. I’m a novice, but I’m excited about this coffee exploration journey and discovering my preferences. Maybe I’ll report back. If any coffee lovers are gazing at these words, drop your favourite brands in the comments, UK-based or not. If you swear by a particular bean, I might just splurge.

❧ My Belgian escapade is definitely a moment I want to hold onto. I’ll probably share a dedicated article about it soon, featuring old favourites and new ones. As a little teaser, there was a lot of coffee involved. And yes, I brought back more beans. Oops. I think I may have unlocked something here.

❧ I also made two trips to Portobello Beach. The first time, I woke up to a misty Edinburgh—the castle completely hidden. But it was my day off, so I persevered, hopped on the bus, and found myself eating an almond croissant while watching the waves roll into the grey horizon. Afterwards, I warmed up with a coffee at Tills & Company, and it was bliss. A week later, I went back on a little personal vendetta. The weather was perfect—not a cloud in sight—and yet, somehow, it felt a little less magical. Still, I’m looking forward to exploring more seaside towns over the next few months

❧ I was texting a friend about feeling uninspired. We couldn’t meet up because I was going to Belgium. A week later, we finally caught up for coffee, and they surprised me with a copy of The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin. We’ve only been friends for a few months. Making friends as an adult is hard, but when you find someone you click with, hold onto them. Make the effort. It was such a thoughtful and kind gesture. I could have cried.

❧ As I carve out more time for my passions, I also want to dedicate time to learning. Whether it’s a language (or two) or various topics that catch my interest. I took Roxane Gay’s Skillshare class, Creative Writing: Crafting Personal Essays with Impact, and it blew me away. I kept taking notes, thinking about my writing process and where I want to take this Substack. I’m not ready to publish or pitch a creative nonfiction essay to a publication (not sure I ever will, but as JB once said: never say never), but it was fascinating to see how things work and learn about Roxane Gay’s writing process. (PS: Get a free month of Skillshare here—not an ad, just sharing the love! Although if you subscribe and make your first payment, I’ll get a free month too, which is neat!)

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SCREEN TIME

I’m trying to get back into films and have set a loose goal of going to the cinema at least once a month. In March, I saw A Complete Unknown (dir. James Mangold). I was quite excited when I first heard about a Bob Dylan biopic in 2020. I’m not a fan per se, but I enjoy some of his songs and his distinctive voice. I like the character of Bob Dylan. Then I saw that Timothée Chalamet would play him, and it just made sense to me. The film finally hit the screen last year. I saw the trailer, but it didn’t grip me. I love Timothée Chalamet’s acting—he’s the kind of actor who always seems to disappear into his roles. But I think I was a bit fatigued from seeing him everywhere. Then I caved in March, and I’m glad I did. Because yes, Chalamet is great in it, but the whole cast, the story and the cinematography truly transported me to the '60s.

I also really enjoyed that the film focuses on the beginning of Dylan’s career—we don’t follow him from start to finish. It gives us just the right amuse-bouche to spark curiosity about his music, leaving us to explore further once we step out of the cinema.

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EMPTY PLATES

inviting the sun onto my plate

I’m a meal prep gal and don’t mind eating the same set lunch and dinner every day of the week. But I do like to switch it up every week—if that makes sense. When it comes to breakfast, though, I’m a breakfast repeater. In colder months, I go for a classic porridge. In warmer months, granola + yoghurt is my go-to combo. I switch up the fruit, and I’m happy.

But lately, even though I like what I’m eating, it hasn’t been inspiring me. It’s become just another porridge, another yoghurt bowl. So I’ve been experimenting a little more. And I’ve really enjoyed this chia, almond, and mango breakfast bowl. The recipe is from Taste.com.au. I just add a drizzle of maple syrup at the end, and it’s delicious.

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MUSIC INTERLUDE

I’ve been obsessed with Helsinki-based duo Pearly Drops. Their sound blends '80s nostalgia with dreamy pop and eerie vocals, and I can’t get enough.

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BOOKMARKS

I guess my reading picks matched how I was feeling. I felt uninspired and found comfort in art and poetry, except for a fantasy book that left an odd aftertaste. All but one of these books are from the library. My April TBR will also be sourced from the library, but in May, I’m hoping to return to my own shelves—these books won’t read themselves.

march reading menu

(click on the title to access the review)

• Life Doesn't Frighten Me by Sara Jane Boyers (editor), Maya Angelou (poem), Jean-Michel Basquiat (art)

• Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation by J. Faith Almiron, Dakota DeVos, Hua Hsu, Carlo McCormick, Liz Munsell, Greg Tate (art)

• Ways of Seeing by John Berger (art)

• There Lives a Young Girl in Me Who Will Not Die by Tove Ditlevsen (poetry)

• Flèche by Mary Jean Chan (poetry)

• Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland (fantasy)

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Life Doesn't Frighten Me by Maya Angelou (poem), Jean-Michel Basquiat (art), Sara Jane Boyers (editor)

When I don’t feel inspired, I often turn to art-related books—whether that’s an artist’s biography, the story of a specific movement or era, or a proper art book. I type an artist’s name into the library catalogue, see what’s available, and take my pick.

I often return to Jean-Michel Basquiat. He’s probably my favourite artist. His work feels so rich. While borrowing the book below, I also spotted this children’s poetry book, edited by Sara Jane Boyers, who beautifully merged Maya Angelou’s writing with Basquiat’s paintings. They complement each other perfectly, creating an interesting dialogue.

Last December, I visited an exhibition at the MoMu in Antwerp that placed James Ensor in conversation with contemporary artists from different fields like fashion, painting, hair & makeup. I loved it. I love when artists are put side by side and allowed to interact. The audience joins in, connects the dots, and the experience becomes so much richer. That was exactly the editor’s goal here, as she states in the afterword.

In Life Doesn't Frighten Me, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Maya Angelou, through their own individual work, converse with each other in new and vital ways. You can also join in the conversation, for we each bring to the table our own history, talents, and perspectives. This is exactly what art and poetry should be: a bit of the creator, and a lot of us.

Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation by J. Faith Almiron, Dakota DeVos, Hua Hsu, Carlo McCormick, Liz Munsell, Greg Tate

If time travel were an option, I’d go straight to early 1980s New York—more specifically, I’d insert myself into its art scene. This extract from Writing the Future perfectly captures what I picture when I think about that time:

Let’s start with the beat. NYC has a rhythm and tempo unlike any other city. You can see it in Piet Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie; in the 1970s and 1980s you could feel it in a hurtling, jostling subway car or hear it on most any street corner.

As I mentioned, I’m fascinated by Basquiat’s work. I love how he pulled inspiration from everywhere—from life, art, books, music, and his contemporaries. This book dives into the artists who surrounded him: the friendships, the collaborations, the movement they were building together.

They had a big crew: Basquiat, A-One, ERO, Fab 5 Freddy, Futura, Keith Haring, Kool Koor, LA2, Lady Pink, Lee Quiñones, Rammellzee, and Toxic. They weren’t just influencing each other; they were actively shaping the culture. They took over the streets and turned them into a massive open-air gallery. Subway cars became moving exhibitions, making art urban and approachable—something that had often felt, and still sometimes feels, reserved for a specific crowd.

The art was mostly minimal when I came up, and it sort of confused me a little bit. I thought it divided people a little bit—thought it alienated most people from art.

—Jean-Michel Basquiat

Similarly to Life Doesn’t Frighten Me, the editors put the artwork in conversation with each other. While Basquiat was the central thread of Writing the Future, all the artists were given their space. They laid the foundations for what hip-hop is today and pushed fine art, design, and music into new directions.

I should probably make art books a regular part of my reading—maybe Louise Bourgeois or Marina Abramović next? David Sheff also just released a Yoko Ono biography, and I enjoyed Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind at the Tate last year. Maybe that could be an interesting pick—I feel like I don’t know much about her.

Ways of Seeing by John Berger

According to John Berger, seeing is never neutral. Meaning is created through the relationship between the object, the spectator, and the world they live in—so art is always subjective.

This book made me think a lot about how artwork is displayed in galleries and museums. What gets shown, what doesn’t, and why. It was originally adapted from a BBC series, which I’d love to watch. It’s fascinating that this was written in 1972, yet it still feels so relevant, especially Berger’s thoughts on photography (and publicity). He describes it as an art of the masses, shaped by its use and perception. Capturing a moment was proof that you were there. Social media didn’t exist back then, yet so much of what he says applies to Instagram and the like today

Oil painting, before anything else, was a celebration of private property. As an art-form it derived from the principle that you are what you have.

Publicity is never a celebration of a pleasure-in-itself. Publicity is always about the future buyer. It offers him an image of himself made glamorous by the product or opportunity it is trying to sell. The image then makes him envious of himself as he might be. Yet what makes this self-which-he-might-be enviable? The envy of others. Publicity is about social relations, not objects. Its promise is not of pleasure, but of happiness : happiness as judged from the outside by others. The happiness of being envied is glamour.

There Lives a Young Girl in Me Who Will Not Die by Tove Ditlevsen (tr. Jennifer Russell and Sophia Hersi Smith)

The best time of my day
is when I am alone,
and my thoughts can grasp
a fleeting memory -
childhood's half-light falls
through bare winter branches
landing in a stripe of sun
upon my writing desk.

(from My Best Time)

Next to art books, I love diving into memoirs and biographies whenever I’m in a funk. Learning about people’s lives—how they navigated difficult periods, how they overcame struggles, or sometimes just learned to live with them—is always inspiring. I wanted to pick up Tove Ditlevsen’s Copenhagen Trilogy, but when you’re number 61 on the library waitlist, you start to lose hope.

Instead, I picked up There Lives a Young Girl in Me Who Will Not Die, described as “a new selection of poetry from the generation-defining author of the Copenhagen Trilogy, translated into English for the first time.” It felt like a perfect way to get a sense of Ditlevsen’s voice, as the collection spans poems from her early years to her final works, written just three years before she died in 1976.

The translators’ note describes her poetry as “deceptively simple and subtly masterful.” Simple, due to her choice of words, but also in the sense that her themes—anxiety, motherhood, pregnancy, childhood, feminism, divorce, ageing—feel deeply relatable, especially to women. It’s the kind of simplicity that’s so precise it becomes genius. I was also blown away by the translation. I’m always grateful for translators, but poetry translation is something else entirely. Being able to distil the essence of just a few lines and successfully carry that emotion from one language to another—it’s incredible.

It can happen
at any moment.
Your age
tightens across
your chest like a
dress sewn
for someone else.

(from The Adult 2)

Flèche by Mary Jean Chan

This one was on my February TBR, but not wanting to rush it, I had to return it to the library. As soon as I did, I placed another hold. Funny enough, when I finally got it back, I read all 78 pages in just two sittings.

Through her poetry, Mary Jean Chan explores the complexities of multilingualism, queerness, and cultural history. I was especially drawn to her poems about her mother. While I have a great relationship with mine (she’s my literal bff), I’ve always been fascinated by mother-daughter relationships—the way they can be loving, yet fraught, intimate yet distant. It’s no surprise that this debut poetry collection won the 2019 Costa Book Award for Poetry. I’m looking forward to reading more of Chan’s work.

How many hearts in a deck of cards shuttled across two continents? I am catching a plane again tonight, thinking about the map on your neck.

(from Long Distance)

Four Ruined Realms (The Broken Blades #2) by Mai Corland

Four Ruined Realms was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and I didn’t love it. It felt scattered. I understand that the characters were off on different missions rather than sticking together, as they did in the first book, but it just didn’t feel cohesive. We jumped from one thing to the next with only the loosest thread tying it all together.

Halfway through, I realised the series wasn’t going to be a duology as I’d thought, but a trilogy. I think this book suffered from middle-book syndrome. Maybe the first one set the bar too high (or perhaps it just hit me at the right time?). I’ll still pick up the last book, but it won’t be a priority.

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Time to flip the page. A new month has begun, and I don’t even understand how it happened. The classic time-slipping-through-our-fingers dilemma. But somehow, it gives me the feeling that I was present. I wasn’t chasing the next thing. Just slightly scattered, looking for inspiration, and I think I found it.

As everything blooms, I’m curious—what’s your favourite flower?

Until next time,
Amandine

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