Weekend Conversation Starters

[Messy Nessy Chic]   Alone for Christmas? For many of us, that might just be the reality again this year as this virus continues to disrupt and divert our lives. If your travel plans to be with family or friends have been dashed, might I suggest you take solace in the words of a late, great American author, professor, feminist, and social activist who we lost this week:  “Many of us seek community solely to escape the fear of being alone. Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as a means of escape.” ― Bell Hooks (1952-2021) A few ideas for rediscovering the joys of being deliciously alone … Start by turning on [a new MNC playlist]( I made just for the occasion. Consider a few new hobbies, like this perfect fireside activity that’s [nothing like your grandmother’s cross stitch](. Embrace your untapped talent for miniatures and try your hand at building [your own book nook]( or a not-so-typical [gingerbread house](. Get your overalls out and take a cue from the endlessly inspiring [DIY world of Maude Smith](, or if you’re in a particularly eccentric mood, [tattoo your walls like the French](. If you’d rather just cozy up with a good read over the holidays, don’t forget to treat yourself with a vintage tipple from this [archival treasure trove of cocktail books](. As for the Christmas presents you’ll be sending digitally this year, why not consider [the gift of a personal travel assistant?]( In the meantime, your weekend conversation starters await to spice up those Facetime calls… Stay curious, [Nessy]   [The Nautch Girls: India’s Forgotten Dancers](  [nautch-calcutta_0-930x583]( You arrive at the gardens after nightfall with the full moon casting a cool, pale glow over the muggy evening. Two dozen torch bearers stand by to light your way, and as you approach the crowd, you sense the anxious anticipation of the delights to come. Soon the musicians strike up their instruments, and a…  [Continue Reading](   [The Lost World Of Wonderful Wooden Bowling Alleys](  [WHITEPINE5970]( When the grand mansions of America’s Gilded Age were being built, no expense was spared; from the finest stones for the exterior to decorating every nook and cranny inside with extraordinary, lavish detail. The same luxury was applied to the entertainment on offer; after all, being a member of America’s wealthiest families meant that a…  [Continue Reading](   [Don’t Forget the Fearless Father of Unisex Clothing](  [rudi-aufmacher-gruppe]( From Harry Styles to Diane Keaton, household names of every generation continue to embrace and explore fashion that goes beyond the traditional gender binary. And as brands take note of an increasingly mainstream social shift, from luxury to fast fashion, the 2020s are on well course to being remembered as the decade that unisex fashion…  [Continue Reading](   [She Built a Candle Empire from her Ancestral Village in Mexico](  [240875403_115848734136629_2329973248175215899_n]( The importance of ritual candles is celebrated in many cultures across the world. Their beauty is hidden in the hope and magic that persists until the last ray of beeswax-powered light, and the tradition preserves valuable ancestral storytelling and history. Zapotec candle making, in all its kaleidoscopic and ornamental mastery, is upheld by a single…  [Continue Reading](   [13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. DLXXXI)](  [dc01cd812e16](  [Continue Reading](  Interested in Becoming a MessyNessy Keyholder? [Apply now to unlock the Vault!](    [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( [Blog]( [To read more from MessyNessyChic visit the Blog]( and make sure you keep getting these email by adding contact@messynessychic.com to your address book or whitelist us. Our postal address: In a Café, Paris 75001 Want out of the loop? [Unsubscribe](.