180. Get to know me wandering around Lisbon.
Gracie Abrams tour, Lisbon book shops, sushi rolls and questions.
Andrea and I were walking down R. da Escola Politécnica in Lisbon when we came across Livraria da Travessa. We went in and found the English books section. We both were summoned into silence as our eyes stopped on every single spine, reading the title, pulling out books to read the backs. Every so often we’d break the silence to hand over the book we thought they’d like.
Whenever we entered a bookshop, we acted as if we were inside a church. I guess that, in a way, shelves full of books have the same power as virgins do for Catholic believers. The silence represents the energy and power stored on each page, waiting to be read.
As soon as we stepped out, back onto the street, Andrea pulled her phone out of her back pocket, unlocked it and asked me the next question. We had spend the day wandering around Lisbon with no plan other than to reach the sea while answering a list of questions from Hotel Jorge Juan podcast that are based on the Proust questionnaire.
When C, my boyfriend, and I first met, I would ask him similar questions I’d find online on Twitter or from the “boyfriend tag” or “get to know him” lists. I absolutely love asking people random questions to learn more about them or occasionally get a minute of access into the most scared and protected rooms in their mind. When Andrea asked me if I wanted to play this game as we walked around Lisbon, I answered yes while mentally thanking God for placing this girl in my life.
I’ve decided to answer these questions here on POMELO today as a way of honoring the four days I spent with
in Lisbon and to talk about topics I might not have touched on yet in this newsletter.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
The small things in life are where I find most joy, I guess this is true for most people, but there was a time in my life in which I had a very hard time finding joy in small things because I was too busy focussing on the big things that were all going wrong. The small things that define happiness for me nowadays are: Sitting in the sun while feeling my face warm up with my eyes closed. A delicious warm drink of any kind, my current favourite is rooibos. Bouquets of tulips in my living room. Very good books that I can’t stop reading or thinking about. Delicious food that doesn’t give me a stomach ache. An outfit I feel myself in and also feel cute in. Good hair days. Clean hair. Comfortable shoes. Long conversations with friends. Random WhatsApp messages from people I care about. Songs that make my spine shiver. Birds singing in my garden. Watching the birds eat from the bird house. A good night’s sleep. A very warm shower in winter and a very cold shower in summer. Swimming in clean bodies of water… I’ll stop here.
Which is your biggest fear?
The one thing I truly fear in life is C passing away at a young age or before me. The thought of having to wake up every morning without him by my side physically hurts. My one true wish in life is to be able to form a family with him, grow old by his side, and pass away before he does.
A trait you don't like about yourself?
I can’t stand people chewing crunchy foods by my side and I wish I didn’t mind but it triggers me to no end. Having to sit next to someone as they eat bread sticks is my worst nightmare and the sad part is that it’s not their fault. They’re just enjoying their snack while I go crazy in my mind wanting to rip my ears off.
A trait you can't stand in others?
I cannot stand it when people are monologists in a conversation. I want to hear about your experience and your opinions, but for this to work, the swing needs to go back and forth. I’d even go so far to say that I find it disrespectful that the “monologist person” doesn’t care to realise that the other person is visibly disengaged or uncomfortable. Talk about yourself, sure, but remember that a conversation is one thing and a monologue is another. Don’t be that person, please.
What would your last meal be?
I find so much joy and comfort in food that this question seems impossible to answer. I guess I’d stick to my true OG comfort foods which are: arroz a la cubana with caramelised onion, a full English breakfast, any sort of pasta or pasta salad, Chinese food or a grilled cheese sandwich with French mayo. But I’d most probably choose a full English with a delicious, sweet cup of tea. I guess you can take the girl out of England but you can’t take England out of her.
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