notes for april

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Koto Bolofo for Margaret Howell via The Practical Dresser

  • There is no lack of good coffee places in Singapore, but must they all be so hard to get to?
  • I wish more people would pay attention to the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh and make the connection to the clothes many of us buy without second thought. As usual, a nuanced take from Jess.
  • Booked a flight to Istanbul for July. The unfamiliar is exciting
  • Erm, how did it take so long for me to get hooked on the original “The Killing”? “Forbrydelsen” (“the crime” in Danish) has everything I love in a TV drama – taut pacing, subtle acting, a layered plot, characters you care about.
  • That hole in my chukka boot is getting bigger.

Comments

helin said…
İstanbul in July! Come prepared for the heat and humidity, you won't miss Singapore :) I'll be glad to give you tips if you like...
A said…
I would love to go to Istanbul, too! And so true, the Bangladesh story :(. xx
Camille said…
Thank you for the link to Jess's post, it was a really interesting read (which made me write a long-winded comment in response).
And Istanbul! I would love to visit! In the meantime, I'll live vicariously through your words and photos :)
Nomadic D. said…
Istanbul! How exciting! You will love it. Of course I'm totally biased because my entire extended family lives there and I try to get back once a year or so. But everyone I know who's gone even without those biases has absolutely loved it. So exciting!

www.nomadicd.com
Joy said…
what kind of chukka boots did you get? going to istanbul has always been a dream of mine, can't wait till you update us on your travels. are you also watching hemlock grove at the moment?
Kate said…
Istanbul will be amazing - I went to a Turkish restaurant yesterday and I'm craving exotic smells, dark wooden panelling and pistachio turkish delight. Very jealous.
Maja H said…
I'm loving how the world is starting to catch on to the brilliance of Scandinavian TV Drama. We do the whole gritty and depressing thing quite well! ;)
Letitia said…
Jess is indeed a great source for ignorance shattering. Great post doll xx
Kali said…
Ah, Istanbul, quite a cultural and beautiful place to visit! Enjoy ;)
Jess said…
The latest update I saw on Rana Plaza said that fire has broken out and killed at least one person out of whatever number might still be alive of the 800 or so that are missing somewhere in the rubble. The building owner and the owners of the factories housed inside the building have been arrested though, so hopefully some justice will be done, but that doesn't exculpate the industry as a whole. It's all so miserable and awful.

I will definitely take a look at 'The Killing' - it sounds like my sort of thing!
Ginta said…
Have you watched Borgen (The Fortress), Bron/Broen (The Bridge) or Wallander (original Swedish one)? Those I other Scandinavian shows I've enjoyed immensely. Highly recommend them!
Aïssa said…
The factory collapse in Bangladesh, like any catastrophe happening in non-westernized
countries, is so easy to dismiss... except as you said, this event also points at the way we consume. I'll read the linked article later but the silence of the brands/industry involved (at least I haven't heard anything from them) is baffling.

Change of topic, loved the original version of "The Killing", I stayed very late at night about 2 summers ago when it was broadcasted on French tv. Right now, there's "Real Humans" (Äkta Människor) which is really addictive too.
Ammu said…
The Bangladesh building tragedy is incredibly upsetting. Many of the brands involved with these suppliers (Mango and Benetton to name two) are not at all forthcoming about their sourcing practices, as my colleagues in Delhi and Dhaka have discovered while reporting on the story. They only acknowledged placing orders days later, after we told them we had documentation to prove it.

I think those of us who can afford it - i.e. enough of us - need to really stop and think before heading to these stores for retail therapy. Our insistence on low prices certainly plays a part in creating this situation.
lin said…
helin: I know, too bad I can find no other time this year to make the trip! At least I know I have all the right clothes. I hear it's cooler in the east of Turkey, where I am also headed.

Cato: There are so many places to go, and so little time (and money)..

Camille: Glad you found it interesting; I thinl it's reading articles and posts like Jess' that has helped me strengthened my resolve to be a more conscious consumer over the years.

Nomadic D: Istanbul sounds like the kind of place to visit repeatedly, because I think the first time I'll be too busy with just the touristy things to properly soak it up.

Joy: I haven't bought any! Still wearing my Topshop ones from a couple years ago. My sock is peeking through now. Most pairs I like are men's ones, which I don't want to buy online unless I've tried them first. Church's has a beautiful pair called the Sahara that's exactly what I want in terms of look, but I don't know how they will fit.

I'm not, but have heard so much about it! I need to pace myself though.

Kate: Turkey basically sounds amazing overall - it is truly a crossroads of civilisations and I'm trying to spend time in places outside Istanbul. I feel very lucky to be able to carve out the time and money to go!

Maja H: Where have they been all my life? Haha. The challenge is finding subtitled versions (good English ones).

Leticia: She truly is.

Kali: I will!

Jess: I read this morning about Primark offering compensation - not the wrong move to make, but I certainly hope they don't end there. I don't think it's right to just "pay off" your mistakes.

The Killing is the sort of thing to watch when reality gets "too much", haha. It's very engrossing and just pulls you right in.

Ginta: Nope, this is my entry into Scandinavian TV haha. Thanks for these recommendations, I hope can find them!

Aissa: I saw on BBC that Primark has offered compensation; I hope more big names are exposed because it seems like the only way to get people to pay attention.

"The Killing" is totally ruining my sleep as well!

Ammu: Exactly. It's really challenging being an ethical and conscious consumer and of course so much depends on corporations being accountable but I think as consumers we need to be more reflective and start making small, attainable goals towards changing how we consume.
BECKY MAY said…
You have a very cool blog. Pleased to have discovered you :)

B
x

www.theflowergirlblog.com
Ammu said…
Re: fast fashion and fair manufacturing practices, you might find this piece interesting - http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iWmUdILVG0LI4p2A2t6g6Bs8Mr0A?docId=CNG.1669d331c6d3d7c9d159376e75751c96.3d1
lin said…
Ammu: Thanks! That was a really good read and offered some hopeful glimpses...thought this was especially revealing: "But Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of the Exporters Association of Bangladesh, said that Bangladesh ''already has world-class factories... some buyers just avoid placing orders there to maximise their profits'." Some of the comments from retailers/brands in various reports are quite sanctimonious even as they "pledged" to take action, saying they're appalled and all. To me it seems like they are feigning ignorance and 'oversight' when it could be a case of simply going for the cheapest option and willfully turning a blind eye to the negatives.
Ammu said…
I agree. Some of the brands insisted they had no suppliers in Rana Plaza, only admitting they did after document proof was found. No question greed plays a big role in their decisions.
Anyway, I am impressed by the Vietnamese model - had no idea they were so far-sighted.
helin said…
Lin, east is definitely cooler. But if you're going southeast, it will be like hell :) (but worth it) Have much fun...

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