Sorry about the delay in this week’s letter. I had to cram for a French A2 level final this week. Most of my classmates started lessons on April 2nd, but the school let me start on April 22nd because I’m not a complete beginner. Great! Except it meant I had to teach myself all of the A2 level material and the newsletter took a backseat. This letter covers my first two weeks in Marseille with a sprinkle of Villefranche and I introduce a new feature, Best Bites, where I share the best things I ate each week (in this case two, it’s new!). I’m writing this after coming home from the bar, be kind!
Press Play: C’est Marseille, bébé by Bande Organisée
“C’est Marseille, bébé” is a way of life in Marseille, akin to “Pura Vida” in Costa Rica. It captures the city's spirit. My favorite line is “Ça prend ton Audi, ça prend ta gadji, ça prend ta CB,” which means “we’ll take your audi, we take your girl, we take your credit card.”
Borrow from ur local public library: Suspended Sentences by Patrick Modiano
This was a gift from two New York friends, who said this book could make me look elevated + cool, but not pretentious while sitting at a cafe. I’m not sure about all of that, but I can confirm it’s a good cafe read.
Anti-algorithm news: On Pointe by Noella Williams (Marie Claire)
NYC Ballet season is back! This lovely profile on India Bradley, a NYC Ballet Corps de Ballet member, was a beautiful read. It sheds light on her journey navigating race in the world of ballet, going from a predominantly white school in Detroit, Michigan to Dance Theatre of Harlem, then School of American Ballet before joining the New York City Ballet in 2018. Her experience as both a ballerina and model shines through these breathtaking photos.
What I’m up to: