This is the Thoughtfully Unserious newsletter by Nicole Phillip
Everyone’s been talking about Euro Summer… And that’s the problem.
Everyone’s talking about it. You know how crowded those countries are going to be? I haven’t spent a summer in Europe in over a decade because while European summer is cool and everything… European winter (and fall) is that girl.
Allow me to put you on.
Traveling to Europe in the winter means:
Off-season pricing
Fewer crowds
Cooler temperatures (you know they don’t be having AC like that)
And most importantly: Christmas Markets
And yes, there are Black people even in the European countries you might least expect to see us in.
A few places that deserve more attention:
Nørrebro is one of Copenhagen’s most multicultural neighborhoods. It’s known for good food and Afrobeats nightlife.
Rotterdam in the Netherlands has a strong Caribbean presence and its own carnival
Berlin, Germany has a lot of Black folk. The influence is woven throughout the city, and the Young African Art Market is a big diaspora hub.
Speaking of Germany, last time I went to Europe, there was a very fine, very tall and very brown police officer working security at the Frankfurt airport. And I was so irritated that he took my shea butter, I completely missed the fact that he was flirting with me.
Talk about a missed connection.
Thoughtfully,
Nicole
Unserious Thought
Sometimes I laugh and share stories from my life that I think are completely normal, and then someone will respond like “I’m so sorry that happened to you.” And then I gotta add something else to my list of trauma to unpack.
Spanish Word You Should Know
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Photo by Aspen Cierra Photography
Photo by Aspen Cirra Photography
I’ve been thinking more about our overreliance on single-use plastic lately (and the floating trash island it's contributed to), and I recently discovered Rothy’s. It’s a sustainable shoe and accessory brand with products made from recycled plastic. I think their stuff is super cute, and the mission is admirable. (Plus, the shoes and bags are machine washable!)
They gifted me three pairs of shoes and one of their tote bags. I don’t get any commission. I just genuinely like the products and wanted to share them with you.
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