You know when you sneeze and you think it allergies? And then a few hours later your throat is a little scratchy? And then by nightfall your nose is running like Niagara Falls? Yeah, not allergies. You’re done for. Ugh. And I have had this cold since Tuesday, and it’s a bad one…waaah!!!
So, I haven’t gone anywhere all week and basically have parked my runny nose and Kleenex box on Stanley the sofa watching TV. Yes, my sofa has a name. It’s the best sofa on earth. I got it 10 years ago from Montauk Sofa and it was the best purchase of my life. It’s the sturdiest, most comfortable sofa ever made. If a hug could be made into a sofa, it would look land feel like Stanley.
I could write a whole blog post on Stanley the sofa, but I won’t. (Maybe another time.) Today, I am going to write about what I did all week while coughing and sneezing. I watched My So Called Life on Netflix. Do you know about My So Called Life? You should. It stars a teenage Claire Danes as Angela Chase, an angsty teen and her love interest Jordan Catalano, played by a then unknown Jared Leto. Yes, THAT Jared Leto! 30 Seconds to Mars Jared Leto. You guys, where was I in the 90s? What was I watching that I missed this the first go around? Friends?
I cannot believe how good this show is you guys. Or should I say “was”, since it’s technically a cancelled TV drama from the 90s. And do you know how I know it was so good? I watched all 19 episodes. ALL. OF. THEM. Night after night, just me, Jeff and my Kleenex box on Stanley the sofa, glued to the TV. (You’re not supposed to know that Jeff watched too…so, shhh. But he loved it also.)
I am really quite surprised at the range of topics this show dealt with back then in the 90s…unrequited teenage love, illiteracy, alcoholism, guns, school violence, homophobia and homelessness. The series wasn’t only forward thinking, it holds it’s relevancy to this day. I think that’s why I am so struck by it. And why on earth was there only one season??? I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH ANGELA CHASE AND JORDAN CATALANOOOOOOAAAAHHHH!!!
Look at this! 20 years after the show got cancelled Vanity Fair wrote and article about My So Called Life wondering what would have happened in Season 2. Vanity Fair! They even want to know what happens!!!
But you know what I realized while I was sick and struggling to breathe because of my ever-dripping nose? I was doing something very Danish and the very thing I have been talking about the past few weeks. I was inside my home, on the most comfortable sofa in the world, snuggled under the coziest throw blanket watching a seriously excellent TV series with Jeff…it was so HYGGE!!!
Can I talk about this throw blanket for a minute? I saw this blanket at Crate and Barrel and just had to have it. It reminds me so much of Greece. This patchwork-pattern is reminiscent of a traditional Greek “kourelou”. The world “kourelia” means rags and way back in the day, it was common for Greek women in the village to take pieces of fabric from old shirts and dresses that ceased being useful and repurpose them into these beautiful loom-woven rugs, or “kourelou”. They were bright and colorful and the weave was very distinct. There is no mistaking a Mediterranean “kourelou”.
Here’s a Greek company, called Kooreloo that makes purses, satchels and backpacks using the traditional “kourleou” pattern. Aren’t these bags totally cute? I totally want one. Or two. Or three. I mean, come on! What a clever little idea. So super cute. Dare I say that the “kourelou” weave is to Greece, what the Burberry check is to Britain? It’s true.
Anyway, if you are ever looking to binge watch a TV series to practice your hygge, I recommend you wrap yourself up in a blanket and watch My So Called Life. And then message me so we can commiserate about why there wasn’t another season and where on earth was Tino?
Enjoy,
-Kallie
source: @abcnetwork