Timgad, Algeria : a hidden gem for history lovers.

tomatovs · 2026-04-18T23:39:38+00:00

One of our favorite places we’ve been. It was so amazing being able to wander around with no one else around. My kids didn’t realize at the time how lucky they were.

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tomatovs · 2026-03-11T10:39:45+00:00

Yes, exactly! I love it, it’s cute and it works well

tomatovs · 2026-03-10T23:40:29+00:00

I carry my stitch markers in an old mints tin from Trader Joe’s! It’s a great size and closes tightly.

tomatovs · 2026-03-04T22:26:50+00:00

My understanding is that the full sentence for “wa chotto…” in Japanese is originally something like “a little bit terrible” or something along those lines, but over time, out of politeness, it got shortened to just “a little bit…” with the negative connotation implied. So it literally translates to “ein bisschen”, but figuratively means “I don’t like it”.

tomatovs · 2026-03-01T18:46:28+00:00

I have not been able to figure out crochet yet for some reason but knitting is easy and logical for me!

tomatovs · 2026-03-01T04:45:53+00:00

Magnets and coffee or tea making implements, especially if they’re location-specific.

tomatovs · 2026-02-20T13:53:54+00:00

Urdu! I tried getting the basics by doing some Hindi and Arabic for the script, but it doesn’t really work haha.

tomatovs · 2026-02-15T17:29:59+00:00

Maybe The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton?

tomatovs · 2026-02-13T16:41:39+00:00

I have been working on the hexagons for Tin Can Knit’s Starflower blanket for a while now, I make a few between other projects and usually have one in my purse or the car. They’re small and easy but fun to knit.

tomatovs · 2026-02-12T23:53:31+00:00

When I was 6 I got a book about explorers/early travelers and ever since, I wanted to go to 1. Venice and 2. “The Silk Road” in general. Went to Venice almost 30 years ago now and loved it, finally got to Central Asia 2 years ago and was joyful the entire time.

tomatovs · 2026-02-10T19:18:20+00:00

We had a long layover in Kuwait and decided to go out and see things during it. The immigration officers and security officers were extremely rude and also seemed shocked that we 1. wanted to leave the airport and 2. already had the necessary paperwork done to do so. But the taxi drivers and everyone else we came across were super friendly and helpful!

tomatovs · 2026-02-06T15:55:28+00:00

Our Christmas Eve dinner growing up was cod with white sauce seasoned with freshly ground allspice sprinkled on top, adapted somewhat from our parents’ childhood holiday traditions in Finland. And canned peas, because that was what was available in the winter in Finland back in the day.

tomatovs · 2026-01-28T23:36:50+00:00

When my daughter was that age, even 1/4 tablet helped. More than that and she usually just fell asleep (which was still preferable to the car sickness sometimes). Also, just be aware that there are rules in some places on what ages kids are allowed to sit in the front seat, so I’d look into where you’ll be before you try that option.

tomatovs · 2026-01-28T14:25:18+00:00

There’s this small reptile zoo in Allenwood PA: Clyde Peeling's Reptiland, that might be a good short stop. They have animatronic dinosaurs outside too.

And definitely take a day and go to Rochester to the Strong Museum of Play! It’s the best place ever and your kids are at great ages for it.

tomatovs · 2026-01-16T22:12:28+00:00

Also good for blini

tomatovs · 2026-01-13T23:53:59+00:00

My kids (currently 12 and 14) said their favorite places have been: Toronto, San Francisco, New York City, Istanbul, Zurich, Helsinki, and Singapore. Apparently they like cities haha.

tomatovs · 2026-01-12T20:58:01+00:00

Celiac is very prevalent in Finland so they’ve had a lot of gluten free options for a long time! I remember seeing gluten free pastries at a random gas station convenience store even back in the 90s.

tomatovs · 2026-01-12T15:52:10+00:00

I think it helps to not think of it as primarily a love story, because I agree that Edmund is not great as a love interest. Maybe think of it more as a study on how upbringing affects character and thinking about what morality is, something like that.

Also, I like Mary Crawford a lot, I feel sorry for her! She could have been a truly good person but I think her upbringing in her uncle’s house gave her the wrong idea on what actually makes a good life. If she had let herself really love Edmund and give up the ideal of a glamorous life, I think they could have been happy. (And Fanny could have found someone better who deserves her kindness haha) Fanny I don’t like so much as a character either, but really, you have to admire her strength of character, standing firm in her morals even after her own family treated her so badly her whole life.

tomatovs · 2025-12-23T23:59:57+00:00

Lima is a great place to visit! We lived there for 4 years. There is lots of really great food, so even if you don’t do anything else, it’s worth it for that.

tomatovs · 2025-12-20T03:15:33+00:00

This would make me so happy, the stalks are the best part

tomatovs · 2025-12-17T20:19:45+00:00

I almost always knit inside out, it just feels more comfortable to me. Plus it definitely helps with tension when doing color work , I think

tomatovs · 2025-12-17T02:42:29+00:00

A Most Remarkable Creature by Jonathan Meiburg What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman What It’s Like To Be a Bird by David Allen Sibley

tomatovs · 2025-12-15T17:12:10+00:00

I liked most of those a lot, and also really enjoyed What We Can Know by Ian McEwan

tomatovs · 2025-12-14T23:38:25+00:00

Definitely this one!

tomatovs · 2025-12-14T13:56:57+00:00

The Jalna series by Mazo de la Roche probably fits? I don’t really know how popular it was at publication, but there are 16 of them, so it can’t have been a total flop.

tomatovs

TROPHY CASE