Annalisa Barbieri

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Annalisa Barbieri

I have been dating my boyfriend (we are both in our 20s) for almost a year. I’m absolutely smitten. He makes me feel a better person, and I believe we are really good together. Sadly, he doesn’t have a very good relationship with his family. I haven’t really seen this play out because I’ve not seen them together that often, but he’s told me about his childhood and that he discusses his family in his regular therapy sessions. I, on the other hand, have a really positive relationship with my family.

3 weeks ago | observer.co.uk | Annalisa Barbieri

For health reasons, and under a doctor’s supervision, I periodically do a five-day fast. I do eat, but very little. It’s a great way to become really grumpy, fast. You re-appreciate food and it’s a fantastic palate cleanse. When I “re-feed” I do so slowly and carefully. One of the chocolates I eat during this re-feed period, to ease myself back into the chocolate correspondent’s chair, is Waitrose’s No 1, 90%, from Ecuador, £2.75.

4 weeks ago | pocketannalisa.substack.com | Annalisa Barbieri

Yesterday’s Guardian column (in print on Saturday, now on line on Sunday which, when comments are open below the line, which they aren’t today, rather keeps me busy on a Sunday*) is from a is from a 12 year old. Ostensibly it’s about how her mum (and dad, but mum seems to get the blame here, plus ca change) won’t let her have a smart phone. But of course it’s about so much more. I’m ever impressed when children write to me.

4 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Annalisa Barbieri

My mum has always been protective, and I fear it is destroying my social life because I haven’t grown up with much access to social media. I don’t mean to say it’s OK to be exposed to social media at a young age, but it needs to be controlled in a certain way.

4 weeks ago | observer.co.uk | Annalisa Barbieri

I am back in Suffolk. Near where I live is a wonderful town (the smallest in Suffolk) called Clare. I actually have a friend called Clare, who lives there. There used to be a fabulous shop in Clare called Blue Dog, which was an interiors and fashion shop that sold things you’d never seen before in other interiors and fashion shops. But last year it closed down (for those interested, there’s now a fabulous artisan coffee/bakery shop in its place called Small Town).