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Fixing the broken tip of reMarkable 2 pens (Marker and Marker Plus)
I know broken tips are quite common with reMarkable pens. If you’ve broken yours and bought it less than 3 years ago, contact the reMarkable team and they’ll replace it for free. I broke mine and tried to replace it with a 3D-printed cap I bought on Etsy (the yellow one in the photo), but it was so bulky that the pen wouldn’t attach magnetically to the tablet and kept falling off, and I ended up losing that cap too. Eventually, I managed to make a replacement tip using Fimo air-dry clay (link). Here’s how I did it: you sculpt the clay around a new tip (the black end) to…
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2 weeks of vacation in Vietnam (2025): Ha Noi, Da Nang, Hoi An
JB, back to being a salaried employee is “forced” to take two weeks of vacation before August, and here we are “obliged” to go somewhere. We decide to spend two weeks in Vietnam, with the dates simply determined by the flight prices. Even though it’s not the best time for Vietnam since it’s the start of summer aka scorching heat. Since the goal is to rest, we have a very simple plan which involves returning to places we’ve already visited, where we’ve been several times, so there’s no pressure to sightsee and we can just enjoy these cities like locals. All the addresses & info of the artisans are provided…
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Where to buy real silk in Hanoi? Visit Lua Lang Shop
The first time you touch this silk, you have a strange reaction: “What is this wonder?” It is neither shiny, nor thick, nor smooth like those from department stores. And yet, it is soft; it’s the silk of my childhood, the one I have been searching for for years. Real traditional Vietnamese mulberry silk. Today, I finally find it again thanks to Lua Lang. I discovered Lua Lang on Instagram and despite several years of ordering (remotely, even though I occasionally find myself in Hanoi), I never had the time to go there because it is a 30-minute scooter ride from my home. It’s a shop nestled in a peaceful…
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My Current Favorites – [June 2025] Vietnamese Artisans (Silverware, Silk, Woodworking)
We just spent two weeks on vacation in Vietnam. These are our first long holidays since we became sedentary again. For the first time in a long while, we can afford to bring back lots of stuff because we can now allow ourselves to be a bit less minimalist and prioritize hyper-comfort. For that, JB and I went to Vietnam with two half-empty suitcases. One pair of shoes each. Speaking of Vietnam, my suitcase was filled only with purchases. We’re very lucky because the euro is very strong right now and it hasn’t impacted VND prices yet. We have +10% purchasing power just from the favorable exchange rate. Silverware One…
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[review] My 99% pure sterling silver tea cup at Hi’de Maison (Vietnam)
I can’t remember when I started looking for a sterling silver cup. Was it since my visit to George V with my sister where we were served hot chocolate with a silver cup and cutlery? Or since I signed up for Interenchères where I see silver cups sold for 60 euros? I’m not quite sure. Why? First off, why do we use silver for cutlery and utensils? In the past, poisons were impure and contained traces of sulfur. Now, sulfur makes silver tarnish, and that’s how you detected the presence of poisons. These days, it’s the silver ions that interest us, because they can attack bacteria. There are no serious…
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Combined Air France + SNCF ticket: how to get your train ticket
Now living in the countryside and wanting to buy a plane ticket to Vietnam, I discover that Air France offers combined Train + Plane tickets. Quite interesting: not only is it no more expensive than buying the two separately, but above all, if a train problem makes me miss my flight, Air France will cover me (refund, seat on the next flight, etc.). The day before my departure, I log into Air France to check in: it works without any problem, as usual. However, I can’t find how to get my SNCF train ticket! I don’t panic, I tell myself that whatever happens, I’ll be able to show my reservation.…
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My Current Favorites – [May 2025] Fallacies, Determinism & Miniatures
Fallacies I did a exchange semester in Sydney in Australia and my best friend in London, UK. One day we talked about it and discovered that whether in Australia or the UK, plagiarism is unacceptable to them. From the very first days at university, we were taught to write essays by citing sources according to the “Harvard referencing” style, a author-date citation style commonly used in academic works, for example (Durkheim, 1893) and the full references are given at the end, in the “Bibliography” section. I find this system very interesting because it forces me, every time I put forward an idea, to know whether this idea comes from me…
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My favorite addresses in Hanoi (Vietnam) (artisans, shopping, scooters, massages, etc.)
You know I take advantage of my trips to Hanoi to buy a ton of stuff and get lots of things custom-made. Here are the addresses of my favorite artisans, shops, and services at very affordable prices. I hope you’ll have time to enjoy them. Remember to download GRAB, the equivalent of Uber, to get around freely in Hanoi (don’t walk, it’s polluted and hot!). Jewelry Silk accessories and clothing Clothing Watches Massage & shampoo Scooter rental in Hanoi Leather goods Art of tea Restaurants & dishes to try JB and I filmed some videos to show you how to eat certain dishes: See this post on Instagram A post…
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[Reflection] #20: Offshore Craftsmanship: between authenticity and economic logic
I was recently asked why I didn’t want to act as a middleman between Vietnamese artisans and French consumers, offering custom products comparable to those from luxury brands. On the surface, the idea seems noble: highlighting Vietnamese craftsmanship, building a bridge between two cultures, and encouraging more humane trade. Yet, this proposal makes me deeply uncomfortable. Looking closer, this approach still fits within the classic frameworks of consumerism : it’s still purchasing power and value for money that guide buying decisions. If craftsmanship itself were truly at the heart of the matter, consumers would choose to support local artisans—in France, for example (incidentally, the technical skill of French artisans in…
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Mini road trip in the Netherlands: Tulips, Edam, Giethoorn, Zaanse, Amsterdam
Now that we live in Lille, it’s easier for us to explore the northern countries. From Lille, we can take the train, but it’s excessively expensive and takes forever. JB and I decide to go for a Flixbus, even if it means leaving the day before and adding a hotel night, it’ll still be much cheaper than taking the train or the plane. We’re even surprised that JB has vacation time while he’s still on probation, but his company wanted everyone to take vacation before a certain date, so here we are, forced to “go on vacation”. A concept we no longer knew during those 8.5 years of freelancing around…
