Written by Dear Pineapples,
What a week. Brida was in full swing—meetings, mysteries, and motivational markets. If you thought August would be quiet, you clearly haven’t met Fruitloop, the Mayor, or a chicken named Nuggets (more on that later).
So, grab your favourite drink (espresso? Ginger tea? A glass of Beaujolais Nouveau?), and let’s dish the details.
🥪 Lunch With Janita & Frank (and Friends)
Thursday’s Lunch with Janita & Frank was one of those conversations that doesn’t just warm your heart—it makes you want to book a flight to anywhere. Fruitloop brought the crew together: Rosie, Monica, Nathalie, and Frank, all swapping stories about their favourite local hangouts.
🎄 Monica conjured up Christmas markets.
☕ Rosie described cafés where kindness comes with the coffee.
🧄 Janita’s South African flavours met Nathalie’s Seoul street food.
🎶 And then… the objects in these places started gossiping. (Yes, you read that right.)
Imagine your coffee machine whispering about your love life. That’s Brida. That’s Thursday.
Want to join the next one? The table’s always got an open seat: book here.
🥔 Friday’s Peeling Potatoes (Mayor & Fruitloop Unfiltered)
Every first day of the month starts with a pinch and a punch—and then a very real conversation.
Fruitloop and the Mayor sat down at their usual spot in the Brida Café, diving deep into travel plans, overthinking tendencies, and their “beautiful mess” of co-creation. There were chuckles, confessions, and just enough sarcasm to keep things real.
🎧 Curious how creativity actually happens in Brida? This one’s for you. Listen to it here.
☕ Coffeehouse Chronicles: Ritesh Reflects
On Saturday, the Mayor headed (virtually) to Bangalore to sit with Ritesh—29, newly married, and moving into his first home.
They talked dreams, fears, the courage to start over, and how to stand on your own two feet (even when those feet are shaking).
💭 Most powerful line? “Not being praised too much made me try harder.”
That one stayed with us.
Listen in on this gentle, thoughtful exchange: join the next Chronicle.
🇬🇧 Ralf & Alex: Tales from Bridgwater, England
Monday’s double bill: Ralf and Alex, our roving Brida businessmen, recounted their trip to Bridgwater—a town that left… mixed impressions.
🍺 Ralf battled English beer.
🍖 Ordered pork bellies for dessert. But the kitchen was closed!
💤 And got stranded in Schiphol Airport.
Alex?
🛫 Nearly missed his flight.
👀 Found the town a bit grim—but the locals were wonderfully warm.
🌧️ The British rain held back. (A miracle?)
Still wondering what a “sales pitch as a plant” might look like? Ralf and Alex got a Mystery Box from Fruitloop. (Yup, that’s a thing now. Keep reading.)
🌎 Ismar in Brazil: The Walk That Changed Everything
Later on Monday, the Mayor met with Ismar.
Their talk started with walking—and ended in a quiet manifesto for intentional living. Health, community, climate, mindset. No drama, no “hero talk.” Just real steps, literally and metaphorically.
Ismar reminded us that even small choices ripple outwards. Sometimes, walking is the revolution.
🎁 Mystery Boxes & Motivation Markets
BIG NEWS FROM THE COUNCIL.
🟡 Mystery Boxes are officially live.
🎖️ Earn points. Collect Badges.
📜 Unlock a real certificate when you complete a Box.
The Mayor and, well, actually Fruitloop devised the whole system—with a touch of pineapple mischief. Think fun tasks, playful questions, and yes, a badge for peeling potatoes properly.
Want to get started? Head over to our.brida.eu.
🤔 Fruitloop’s Question of the Week
This week’s challenge:
If motivation were sold in a shop, what would it look like?
🥕 A carrot?
🐱 A kitten?
🍷 A bottle of wine gum?
Fruitloop’s favourite answer? The Mayor’s story of Beaujolais and cheese that turned into a three-hour tasting soirée. In English! (Now that’s motivation.)
What’s yours? Answer here.
🐓 Nuggets the Chicken… is a Rooster?!?
BREAKING NEWS.
Nuggets. Brida’s beloved chicken.
Is.
A.
Rooster.
Yes, we’re screaming too.
No fresh eggs. Just 6am wake-up crows.
Janita is devastated. The Mayor is confused. Fruitloop is designing a rooster-proof spoon. And Brida’s Tea House is about to be flooded with Haikus about poultry identity crises.
Add your own Haiku here. Please. Nuggets needs poetry.
🧳 The Mayor’s Sales Walkabout in Strasbourg
Armed with his “stealing” bag and a pocket full of flyers, the Mayor hit the pavements of Strasbourg:
🥱 First stop? A no-go.
☕ Second stop? Bitter espresso.
📍 Third stop? Jackpot. Met Mathieu, the co-working king.
📚 Fourth stop? The library turned him down for asking money. French logic.
But the Mayor left inspired—with a new hub, new allies, and the feeling that Brida might just belong in more cities than we thought.
💌 Dear Abby (and Her Sweet Tooth)
This week’s letter to Abby tackled a serious topic:
Why is healthy food SO expensive?
Sugar-free chocolate? Double the price.
Sugar-free wine gums? Triple.
The writer is trying. Really. But sometimes cauliflower pizza just doesn’t cut it.
Abby’s advice is still pending, but the real question is:
👉 Do YOU have a sugar-free brownie recipe that actually tastes good?
Drop it here. Brida’s collective cravings depend on you.
🎨 Bonus Bits & Behind-the-Scenes
- Fruitloop added Moath & Sarah’s events to the calendar. No permission asked. Just did it. Power move.
- The Mayor wept tears of joy. “She remembered what I said!”
- They’re still arguing about fonts in the new brochure.
- Nuggets still refuses to look at spoons.
- The Mayor nearly forgot to drive home from Strasbourg. Second beer hit hard.
- German business words still sound cooler in English. (Sorry, “weiche Fähigkeiten.”)
📣 Now It’s Your Turn
🎙️ Want to be in the next Lunch with Janita & Frank? Join here.
🎁 Curious what a Mystery Box is? Explore them.
💬 Got a question for Dear Abby? Ask here.
🧑🎨 Feeling arty? Haiku & Art Therapy await you.
🐓 Want to name Nuggets’ new rooster coop? Oh yes—we’re doing that. Stay tuned.
Until next week—when we find out if the Spoon really has relocated to Seoul or if it’s hiding in your drawer…
Yours most deliciously,
The Brida Scribe
I am happy to say, Nuggets is doing just fine – even if he is a rooster.
I think what most people don’t realise is how much work goes on “behind the scenes”. And leaving a few impressions regarding this, is an amazing opportunity to show exactly that.
Trying to choose the right font or remembering how to drive home, it is all part of the fun.
Loved reading and remembering the facts.
Thank you!!!