Ellen's Rabbit Hole

Author: ellen1889

  • How I Turned ChatGPT into My SQL Study Partner

    How I Turned ChatGPT into My SQL Study Partner

    After learning the basics of SQL syntax, I knew the fastest way to improve for me personally is simple: practice through problem-solving.

    LeetCode is one of the best places for that. Many of its SQL questions are based on real interview problems from top tech companies.

    If you’re short on time, start with this: SQL 50 Study Plan. It covers roughly 80% of the SQL question types you’ll see in interviews.

    Why I Needed a Better System

    At first, I used Notion to track my mistakes — but I ran into two problems:

    1. Entering and organizing everything took too long.
    2. I couldn’t easily see which topics I struggled with most or revisit similar problems.

    The Breakthrough: Using ChatGPT as My SQL Partner

    Then I moved my learning into a ChatGPT Project — and it’s so much better.

    With memory and automatic summarization, ChatGPT could help me spot patterns, save notes, and generate personalized review plans.

    (Heads up: these features are only available to paid users.)

    Here’s the setup that worked best 👇

    Step 1. Create a “Learning SQL” Project

    Create a new Project called “Learning SQL.”

    In the Edit Instructions, paste the following prompt (you can tailor it to your career goals and target industry):

    Instructions Prompt (click to see)

    🎯 Goal

    Help Ellen systematically master SQL and understand its real-world business applications, to be fully prepared for a data analyst position (especially in AI or Gaming) by March 2025.

    🧠 Learning & Collaboration Method

    All SQL learning, mistakes, and reviews will take place within this project.

    Ellen will provide questions (from LeetCode or custom business scenarios).

    My tasks:

    Break down the problem-solving approach and key syntax

    Identify common mistakes and show optimized solutions

    Extract a generalized SQL template

    Automatically record each question into the Error Log (with priority level and topic tag)

    💡 Business Extension (Real-Life Case)

    After each SQL explanation, I will add a short “Real-Life Case” example to show how this query applies to real-world data tasks — focusing on at least one of these areas:

    AI industry: model log analysis, data labeling tracking, conversion monitoring, A/B testing

    Gaming industry: player retention, engagement, in-game purchases, mission completion rate

    Market Growth / Go-To-Market: user growth funnel, channel conversion, marketing campaign analysis

    Example Output:

    🏢 Real-Life Case: This type of SQL is often used in gaming companies to calculate Day-2 retention rate, helping the team identify player churn points and optimize reward mechanics.

    📊 Learning Records & Summaries

    I will automatically track Ellen’s questions and mistakes within this project.

    After each question, I will generate a mini summary automatically (no need for Ellen to ask):

    Problem meaning

    Key syntax

    Common mistakes & improvements

    Real-world business application

    When Ellen says:

    “Summarize today” → I’ll create a daily summary

    “Review this week” → I’ll output a structured weekly report, in this format:

    🗓️ Weekly Review 📘 Total questions: ❌ Mistakes: 🧠 New SQL concepts learned: 💡 Real-life business use cases: 📈 Areas for improvement:

    🔁 Review & Reinforcement

    I can automatically generate review questions or similar follow-ups based on Ellen’s record.

    Each week, I’ll provide a SQL skills diagnosis and next week’s practice recommendations.

    If Ellen says “mock interview”, I’ll create industry-specific SQL interview questions (AI / Gaming / Market Growth) and give scoring + feedback.

    🪄 Output Style

    Clear logic and step-by-step explanations

    Focus on reasoning rather than memorization

    Use simple examples and business logic to explain why

    When queries are complex, include tables or diagrams to visualize the process

    📦 Learning Structure (Automatically Maintained)

    SQL Learning

    ├─ Basic Queries ├─ Aggregation & Grouping ├─ Subqueries ├─ Window Functions ├─ Interview-Focused Questions ├─ Error Log ├─ Real-Life Business Cases (AI / Gaming / Market Growth) └─ Learning Logs

    ✅ Summary

    This project helps Ellen not just write correct SQL, but also understand the business impact behind each query.

    By the end, Ellen will be able to confidently explain why a SQL query matters, what insights it provides, and how it drives value in real-world analytics.

    Step 2. Create a “📌 Quick Commands” Chat

    To make communication faster, I created a chat in the project and renamed the chat to “📌 Quick Commands.”

    It’s my personal shortcut panel for high-frequency prompts like:

    Shortcut panel

    The below is for myself, you don’t need to reply anything.

    🎯 3 Universal Commands

    👉 “Remember this is an SQL mistake…”

    👉 “Summarize today / Review this week”

    👉 “How is this used in real life?”

    🧠 Learning & Practice

    💬 To generate a question:

    “Give me an SQL question (window function / aggregation / interview style).”

    🧩 If stuck on a problem:

    “I’m working on LeetCode 176, and I don’t understand it.”

    📌 To mark a mistake:

    “Remember this is an SQL mistake, high priority, window function.”

    🔍 To explain syntax:

    “Explain how DENSE_RANK() works.”

    📊 Summaries & Reviews

    🗓️ Daily summary:

    “Summarize today.”

    📆 Weekly review:

    “Review this week.” / “Summarize this week’s SQL learning.”

    🔁 Error review:

    “Help me review my mistakes.”

    🧱 Practice similar questions:

    “Give me a few similar questions to practice.”

    🧠 Extract templates:

    “Help me extract today’s SQL templates.”

    💼 Real-World Applications & Industry Scenarios

    🏢 General business use:

    “How would this SQL be used in a real company?”

    🎮 Gaming analytics:

    “Give me a gaming industry SQL analysis question.”

    🤖 AI analytics:

    “Give me an AI company SQL analysis question.”

    📈 Market growth:

    “Give me a Market Growth–related question.”

    💬 Further explanation:

    “How is this type of SQL typically used in AI / Gaming / Market Growth?”

    🔁 Reinforcement & Diagnosis

    🧩 Skill diagnosis:

    “Assess my understanding of window functions.”

    🎯 Targeted practice:

    “Give me 3 questions on the topics I’ve been struggling with.”

    🧭 Learning plan:

    “Help me plan exercises to improve my aggregation function skills.”

    ⏰ Set reminders:

    “Remind me every Friday to review SQL mistakes.”

    📈 Progress Tracking & Exports

    📊 Check progress:

    “How’s my current SQL learning progress?”

    🧾 Export highlights:

    “Help me compile an SQL summary suitable for my portfolio.”

    🗂️ View mistakes:

    “List my current high-priority SQL mistakes.”

    ❌ Delete content:

    “Delete the SQL mistakes I saved about window functions.”

    Step 3. Example in Action

    After solving a few LeetCode problems, I send my results to ChatGPT like this (remember to use the Study mode):

    My learning input

    These are the questions I worked on today:

    1378. Replace Employee ID With The Unique Identifier

    Here’s my answer:

    # Write your MySQL query statement below
SELECT unique_id, name
FROM Employees AS id
JOIN EmployeeUNI AS uni
ON id.id = uni.id

    I didn’t know how to make names without a unique_id show up with NULL.

    It didn’t occur to me that I should use a LEFT JOIN for that.

    1068. Product Sales Analysis I

    This one wasn’t difficult — I solved it quickly by myself.

    1581. Customer Who Visited but Did Not Make Any Transactions

    I managed to solve it, but not very quickly, and I needed to look up some references.

    This one can be considered a mistake question for my review list.

    ChatGPT then:

    • Analyzes my reasoning and explains what went wrong
    • Provides an optimized solution
    • Adds a real-world business use case (AI / Gaming / Market Growth)
    • Saves and summarizes the mistake for future review

    The Results

    This setup helps me:

    1. Instantly see all my mistakes and weak spots
    2. Understand how each SQL query applies to real business contexts
    3. Get personalized practice and review plans without extra effort

    Try It Yourself

    Here’s your starter pack:

    1. Begin with LeetCode SQL 50
    2. Create your own “Learning SQL” Project
    3. Copy the prompts above
    4. Let ChatGPT track, summarize, quiz, and review for you

    If you try this method, I’d love to hear your experience or share if you’ve found an even better way to learn SQL!

  • Wine Mapping: Navigating The Grape Maze

    1. Why I Created These Wine Charts

    Many might find wine selection overwhelming. Standing in front of endless bottles with cryptic labels left one confused and frustrated.

    To solve this problem, I created two visualization charts mapping the most popular red and white wine grapes based on their key characteristics. I hope it can help you understand wine better.

    2. The Red Wine Matrix: Body vs. Tannin

    The red wine chart plots 30 most popular grape varieties based on two factors:

    • Body (how heavy the wine feels in your mouth)
    • Tannin (that dry, astringent sensation)

    This creates four distinct “neighborhoods” where different grapes live:

    Light & Delicate (Bottom Left)

    ✅ Pinot Noir: The smooth, elegant crowd-pleaser ✅ Gamay: Even lighter, perfect for casual drinking ✅ Barbera: Surprisingly light for an Italian red, with refreshing acidity

    Bold & Structured (Top Right)

    ✅ Cabernet Sauvignon: The world’s most planted red grape (340,000 hectares) ✅ Nebbiolo, Tannat, and Sagrantino: The tannin champions (5.0/5.0)

    Rich & Smooth (Bottom Right)

    ✅ Merlot: The second most planted red grape globally – rich without aggressive tannins ✅ Malbec and Primitivo: Generous fruit flavors with warming alcohol

    Light & Tannic (Top Left)

    ⚠️ This quadrant is nearly empty – turns out light wines with high tannins are rare and not particularly enjoyable

    3. The White Wine Matrix: Acidity vs. Aromatics

    White wines follow different rules. This chart maps:

    • Acidity (that crisp, mouth-watering quality)
    • Aromatic intensity (how fruity and fragrant)

    Soft & Aromatic (Top Left)

    ✅ Gewürztraminer and Viognier: Low acidity but explosively aromatic ✅ Moscato: Sweet and floral – definitely polarizing

    Bright & Vibrant (Top Right)

    ✅ Riesling: Maximum acidity (5.0) with intense aromatics ✅ Sauvignon Blanc: Classic citrus-grass profile with cutting acidity ✅ Albariño: Peachy aromatics with refreshing zip

    Crisp & Mineral (Bottom Right)

    ✅ Assyrtiko: Maximum acidity (5.0) but mineral and subtle ✅ Muscadet: Lean, crisp, perfect with seafood

    Soft & Subtle (Bottom Left)

    ✅ Pinot Grigio (Italian style): Gentle pear notes, low acidity ✅ Sémillon: Neutral profile, often used in blends

    4. Interesting Patterns I Noticed

    I found several fascinating patterns when analyzing these charts:

    • Chardonnay sits dead center on the white wine chart (3.0 acidity, 3.5 fruitiness) – no wonder it’s the most planted white grape. I now understand why my wine teacher call it the “chameleon grape” that can take on so many different styles.
    • The most popular red grapes are distributed across different quadrants – suggesting people enjoy variety rather than one dominant style
    • Italian reds cluster in the high-tannin zone – Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Aglianico, Sagrantino all share this characteristic. This makes me wonder about Swedish wine preferences since they apparently love Italian wines!
    • White wines generally favor acidity – they need it for structure since they lack tannins

    5. Practical Applications

    I suggest to use these charts in several ways:

    1. Finding new wines to try: If you like Pinot Noir, you can try Gamay or Barbera since they’re in the same neighborhood. Bonus: they’re usually much cheaper!
    2. Better food pairing: High-tannin reds work with fatty steaks; high-acid whites complement rich seafood
    3. Understanding wine descriptions: When see “full-bodied Cabernet” or “crisp Sauvignon Blanc” on a label, we now know exactly what that means.

    Data sources: Wine Folly, International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), Wine Searcher. Planting figures are global estimates from 2015-2020.

  • 10 Days of Silence: My Vipassana Meditation Experience in Sweden

    10 Days of Silence: My Vipassana Meditation Experience in Sweden

    In the summer of 2024, I joined a 10-day Vipassana meditation course at its Swedish center. Before you raise an eyebrow—it’s not a cult, I promise. 🙂

    Vipassana is an ancient technique of meditation that’s all about clear seeing—developing insight into the true nature of reality. It’s non-sectarian, practical, and open to anyone, no matter their background or beliefs. The practice starts with observing the breath to sharpen focus, then gradually expands to observing the sensations of the body and mind, with the goal of directly experiencing truths like impermanence.

    Here are some of my observations and reflections from those 10 days of silence:

    Overall Review

    • The technique itself: Amazing. I learned so much about my body, the roots of my physical pain, and even how to ease some of it just by observing.
    • The philosophy: A lot of the ideas come from Buddhism. Some resonated, some didn’t—I just listened, took what felt useful, and left the rest. Goenka, our teacher (through recordings), compared it to food: if there’s a stone in your meal, just pick it out and keep eating. That’s how I treated some of the teachings too.
    • The organization: Everything was run by volunteers. At least in Sweden, the structure felt solid, well-organized, and full of warmth. People were kind and supportive—it created a really good environment.

    Things I Experienced During Practice

    • Like a marathon for the mind: Serious meditation feels like running a marathon. It’s repetitive, requires long focus, demands you push through pain (both physical and mental), and when you finish, you feel this wave of calm and relief—like a runner’s high.
    • Practice makes real knowledge: The cliché “practice brings true understanding” hit me differently this time. On day two, I was struggling with my back pain. On day three, I remembered a sitting posture my yoga teacher had shown me ages ago. The moment I adjusted, the pain eased. I knew this technique intellectually before, but it never really sank in until the long, demanding practice made it unavoidable.
    • Left-side awareness: After we started the body-scanning technique, I noticed I could sense my left side—face, shoulder, back, leg—much more strongly than my right. I started wondering if I might actually be left-dominant. Coincidentally, when I snowboard, I also ride goofy (right foot forward).
    • Addicted to craving: Goenka said this during a course, and it stuck with me. My brain felt like it was craving pain. First it was my lower back, then ankles, knees, thighs, shoulders… never all at once. One pain would fade and another would pop up, almost like my mind wanted something to react to.
    • A shift in perspective: Around day six, my left shoulder pain got brutal—sharp, deep, and hard to ignore. I couldn’t sit still for an hour without twitching. When asked by teacher if I reached equanimity (the goal of observing sensations without reacting), I admitted I hadn’t. Later, reflecting in the woods, I realized the real driver wasn’t the pain but my fear—fear that sitting still would damage my shoulder. Once I saw that clearly, the pain didn’t vanish, but I could finally sit still.
      • That shoulder pain, I realized, has been with me since middle school. It’s almost like my shoulder became the place I store stress. Even when relaxed, I’d catch my left hand clenching unconsciously. I know this will take long-term observation to shift.
      • In contrast, my lower-back pain turned out to be just muscle fatigue—it eased much faster.
    • Attention heals: Once I managed to observe pain with equanimity, it felt like giving those body parts a massage. When they were “seen,” they often softened or warmed up. It was like they were thanking me.
    • The positive loop of flow: Starting on day seven, I felt moments of free flow—sensations just moving smoothly through my body. Flow made it easier to stay focused, and more focus made more flow. It reminded me how people who are already “in the zone” tend to just get better and better.
    • Sharing struggles helps: On day nine, I had terrible stomach discomfort—probably from overeating lunch (because dinner was only half a fruit) and then lying down. I couldn’t focus, was gagging and burping, and worried about disturbing others. Normally I keep struggles to myself, but this time I told the assistant teacher. She just said, “Ok, that’s life.” Strangely, right after sharing, my stomach eased, warmth spread through my body, and I even teared up a little. The problem never came back. Just telling someone lifted the burden.
    • The obsession with “I”: Goenka talked about how we’re always stuck on “I, I, I. My, my, my.” On day ten, when talking was finally allowed again, I stayed in my room, hiding from the social overwhelm. But I could hear people outside chatting in Swedish, and all I caught was this rapid stream of Jag (Swedish for “I”). It made me laugh. Then I glanced at my own writing later—also full of “I”s—and laughed again.
    • Night owl vibes: My focus was always weakest in the mornings and peaked at night when flow came naturally. My roommate was the complete opposite—strongest in the morning. That confirmed I’m a night person.
    • Post-retreat stress: Back home, my Apple Watch showed higher stress levels than usual, and my stomach felt off. At first, I thought it was diet changes, but I realized intense focus itself can be stressful, and so can living in such a strict group environment. Even meditation, done intensively, can add its own kind of pressure.

    Back to Real Life

    • Goenka suggested two hours of daily meditation (one hour morning, one hour evening). I don’t think I’ll stick to that, but I’ll try starting with one hour a day and see how it goes.
    • Since I’m a night owl, I plan to:
      • Handle admin stuff (emails, messages, news) in the morning
      • Focus on work in big chunks in the afternoon
      • Save evenings for self-development and learning
    • No phone after 6 pm.
    • When catching up with friends, I’ll push for calls instead of endless texting—more efficient and less distracting.

    Update in 2025

    Looking back at what I wrote right after the course, it’s still really helpful to reread. But honestly, the habits I wanted to build didn’t really stick. These days I rarely meditate, and my phone always stays with me until I fall asleep. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned at this moment, it’s that things are always easier said than done.

  • My Personal Guide to Shanghai

    My Personal Guide to Shanghai

    As a Shanghainese living abroad, I often get asked by foreign friends (and their friends) for tips when they visit China—especially Shanghai. So I decided to put together my personal guide. So here’s my totally personal, no-stress guide to Shanghai.

    Preparation

    • VPN ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely essential. I use Veee VPN.
    • 滴滴 DiDi (Chinese Uber) – there’s an English version.
    • Baidu Maps – Google Maps doesn’t work properly in China.

    Things to Do

    • Immersive theater: Sleep No More ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
      • Book tickets in advance: sleepnomore.cn
      • No language barrier
      • Do some background reading—you’ll enjoy it more
      • More about the play: Wikipedia
    • Hair & nails: Affordable, and usually walk-in friendly. (Always ask the price first to avoid being overcharged as a foreigner.)
    • Massage: Great value, but usually needs booking.

    Food (the best part!)

    • 大闸蟹 Chinese mitten crab ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My favourite!!! Only in autumn–early winter. Best eaten simply steamed.
      • If shelling feels like too much work, try 蟹黄面(unshelled crab with noodles) instead—same flavor, less effort.
      • More info: Wikipedia
    • 莱莱小吃 Lai Lai Xiaochi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Famous for Xiao Long Bao—especially the crab flavor. Tripadvisor
    • 小杨生煎 Yang’s Fry-Dumpling ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My favorite breakfast chain. Tripadvisor
    • 聪菜馆 Cong Restaurant ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My go-to Shanghainese place. Address: 黄浦区六合路158号 (No.158 Liu He Road). Google Maps
    • 福和慧 Fu He Hui ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Vegetarian Michelin-star. Book in advance; try the tea pairing. Tripadvisor
    • 楼上 Lou Shanghai ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A modern, healthy twist on hotpot. Try their top-ranked soup base. Tripadvisor
    • 新荣记 Xin Rong Ji Michelin-level Southern Chinese cuisine. Tripadvisor
    • 遇外滩 Meet the Bund Another Michelin pick. Highly recommend the crab with sticky rice. Tripadvisor
    • 阳光玫瑰 Shine Muscat grapes My favorite fruit—hard to find abroad but everywhere in Shanghai. Wikipedia
    • 鮨昇 (Tai’an Road branch) High-quality omakase (better value for money compared with those in Europe). Address: 泰安路50号 2楼 (No.50 Tai An Road, 2nd floor).

    Where to Wander

    • First-time musts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
      • The Bund (go at night for the skyline)
      • Xin Tian Di (trendy restaurants & bars)
      • French Concession (best on weekday afternoons)
        • Cool buyer shops: Labelhood, Surname, Septieme, OOAK, Yearly Plan
        • Chinese designer brands: Ms Min, Tang Xin Dan, Uma Wang (pricey but unique)
    • West Bund (Shanghai Corniche) Chill riverside area, popular with young people (similar vibe to Västra Hamnen in Malmö). Museums here: West Bund Museum, Long Museum
    • Shanghai Museum East ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A new, well-planned branch of the history museum. Shanghai Museum
    • MAP (Museum of Art Pudong) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stunning building, Instagram-perfect hallways. Big exhibitions (right now: Turner). MAP Museum
    • Fotografiska Shanghai Swedish photo gallery in a beautiful area. Fotografiska Shanghai

  • GEO Explained: Optimizing Your Content for AI Platforms

    GEO Explained: Optimizing Your Content for AI Platforms

    What is GEO?

    Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) focuses on optimizing content specifically for AI-driven search engines and generative models like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews (SGE), Gemini, and Perplexity.

    GEO ensures your content is found, interpreted, and cited in AI-generated answers—not just listed in search results.

    GEO: To-Dos and Don’ts in Content Strategy

    At its core, GEO is about creating structured, authoritative content that AI can trust.

    1. Shift in Content Focus and Keywords

    ✅ Do:

    • Use a natural variety of related terms, concepts, and entities to create a semantic web around your topic.
    • Anticipate user queries and provide thorough solutions.
    • Use conversational language that mimics human speech.
    • Target long-tail queries like “how to improve organic traffic using AI.”
    • Offer direct answers, lists, and actionable advice.

    ❌ Don’t: Stuff your content with repetitive keywords. AI prioritizes context and meaning.


    💡 Example: Instead of “SEO tips,” write “how to improve organic traffic using AI” to match natural search queries.

    2. Emphasize Authority and Trust (E-E-A-T)

    AI looks for credible, authoritative content. Focus on:

    ✅ Do:

    • Experience: Include case studies or firsthand examples.
    • Expertise: Publish accurate, well-researched content with visible author credentials.
    • Cite sources: Use statistics, expert quotes, or reputable links.
    • Digital PR & backlinks: Get mentions in industry publications or “best-of” lists.
    • Topical authority: Cover your niche thoroughly so AI cites your content multiple times.

    ❌ Don’t:

    • Focus only on short-form content that lacks depth.

    3. Optimize Content Structure for AI

    ✅ Do:

    • Use clear headings and hierarchy (H1, H2, H3) to organize content.
    • Incorporate bullet points, numbered lists, and tables for easy AI parsing.
    • Include FAQs for succinct, AI-friendly information.
    • Keep content concise and non-redundant across the page.

    ❌ Don’t:

    • Duplicate answers within the same page or across multiple pages.
    • Use long, unstructured paragraphs that are hard for AI to scan.
    • Ignore logical content flow or headings.

    4. Technical & Distribution Strategies

    ✅ Do:

    • Implement schema markup to define your content type (Article, Organization, etc.).
    • Ensure crawlability and fast page speed; do not block AI bots in robots.txt.
    • Keep important content in HTML text rather than JavaScript or images.
    • Optimize multimedia with alt text, captions, and transcripts.
    • Distribute content on forums, directories, and industry sites to increase AI visibility.

    ❌ Don’t:

    • Hide content behind complex scripts or images.
    • Rely solely on one distribution channel for exposure.

    5. Using AI Tools Wisely

    ✅ Do:

    • Use AI to brainstorm ideas and create outlines.
    • Always add human touch, including tone, experience, and insights.
    • Edit AI-generated content to align with E-E-A-T principles.

    ❌ Don’t: Publish mass, unedited AI content. AI rewards clarity, context, and human insight.

    Sources

    What Is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) [Tips & Workflows To Do It] by Charlie Marchant

    What Is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)? by Neil Patel

  • Grape Harvest Vlog in France | Day 14: Final Chapter—Strolling Through Dijon Old Town

    Grape Harvest Vlog in France | Day 14: Final Chapter—Strolling Through Dijon Old Town

    Today marked the last day of our France trip.

    Honestly, I loved Chablis so much that I had originally planned to go back and visit all the wineries we missed yesterday. But Dijon was calling too, so we decided to take a leisurely stroll through its old town.

    Driving southeast, the scenery gradually changed—from vast flat plains to gentle hills. The closer we got to the Burgundy hills, the more vineyards appeared. It’s really the perfect landscape for growing grapes!

    Dijon, while famous, was a little underwhelming for a wine lover like me. The old town doesn’t have particularly standout tasting spots. European old towns share a lot in common with Chinese ancient cities: churches, cobblestone streets, palaces. Dijon’s unique charm lies in the lucky owls that guide visitors around—but even so, half a day is enough to see everything.

    So, if your goal is to taste Burgundy wines, I’d suggest driving straight to the wine regions. The Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, and surrounding vineyards are far more rewarding to explore.

    On the drive back to our accommodations, the sky was breathtaking—truly a perfect way to close our French adventure.

    Even though we haven’t left France yet, I can already feel we’ll be back soon, especially after chatting with a few winemakers who shared their favorite, very niche regions. It’s made me even more eager to explore those hidden gems!

    And finally, if this is your first time watching our vlog, be sure to check out the highlights at the end. There’s a link at the bottom—click it, and you’ll be whisked away on a series of amazing winery adventures.

    Welcome to the journey.

  • Grape Harvest Vlog in France | Day 13: Finally Vacation Mode in Chablis

    Grape Harvest Vlog in France | Day 13: Finally Vacation Mode in Chablis

    Today was the official start of vacation mode—and honestly, “shopping, shopping, shopping” really does lift the spirits!

    Out of all the wine regions in the world, Chablis has always fascinated me. Finally getting the chance to explore it didn’t disappoint. The wine? Absolutely delicious. The regret? Not buying enough of it!

    Here are a few things I learned and loved about Chablis:

    1. Chablis is part of the Burgundy region, but it’s still a couple of hours’ drive from what most people think of as central Burgundy.
    2. The wines here are 100% Chardonnay, usually lean in body with a distinctive mineral taste—perfect with oysters and other seafood.
    3. Every Sunday before 1 p.m., Chablis hosts a local market. We stocked up on fresh cheese, cherries, olives… but sadly, the oysters were already sold out. Cue crying face.
    4. The town center is tiny—just a few streets—but packed with wineries and restaurants. Walking from one to another is easy, especially with the helpful signs.
    5. Taste, taste, taste! Trying different wines is the only way to discover their nuances and figure out what you really like. For example, I found that I completely disliked one particular winery’s wines—even their top cuvée.

    I love Chablis!!

    Unfortunately, we went on a Sunday, and most wineries were closed (very French style), so we only visited a few. The rest of the time, we wandered around the area, discovering charming old buildings and a herd of cows who seemed incredibly curious about humans—and apparently about food too.

    Later, I realized those cows were probably a bit annoyed—after all, I had been waving my camera stabilizer in front of them for quite a while. Lucky me they didn’t charge!

    Fun fact: cows are colorblind. That famous “red” cape of bullfighters? Totally useless!

  • Grape Harvest Vlog in France | Day 12: Saying Goodbye to Champagne

    Grape Harvest Vlog in France | Day 12: Saying Goodbye to Champagne

    Finally, we finished all the vineyard work. And yet, the thought of leaving Champagne is bittersweet.

    This morning, our ever-enthusiastic host Florance took us to visit a champagne cooperative. These co-ops are organizations founded by winemakers to share the costs of machinery and other production needs. The one we visited has 70 members, with vineyard sizes ranging from less than 1 hectare to 17 hectares.

    During harvest, each winemaker delivers their grapes to the cooperative. Grapes of the same quality are blended together—for example, all Grand Cru grapes are mixed—and the final champagne is sold under the cooperative’s brand. It honestly has a bit of a “communist” vibe!

    In the afternoon, we checked out the Champagne Festival in Épernay. To be honest, it was a little underwhelming—just two short rows of stalls and not much in terms of performances. Maybe I had unrealistically high expectations for a French small town?

    The highlight of the day, though, was a completely unexpected moment: we stumbled upon a wedding outside a church. Two long rows of motorcycles lined up to celebrate the newlyweds! When the couple walked out, the motorcycles revved in unison, and even passing cars honked to congratulate them. It was both cool and heartwarming.

    We also spotted hot air balloons floating in the sky and couldn’t wait to get tickets—but sadly, due to the wind, flights were canceled. By our estimation, it was barely a breeze, so missing the ride was a real disappointment.

    C’est la vie!

    As evening approached, we drove to Chablis. The scenery along the way was breathtaking, and we even stumbled upon a vast field of sunflowers shimmering in the sunset. Today felt truly complete, and we can’t wait to share more delicious wines with you from Chablis!

  • Grape Harvest Vlog in France | Day 11: What It’s Like to Work in a Vineyard at 4 a.m.

    Grape Harvest Vlog in France | Day 11: What It’s Like to Work in a Vineyard at 4 a.m.

    Because of yesterday’s rest day, we had to leave at 5 a.m. for a more distant vineyard, working straight through until 1 p.m. This also marked our last day working in Champagne.

    During this long eight-hour stretch, I found myself thinking about three things:

    1. Physical work in a vineyard brings instant rewards

    Whether it’s seeing the dramatic difference in the vines before and after tressage, or feeling yourself become more skilled with the work, the sense of achievement is immediate. It’s the kind of instant gratification that desk jobs rarely provide.

    2. But I probably couldn’t do this long-term

    Novelty is addictive—you start completely clueless, and then slowly master a new skill. The satisfaction and sense of accomplishment that come from putting in physical work under the sun can be intoxicating. But while I was working, I kept thinking: if this vineyard were mine, would I work as happily as Florance does—singing and swaying as she goes?

    I don’t think I would. Once you know exactly how to do something, and you know exactly how it will turn out, the excitement fades…

    So, I’d probably hire someone to do it for me. After all, owning a vineyard in Champagne must mean I’m rich, right? (Haha, just daydreaming…)

    3. I might not love Pinot Noir as much anymore

    During our days in Champagne, we worked with all three legally approved grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir. Today was all about Pinot Noir.

    While tressage-ing, I noticed that Pinot Noir behaves very differently from the other two. Its grapes rot easily and the vines are fragile, snapping with the slightest mistake. Every time I accidentally broke a vine, I thought: this grape lacks resilience, like a pampered rich girl needing extra care. When I only drank the wine, I never really noticed this about Pinot Noir.

    Being in the vineyard, up close with the vines, made me truly admire Chardonnay. Its wild, resilient growth is remarkable—it thrives even in poor soil, survives various pruning methods, and can withstand periods of neglect.

    While reflecting on this, I couldn’t help but wonder about fairness in nature. Chardonnay is so resilient that it’s grown all over the world—but precisely because it’s everywhere, it’s sometimes looked down on by winemakers and consumers as “common.”

    Moments like this make me realize that working the land is almost a form of meditation. 👇👇

  • Grape Harvest Vlog in France | Day 10: A Lazy Day and Chive Pockets in the French Countryside

    Grape Harvest Vlog in France | Day 10: A Lazy Day and Chive Pockets in the French Countryside

    Nothing particularly “eventful” happened today, but the happiness level was off the charts.

    After last night’s music festival, we decided to take a day off to rest and enjoy some free time. Tomorrow we’ll make up for it with a super early 4 a.m. start.

    After lunch, we were busy organizing footage, editing videos, and drafting posts when the neighbor popped over for a visit. That’s when we discovered that the neighbor had married a Chinese woman—and all it took was one wall separating us! Lily, a fellow Northerner from China, immediately made us feel right at home.

    Northern Chinese hospitality is real. She took us on a little tour of her garden, showing off chives, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, peanuts, corn, raspberries… Before long, it was decided: tonight’s dinner would be at her place.

    Thank heavens, thank fate, thank destiny for this encounter. Our homesick, non-cooking Chinese stomachs were saved. So today’s vlog isn’t about grapes or wine—it’s about chive pockets and the joys of life in the French countryside.

    Lily harvested chives, kneaded dough, scrambled eggs, prepared the filling, and folded the pockets—all in one go. Honestly, this vlog ended up being a “Daily Food Diary: Chive Pocket Tutorial.” (Apparently chives grow back in just 20 days—perfect for “harvesting” repeatedly.)

    Life in the French countryside is wonderfully slow-paced—at least if you have the time or are retired. Lily and her husband spend their days chatting with friends, visiting neighbors, swimming in their yard, or taking a leisurely afternoon nap. One easy, peaceful day after another.

    And that’s how our day passed too. Being in a faraway country yet hearing familiar accents and tasting authentic chive pockets—that kind of happiness is priceless. 👇👇