Ode to the promise of spring '12

Last weekend the most wonderful thing happened! And you know, it happens each year, but after the first time it easily becomes 'normal'. So this makes the first time simply magical. I'm referring to the first time in a year you hear... the sound of the birds singing outside when you wake up early in the morning! This means the promise of spring '12. And this makes me utterly happy! Can't wait for the first sunbeams on my face whilst sitting on my balcony, the flowers to grow, national skirts day (thank you Martin Bril;) enjoying a sauvignon blanc on a terrace and a picnic in the park! Love it! 

Have a lovely tuesday!

Florence + the machine ~ no light, no light

WEEKEND!! Enjoy darlings!

Happy blog: Skinny laMinx

Just check it: I promise you'll love it! Skinny laMinx

So true! Off to bed now ♥

Bar Moustache

Just discovered Bar Moustache: a lovely bar~restaurant in the Utrechtsestraat. It's stylish but simply decorated, friendly staff (quite unusual;)and the ambiance is really relaxed. Just had a small meal: zuppetta di pomodoro fresco con mozzarella di bufala & baked potatoes. And have got to say, both were absolutely delicious. It was the best soup I had in a while and the potatoes were fantastic. Real Italian style: some olive oil, rosemary, garlic (subtle!) and sage. The pinot grigio was a subtle wine. The pics are from the site (was enjoying the food so much I forgot to take pictures;)And they also serve breakfasts and I've got the feeling that this is a real recommendation. Can't wait to try the ricotta pancakes with blueberries! 


Sweet dreams and I'm so happy: it's weekend! 

Magnolia

Last year I had a very special afternoon under a magnolia tree. It was magic. In a way it was a little reset of my path. Since that day (my life has really changed in one year) I've got a special thing with magnolia trees. They're rather rare in Amsterdam and it's a bit to early yet so I was really surprised to come across magnolia branches in my favorite flower shop Fleurmonde in Amsterdam. I was told it's just the beginning of the season so I've still got some time to buy one (I still had some lovely flowers in my living room)so can't wait to go back to the shop. I instantly knew it would look so lovely in my new home (minor detail: I still have to find one :-). But it's meant to be that a magnolia branch will look heavenly in it.       

♥! Chanel Las Vegas

Underground art

Let's do this for one day!

Pics of today's Neighbourfood market

It was absolutely delicious!! Had a lovely time with N. Just chatting, eating, drinking and looking ;-). Had a very nice pumpkin tart with taleggio, red wine and parmesan risotto, pinxto's and a mini double vanilla cupcake as dessert. The chardonnay wine was also yammie. I like the concept that you just join other people on the long tables. It really does have a neighbourhood function in a city that sometimes feels quite anonymous.  

Exotic bird sounds

I'm smiling whilst writing this post... Because it may sound a bit weird, ehum, but it's actually quite zen. Bird sounds! Exotic bird sounds to be more precise. The word 'exotic' makes it an easier confession. I just downloaded the album 'Exotic birds' from Bird Sounds and it's quite a chill background sound on this sunday morning. And it reminds me of my South Africa trip! Overall, it makes me a happy person. Have a lovely sunday! 

Sunday morning quote

It perfectly describes the feeling I got yesterday. 
And well, it's a lovely pinkish (is this a word?!) colour ;-)

My mom, the style icon

I like the concept of the 'blog turned into a book' of My Mum, the Style icon. Sometimes we tend to forget that our mothers were also young and interested in style & fashion. Just like us! It's s scrapbook of over 200 vintage snapshots of moms from decades past, along with some amazing stories about the lives they lived when we weren't paying attention. 

Friday morning breakfast

I started today with only one mission: to FINALLY get on Pinterest! I don't know what 'kosmos' is upto but in some shady way I've been on the waiting list for nearly 2 months. I even tried to use a second e-mail address (I was extremely happy with this cunning action;) but nope! So in the process of letting go I just want to say: I'M EXTREMELY JEALOUS OF ALL THE PEOPLE WITH A PINTEREST ACCOUNT! So, that really helps and the pancakes I made this morning also soothes my inner pain, whahaa. 

Sweet dreams!

Paperfashion

      paperfashion

It's a site from a girl, Katie Rodgers, obsessed with style and she's chasing her creative dreams! An inspiring blog with lovely illustrations. For the creative people entre nous: she's got some book tips if you want to pursue your own dreams. D;-) ->

And don't forget to enjoy her fashion illustrations. Like the Chloe spring look 2012 ->

Fairy new style

I absolutely love this 'new style' fairytale visuals. Have a lovele day and remember: today is Wednesday! Almost weekend ;-)

Why I (do) ♥ Valentine

BECAUSE...

♥ It makes me happy to surprise the one I ♥ with a pink inspired breakfast surrounded by at least fifty paper ♥'s after consequently bashing V~day

♥ That cute Starbucks guy informed whether I had someone waiting for me tonight...

♥ I entered a train with a surreal number of red ♥ balloons someone left in the train

♥ It gives me an excuse to make a ♥ shaped pizza

♥ ...and ♥ shaped pancakes with maple syrup for dessert

♥ And well, you know, it's an excellent excuse to drink bubbly wine on a Tuesday!

♥♥♥

♥♥

♥

Eat breakfast ♥

Goodmorning! Hope you had a lovely night with some exciting or maybe quite the opposite, some relaxing and zen dreams. Enjoy your day and don't forget to... Or maybe someone special made you some ♥ 

Yogatime!

Wow! Today my mind & body were totally craving for a yogasession. It had been a while and since I'm currently not taking yogalessons there was no other option than a DIY - session@home... In possesion of a lovely lavender coloured yoga it makes me happy even 'unfolding' the mat. And seriously, I don't know how it works, but even a short practice (15 minutes) raised my energylevel and at the same time slowed down my hysteric mind. So lovely! The recurring question remains: why am I not doing 'DIY yoga' on a regular base if it rises my spirit?! 

So!! 

Writing stuff for 

is such a nice thing to do! 

 Pinterest

Just something for the weekend

Paris: mon amour! With a specific love interest in le Marais

After my visit to Paris during les journées Nomade last year there was no other option: I had to return in 2012. Les journées Nomades is a weekend full of art in all kind of different ways in le Marais. From special exhibitions in art galleries to visits to the ateliers of artists and more. It's a festival and the specific part in Le Marais where it is set, le Haut Marais was a new area for me. It's a part of le Marais with loads of locals, just a few tourists, lovely unique boutiques and quite some biological restaurants. Instead of the typical Paris pictures, I posted some other pictures I took above. Can't wait to return in June!

Ça va?

I'm a postcard addict, and I love it! And no, I'm not a member of the 'postcard anonymous group' for preferring handwritten stuff over the digital messages. It just makes me happy to encounter postcards which make me laugh, think or are just so pretty that it touches me like a beautiful artpiece can do. It makes me even happier to write the card and send it to someone who is the perfect match for the specific card. 


As I'm aware of the fact that anno 2012 lots of people find this a bit old fashioned, it makes me utterly happy to receive a card myself! Finding a handwritten envelope in my mailbox (like yesterday: thanks D:) really makes my day. Yesterday: after a long day at work with lots of meetings, travelling outside in the cold, just longing to go home and sit on the couch with a warm cup of tea the trip from my mailbox to my frontdoor (eight stairs!) was a piece of cake. And I don't instantly tear the envelope open, no, I just wait till I'm relaxed and ready to open the card so I can enjoy it most!


An example of a funny card I bought is below. It's extra special due to the fact that is was hand printed on an old letterpress machine. I've got an idea: why don't you print the card and write some words, sentences or just draw something to answer the ça va? question...

Afrique la chic

http://ijmcolour.com/

A creative concept for selling paint on a waterbase.

I love their colours with names like 'flop flop', 'vivetta', 'espadrilla' and 'roppongi' and the way they present the colours: via arty images like Afrique la chic. 

Breakfast on the edge

Morning! Had some extremely busy days but today is relaxation day, although I've got quite some things to do. Like writing some stuff for the Coeur Blonde newspaper! A bit scary but at the same time lots of fun. Lana del Rey's Video Games keeps popping up in my mind. Just found out there's a music video of the song and it quite matches the look and feel of the song: a bit weird but I like it.

The edgy part of this post is my adorable pink knife with a killer instinct. I didn't dare using it for a while due to a cut but seriously, I'm no cissy! The knife from Kai Pure Komachi cuts so lovely. So I attacked a grapefuit with it for my breakfast and no blood whatsoever. Although the grapefruit does look a bit scary on the picture...  Craving for a latte so will be right back with some happy news!