All work and no play

I´m so worked up by my own problems, schedule, moods and goals that I managed to get myself into a really old-fashioned fatigue. No matter what´s happening, I only dream of a holiday. I tried to think of other stuff, get a haircut, buy some new clothes, but the thing is I´m bored with the scenery. So I bought tickets for Tallin, Estonia in december. Figured that 3 days in a spa hotel with lots of pampering haven´t hurt anyone. Besides, we´ll be shopping at their famous Christmas markets and stroll in the pretty old town. I got my hopes up on´vin chaud´or ´gluhwein´or whatever they call it out there, I´m going to have a mug every other hour, I reckon.

Meanwhile, I´m all buried in papers and accountancy, drinking too much coffee and walking around with sky high shoulders. I feel that my days are so unpredictable that no matter how much I try to make it through the day without getting an ulcer, something will destroy the balance- either somebody´s late, which makes me late for my next appointment, or the traffic and the Gods are against me.

That being said, I´m looking forward to Berlin in two weeks. Conference and pleasure, what do you know?! If you feel the urge to recommend some places, please do! Otherwise, I hope it´s warmer there than here and that the Thai food is just as amazing and the drafts just as big.

To wrap things up I just want to tell you that I´m a very proud auntie, I have the cutest niece and I´m looking forward to seeing her soon. She has the cutest smile and already 6 teeth! Take a look for yourselves! Isn´t she adorable?!

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Monday

A tiny part of me is dying every Sunday evening along with the movie I´m watching. I can feel it through my body, a kind of sadness without reason. I hate Mondays, you see. They represent the end of everything that´s fun while resuming work and routine.

This Monday though was nothing less than perfect. I didn´t work until 12 and even then just for a couple of hours, so I could walk Sam for a whole hour in the morning and eat breakfast for a change. After hours, I bought groceries for a goulash and went to the hairdresser. For three whole hours I was pampered and entertained, had my hair dyed and cut and got to read everything about the new trends in fashion and interior. I felt fresh and light and happy, so I payed Anette a visit at Reprise, the coolest second hand shop in town, and stumbled upon the most beautiful scarf I´ve ever seen! Pure silk from Emilio Pucci at a quarter of the price it costs in the shops!  I´m so happy I envy myself for that purchase!

After having made a prima goulash and treated myself with a facial mask, I sat down with a magazine and a glass of prosecco and felt a quiver of bliss. Let the week begin, I´m ready for it!

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Converted farmhouse in Hampshire, England

Can you believe this was a barn? God, I love its details, the beams, the light, the wooden walls! This former stall was converted into a 3 rooms apartment and retains a lot of charm and character. What do you think?

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East Sussex home

I´ve been searching for three days for a home that suits my taste so I could share it with you. Finally I found this one from 1903, I hope you agree that it´s very chic and fresh. Didn´t like the kids´room, so I left them out, but what do I know, I´m not there yet..;-)

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Saturday morning

Hi! How ya´doing?

I´m done with my written exam in order to become a state certified interpreter, now I just have to wait until December to see the result. Meanwhile I´m so relieved I almost feel I should start on another big project.  At the same time I feel completely apathetic, can´t even decide what to do with my Saturday, I just want to read a good book, drink a good cup of tea or indulge in some dark chocolate.

For a girl who feeds on plans, having none is pure bliss. I´ll just read the paper and cuddle with Beo until Vuong comes home from work, listening to Madeleine Peyroux.  We´re going out this evening,  I don´t even feel like deciding which restaurant. I need to find a dress in my wardrobe, it shouldn´t be a problem, dresses are the only thing I have enough of, dresses and silk scarves are my big passion.

Haven´t been to the theatre in ages, maybe I´ll book tickets for tomorrow. You need to do something else than lunch with friends and go to flea markets all the time. And I need to wash some clothes. Everything seems so straining today. How´s your Saturday?

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Fabulous apartment in Rome

This apartment is designer Carola Vannini´s work of art in Rome and I wouldn´t mind living here while exploring the city! The furniture is carefully selected and kept to a minimum, so the flat´s main assets- the light and the curvaceous frame- emerge in all their splendor. Check out the view from the living room! Imagine staying in the very old town and having a terrace, now that´s what I call luck!

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Jaffa house

Now this is a unique property! Hundreds of years old house in Old Jaffa, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, this is more than regular people dare to dream of! This gem of a house was stripped down to the bone to reveal its former beauty and didn´t they do a marvelous job?! I love the respect they showed the house´s frame and how the modern embraces its old ascetic feel. If I ever get to own a holiday home, let it be like this one!

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Beautiful Vilnius apartment

After spending several years to find the perfect apartment in Vilnius, Lithuania, architect Rytis Mikulionis chose to settle down here. I understand him perfectly. Far away from being a minimalist myself, I find myself drawn to clean lines, spacious rooms and underplayed surfaces. I imagine this being a bachelor´s home. What do you think?

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It´s time for food!

These days I´ve been active on the kitchen front and I always find it up-lifting. The thing with me is that I love cooking, but I´m also very lazy. So I have to trick myself into doing it for a higher purpose, the way I sometimes manage tricking myself into working out. This being said, there´s nothing better than enjoying a glass of wine while preparing something for the man you love. Nothing can beat that, if you ask me. I was born with a little bit of a mother nature complex- I need to feed the world. In other words, if you like my food, we´ll probably be friends in no time!

Yesterday I made my anchovies pie. It´s a classic in our house, I´ve been making it for years now. I got the recipe from a friend living in England and at that time my only relationship with anchovies was that I used to pick them off the pizza. Now I think they can lift up a whole dish!

Here comes the recipe:

butter dough (buy or make your own)

1 big onion

pine kernels

chopped tomatoes

oregano

thyme

chilli pepper (cayenne pepper)

2 small boxes of anchovies

parmesan

rusk (or dried bread crumbs)

Sear the onion for a couple of minutes in a pan. Add the tomatoes and the herbs. Season with chili pepper (cayenne pepper), salt and pepper. Let is simmer for 15-20 minutes on a low temperature.

Meanwhile, form the pie dough after the pie form and save some threads to cover the pie like a blue berry pie. Stick small holes in the dough with a fork. Put it in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.

When the tomato sauce is ready, take out the pie, spread it on top of it, cover with bread crumbs, sprinkle with pine kernels and grate some parmesan on top.

Put the anchovies on top and line up the pie dough to look pretty. 15-20 minutes in the oven. Bon apetit!

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