We had a great day yesterday serving waffles and coffee to friends and their children, playing spooky with Sam and his little disciples, as well as looking for Beo (the cat), who´d gone into hiding from all that clamour. We sold quite a few things and are holding our breath hoping that more people will knock on our day today, too. 😉
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Flea market
Top 5 Things to Do in Berlin
I simply love Berlin. It has little of what I usually find enchanting in a city- the architecture, a romantic old town, the sea and, last but not least, dark and beautiful people. 😉 But it does a great job compensating the lack of European grandeur (due to the fact that it was bombed under WW II) with a down to earth buzz, which is why I prefer it to both Barcelona and Rome. Berlin has the river Spree and knows how to use it, it has incredibly creative people, lots of galleries and cultural happenings everywhere, yummy restaurants, world class museums, not to mention the “not so bad” Bauhaus buildings. 😉 I´ve been there quite a lot in the last 6 years and I like to think I know the city a little bit, so I invite you to read about my top 5 things to do when in Berlin.
Saturday morning
Woke up way too early from a congested nose and a bad cough, read some papers online and indulged myself in drinking coffee in bed. 😉 I was planning to go to a flea market with Sammy, but I still don´t feel great, so I´ll leave it for the next weekend. Don´t think I´d be interested in any treasures with people all over me.
I could make some scones and style the house. Maybe later. Think I might just read a book and make myself some good old-fashioned cocoa for the moment. And then man up for a longer walk with Sammy boy, it´s such a nice way of bonding! Besides, the sun is shining and it´s one of those beautiful spring days. I should try to make something out of it. 😉 I think I might lay here and drink some more coffee for a while, though. This is my view.
Etsy goodies
Today was a truly nice day. I woke up late and had all the time in the world to cuddle with my babies in bed, reading blogs, checking instagram pictures and drinking coffee. Later on, I and Sam headed for a flea market with a friend of ours, mostly as an excuse to get out of the house (since the weather is horrendous this time of the year), but also to see if we find something cool. We did find a poster, a couple of fancy jars for my annual lemon curd gifting and a glass bunny that fits right in our living room exhibition. I had to have a chocolate cake bite and Sam got a sausage since he´d rather be in the woods than around thousands of noisy people, but he got some ear rubs, so it was all good. At home we had lunch- roast beef left overs from yesterday, eggplant salad that my mother made a week ago, baked sweet potatoes and focaccia. It was all yummy and familiar and somehow it took us back to Romania for a moment or two.
Now I´m in bed again, the cat purring beside me, and I´m gathering energy for tonight´s Christmas party with the Interpreters´ Union. I don´t always do well with strangers and I´ve only met a couple of them, so I´m a bit nervous. It takes a certain kind of person to join a union and I usually find them a bit loud, to put it mildly. Anyhow, I hope it´ll be less work talk and more wine, besides I must be a bit like them, too, since I´m in!
In the meantime, I´m dreaming of nice stuff on Etsy. It seems I won´t be able to shop for a while, so I might as well do some virtual gazing. 😉
Copenhagen part II
Yesterday it rained all day and my depressive state of mind would have prevented me from doing anything at all had I not been on a city break and had a frisky husband and friends. 😉 We started with a cup of latte and some tea buns typical for the Copenhagen area, took our umbrellas with us and made our way to Østerbro gade for a walk and, hopefully, some shopping. 😉 We entered several cool shops- toy stores, Norman Copenhagen´s design haven, a French brocante so overpriced not even I could justify buying anything there and some vintage stores. After buying a soft white bunny for my niece, I was left breathless when we entered Second, a luxury vintage store like the ones I can only dream of in Norway! Moreover, they had a gorgeous pair of burgundy stiletto heels from Stella McCartney in my size! I was sold! I also found a lovely knitted jacket with silk lining and managed to bargain for a nail polish as a free bonus!;-)
Paris is always a good idea (part 2)
Now, I haven´t been to NY or anywhere else outside Europe for that matter, but I´m pretty sure few cities can equal Paris when it comes to celebrating one´s birthday! I turned 34 on Saturday and I had the best anniversary ever! I woke up to jazz music just outside our window (we stayed in Bastille) and my husband had been out and bought me a rose, breakfast and cake. Breakfast in bed with Paris at my feet, that´s pretty much of a gift itself!
We were supposed to go to Clignancourt for the flea market, but the lazy morning and the prospects of a lunch date with some friends made the time too short. I didn´t despair though, there´re lots of markets in Paris and as it turned out, there was one just outside our apartment. 😉 Lots of goodies- antiques, industrial lamps, vintage garments, you name it! Although not exactly cheap, the prices were generally better than in shops, at least in Norway. 😉 We bought an antique bronze statue, with marble and ivory, it´s a beauty!
Saturday
My favorite day of the week finally arrived and I made it count. 😉 We had a long breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon and tomatoes with the mandatory coffee. Later on I pretended Sam was not a polar dog, but an urban one, so I dragged him to a flea market and the farmers´market. Needless to say, he wasn´t pleased and he barked and howled and scared the bejesus out of both kids and smaller dogs. Silly mom, why couldn´t she just stick with the woods!
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?
Long time, no London
I was reading something today and realized how much I miss London. I need to make time for a short trip to the city that has it all. I need to be walking alongside millions of people, indulge in a cake by Covent Garden, shop at Notting Hill, go Asian at Wagamama and raid a couple of flea markets for jewelry and antiques. I´ve been to London four times, but I feel you need to go there twice a year in order to keep up with the city. I love its people, its coolness, its contrasts. I´d appreciate any suggestions for my coming trip. 2014 is the YEAR for trips, babies and a driving licence! Here I come!
life in a bubble 