Category Archives: LIFESTYLE

KANDIA REGAL

I got my hands on these two bars of chocolate when I was in Bucharest during Christmas last year and I wanted to find out more about romanian chcolate. here is what I found out:

“the first romanian chocolate products with royal name were launched at Elisabeta Palace on April, 6, 2015. “Kandia Regal” is the name, including three sorts: milk chocolate named after Princess Margareta, dark chocolate with 55 pc cocoa named after Prince Radu and dark chocolate with 75 pc cocoa Peles Castle.

“in Romania, for more than 120 years, the Royal House has encouraged the national chocolate production, each generation, starting with King Carol I and Queen Elisabeth attached their names to the Romanian chocolate. there was even a chocolate factory ‘Queen Mary’, set up in 1919.”

I only tried the 55pc and 75pc cocoa chocolate and they were super delicious, not too sweet and not too bitter. I personally liked the 55pc a bit better than the 75pc. not sure if I could tell the difference between this dark chocolate and the LINDT dark chocolate that I usually eat. so it def has some chance to be compared to swiss chocolate!

 

_MG_3999

 

 

 

 

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

SMOOTHIE

smoothie

this morning I started with a delicious milky smoothie. I had frozen raspberries, a banana and milk and these are all the things one needs to make this very smoothie. its very simple and all you need in addition is a jar or jug and a stick blender. a very optional thing is to have a fancy paper straw. I found mine via DAISO, a japanese shop in San Francisco.

1/2  glass MILK
1     bowl RASPBERRIES
1     big BANANA

put everything in the jar and use the stick blender to mix everything. once you are happy with the consistency pour it in your favorite glass, add a straw and thats it!

smoothie

I am a big fan of these biodegradable paper straws, they totally make my day! they make a simple glass of water look fancy and I love to drink my smoothies with a straw, the only down side is that they start to degrade or fall apart very fast, so make sure to either have enough in order to switch your straw every now and then or you have to drink fast, lol! have a good day! X

 

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

MY SERENITY x YANKEE CANDLE

my serenity yankee candle

there is a new YANKEE CANDLE collection out called MY SERENITY with four new scents:

PEONY
MY SERENITY
LEMONGRASS & GINGER
MOONLIGHT.

a great variety of scents with something for everyone! my favorite one is the MOONLIGHT as it is the freshest of them all. I love candles that smell like fresh washed laundry. somehow it reminds me a bit of Midsummers Night, another favorite of mine from last years collection. my second favorite ones are PEONY and LEMONGRASS &GINGER. where PEONY is very very floral LEMONGRASS & GINGER is very herbal and gingery a mix of them would be interesting and I will give it a try to light both of them next to eachother. a small candle burns between 25 and 40 hours, thats actually not bad at all considered that its the smallest size. (medium size burns 56-90 hours / largest size burns 110-150 hours) I buy my YANKEE CANDLEs at Pfauen or Coop City as I can use my SUPERCARD points there but I also saw them at MANOR or online directly via their webshop >> I am curious to know which one is your favorite. X

my serenity yankee candle

candle tips:
trim the wick – it should always be around 3-5 mm long in order to prevent smoking.
let the wax pool, meaning each time you burn your candle allow the entire top layer to become a fragant pool of liquid wax, like this you get the boldest scent possible and will also help to prevent tunneling.

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

BUCURESTI

BUCUREŞTI

that was our beautiful view from the AIRBN place in BUCURESTI. we arrived on December, 27, and stayed until January, 1, 2016 and I saw so many nice things and I also saw many not so nice things. as you know me I rather focus on positive things and try to see the best in everything I do and live. hence the name of the blog. the situation in Romania is very special and difficult to judge from the outside and even after talking to local friends of Cristian I realized that this country has so much more to offer. It needs politicians who stand for their people and not for their own benefits. the country needs lots of reforms and transperancy when it comes to projects. Romania has great, smart and qualified people and is a country with precious resources, hopefully it will soon be a step closer to realize a change, I really wish for a country with less corruption and more trust.

Continue reading BUCURESTI

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

BRASOV – ROMANIA

as you read in my previous post I am currently in Romania where I have spent a lovely Craciun = Christmas in Brasov and am now enjoying some days in Bucharest.

in BRASOV you should definitely visit the old city center with the gorgeous old houses and  the black church and stroll around the streets. BRASOV has the third narrowest street in Europe (told by our cab driver) STRADA SFORII (means rope street and is between 111 and 135 cm wide and about 80 meters long.) brasov brasov

house in brasovold doorI saw so many beautiful houses and when you go a bit outside of the old city center  you will see houses that are abandoned or half done. I find Brasov a very picturesque city and I have to go back and take photos of all the beautiful gates and doors. abandoned housewe started the day with ZOOM SERIE which opened 5 days ago and is famous for their sweets. they have an awesome list of fresh teas and make fresh juice. I can totally recommend the juice with banana, apple and oranges, the SWEET NOVEMBER tea, I hope I remember that tea correctly : ) its the one with hibiscus and berries and their BROWNIES. mmmhhmm! zoom seriewe ate very well at BISTRO DEL ARTE and HOCKEY PUB, in general the food was very delicious. as a vegetarian I was warned that Romania is the country of meat and cheese, two things I don’t like at all. but as I said I could not complain there were vegetarian dishes on the menu. a local vegetarian dish is ZACUSCA 🙂 another place that I really liked is called BISTRO MA COCOTTE. here you can see my BRUSCHETTA and PASTA from the hockey club. pasta Bruschettama cocotte bistromacocotte

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

MERRY CHRISTMAS

merry christmas

this year I am in Brasov for CHRISTMAS and I love exploring this beautiful city of Romania. there is a huge christmas tree in the center of the old city and fancy lights that are hanging above the streets. BRASOV is a very beautiful city with lots of amazing looking old houses. some of them need more care than the owners can spare but in general there is a movement in order to preserve the cultural heritage of Brasov. and now let me show you some photos. X

xmas tree XXL xmas food and friends xmas tree in the making leas outfit

so let me tell you a bit more about what we have done so far. we have visited the new flat of C’s parents, strolled around the city, visited friends, decorated the christmas tree and took some photos for the blog. more to come, stay tuned. X

 

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

HOME SWEET HOME

HOME SWEET HOME

I loooove scented candles, especially in winter! so today I wanna share some of my favorite scented candles with you. and as you can see in the photo above also something that is scented but not a candle. I will get back to that soon. alright, lets start with

Continue reading HOME SWEET HOME

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

STARBUCKS

HONEY AND ALMOND HOT CHOCOLATE

mmmmhhhmmm, this looks delicious. one person can win three VOUCHERS FOR THEIR FAVORITE DRINK at STARBUCKS as part of my THANK YOU give away week! all you need to do is join the give away below. GOOD LUCK! X Rafflecopter giveaway

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

LOGITECH PLAY MOUSE give away

today I am giving away two computer mouses from the play collection by logitech. it is the second day of the big CHRISTMAS GIVE AWAY. I wanna thank you all for being here!

I am super happy with my fox mouse, read about it here >>, and therefore I wanna share this joy with you! it could be also the perfect christmas present for your friends and loved ones. so take a moment and join the give away below by entering either via FB or email
Rafflecopter giveaway

Marc Monkey

Marc Monkey Play Mouse
Luke Lion
Luke Lion Play Mouse

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

MY WORK SPACE

yay, I got a new lovely mouse via Logitech. thanks so much!  FRANCESCA

the fox is called FRANCESCA and is part of the new playcollection‬ logitechM238 and I was thinking of calling her ERICA. somehow I think this name suits the fox better 🙂 anyway, I have been working with this sweet bugger for the last couple of weeks and I really like it! another nice thing is the price: 29.90 CHF which really is a bargain plus it makes me happy to see a little fox instead of my grey mac mouse. now what else is on my desk besides the iMac and the mouse?

FRANCESCA

< ACCEPT what is, let go of what was and have FAITH in what will be >
thats what it says on my rituals candle and I absolutely love the message. it is so true but not always easy to accept what is. I struggle with that but I have to say that I feel a lot better since 2013 and that almost every day that has passed since then was a good day! when I work at my desk for my blog from at home I want to feel good and thats when the flowers come in. I love flowers and I try to spoil myself every week with new ones. this week I chose pink roses and put them in the old vase I have found at the fleamarket. another important thing on my desk is my agenda, I am still oldschool when it comes to scheduling my time : ) the cutest thing next to the little fox is the white clock that I also found at the fleamarket it is a mechanical one with no batteries and makes quiet some noise but like with almost everything one gets used to it after a while..

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

BODY SCRUB TIME

Body Scrub

I am sure some of you might wonder why this post is in the lifestyle category. so let’s consider having a nice and soft skin as a lifestyle. I do and I wish you would agree. : ) body scrubs, exfoliators or peelings are basically the same, there are just different names used. try to use one where there are no plastic balls involved because it is not good for the planet and also not good for your skin.

M.ASAM has amazing body scrubs and I have tested some and I gotta to say: I found a favorite among them. my favorite one is called BROWN SUGAR. unfortunately I could not find it anymore on their online shop, but they have a very similar one that you can check here >> another one I have tried by M.ASAM is called 2015 and is a very nice slightly powdery fragranced scrub. the last one I have tried by them is called DREAM OF ROSES and I was only able to find the body cream – check here >>  the cool thing about M.ASAM is that they sell scrubs and creams from the same fragrance and line. after the peeling I love using the same fragranced cream.

FUN FACT
at M.ASAM you can customize the stick on label by adding text to the two bottom lines. also there are options to choose different background images. check the example here >> this makes it a very great CHRISTMAS present!

in the image above you can see a blue scrub (top) thats the one by CLINIQUE and I have used that one in summer a lot, it is a cool and fresh body scrub called SPARKLE SKIN BODY EXFOLIATOR this product is great for men and women as it has no fragrance. the other two are by M.ASAM. the middle one is DREAM OF ROSES and the bottom one is BROWN SUGAR. unforutnately I used up the 2015 body scrub already during summer but you can see the packaging in the photo below. for sure I will be talking about it in my next EMPTIES video on youtube.

BODY SCRUB

how often and what for?
I use a body scrub every other day. in summer I like a cooling fresh one and in winter I like a nice warm scented one. in spring I use body scrubs before fake tanning but in general I think it is great to remove the old dead pieces of skin. after showering with a body scrub my skin feels amazingly soft and smooth. especially my ellbow, knees and heels like an extra scrub. body scrubs are great for men and women and I am sure that you will find something nice for you.

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

KNEIPP® CRYSTAL

KNEIPP

GLÜCKLICHE AUSZEIT (happy time out)
it promises relaxation for beautiful moments with help of
red poppy and hemp

what a color – OMG – I was first worried that it s gonna stain my bath tub but nope it didnt! a great bath for relaxing, perfect before going to bed.

KNEIPP

WALDSPAZIERGANG (forest walk)
it promises to breath deeply and recharge relaxation and this with the help of
pine and fir

another one that is perfect before going to bed, it relaxed me completely and I had an amazingly deep sleep. the color of the water is a nice subtle green, and it didnt stain my bath tub, yay!

KNEIPP

ENTSPANNUNG PUR (pure relaxation)
it promises to calm one down with help of
melissa

with help of the blue water I completely shut down and almost fell asleep in the tub. so also this bugger is perfect before sleeping and also didnt stain my tub.

KNEIPP

JUNGBRUNNEN (fountain of youth)
it promises to stimulate the senses and new drive with helo of
pomegranate and amaranth oil
so far this is the only one that I would not recommend using before sleeping. its one to start the weekend, perfect for a morning bath. look at the color, it is even brighter than the first one and also didnt stain my tub.

overall I am very very pleased with the KNEIPP® Badekristalle and I will try out more of them. I am a bath tub person and I love my weekend baths. before I was using either LUSH or the DRESDNER essence, read more about them here >> and here >> I found them at MIGROS and MUELLER and they cost between 1.50 CHF and 1.70 CHF) the variety is huge, lets see what I end up next with. stay tuned. X

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

what do you have for breakfast?

what do you have for breakfast

what do I start my day with?
I love to eat cereals. there are so many different kinds, and I would always choose cereals over müsli : ) anyway, at the moment I am eating the Kellogg’s ALL BRAN regular cereals and I mix them with bananas, berries and honey. my dad has recently started to make honey, and hands down his honey is the best I have ever had, he lives in Grossaffoltern and he has lots of farmers, gardens and forest around his house and he takes great care of his bees.

bees are very important, and I know that there are lots of vegans who say that it is cruel to eat honey. I can agree with the general idea that humans should not eat so much meat and other animal products. I am a vegetarian ever since I was born, and I never liked the taste of meat. BUT when it comes to honey I was always a big honey lover. both of my parents side are making honey, so I never had to buy honey from the supermarket or local market, I got it either form my californian family or from my swiss family and now my dad is in the honey business too. we have to take care of our environment, we should be more aware of what we eat and how it was produced. especially the bees are about to die and we know that when the bees die we will be next.. I have planted special flowers on my balcony so I can help the city bees. there are great movies and campaigns about saving the bees, have a look here and here.

what do you start your day with? let me know in the comments below, I am curious to hear what you are having in the mornings. have a lovely day. X

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

BACKPACK ?? YES PLEASE!

today I wanna introduce my new backpack / bag. jup you heard right, its a 2 in 1. I am talking about VICTORIA HARMONY from the new fall collection by VICTORINOX.

2 in 1 HARMONY
15.6” / 40cm (laptop)
pocket for tablet/ eReader
backpack and shoulderbag
meets most U.S. and International carry-on regulations
189 CHF / limited colors: BLACK CHERRY / MOCHA BROWNVICTORIA

#
organizational panel with smartphone pocket, two pen loops large enough to hold writing utensils or a lipstick and a micro-suede zippered valuables pocket great for jewelry, but also perfectly sized for a pair of sunglasses.

VICTORIA

#
padded, adjustable backpack straps hide behind rear pocket when carrying as a shoulder bag.

VICTORIA

#
rear pocket converts to a sleeve to conveniently slide over the handle system of wheeled luggage.

VICTORIA

#
adjustable leather straps allow bag to be carried over the shoulder.

I absolutely love my new companion and I finally know how it feels to carry all the wight on the back and have free hands, thats awesome. the black cherry color goes well with my wardrobe and what I also like is the very small logo. I dont like it when bags or accessories have huge logos. so this 2in1 is more than just a backpack and a bag its also an everyday bag or backpack.

about VICTORINOX

“when my great-grandfather Karl Elsener opened a cutlery workshop to deliver a soldier knife to the swiss army in 1884, he had a revolutionary idea in mind. he was looking for a compact and sturdy knife, which offered many functions combined in a single tool. What he invented has long become a legend: the Original Swiss Army Knife. over the years, both customer needs and technology have changed. The Swiss Army Knife has evolved by responding to these needs, while remaining an essential tool our clients can rely on.
that’s our story. but it’s not what turned the Victorinox Knife into an icon. It’s about the stories our customers experienced in which our products played a vital role: stories about memorable moments of adventure and expeditions on earth, in the sky, and in space. dramatic stories in which our products contributed to solutions and saved lives. Even stories of prominent encounters where our knives opened doors, helping to create ties between politicians, opinion leaders and nations. we invite you to discover the world of Victorinox and are proud to be a companion for your life. In addition to pocket, household and professional knives, today the independent family company Victorinox also produces and sells timepieces, travel gear, fashion and fragrances all over the world. each product is an expression of Swiss quality and Swiss pioneering spirit. thank you for your interest and trust in Victorinox.

ELLA

oooh and last but not least the perfume packaging of Victorinox eLLa won the Audience Award 2015 and reaches a top 3 placement in the category Design. Congratulations! X

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail