Tag Archives: summer

BARCELONA FOOD TIPS

MY BARCELONA FOOD TIPS

I was in Barcelona for a week. I went with C, the weather was perfect and both of us have already been to Barcelona. now I have some really delicious food tips to share with you. so without further ado, lets start MY BARCELONA FOOD TIPS.
BARCELONA FOOD TIPS
MY BARCELONA FOOD TIP #1
BRUNCH & CAKE // FB
C/Enrique Granados
08007 Barcelona
we had a lovely brunch at brunch & cake. when we arrived, it was really busy. we had to leave our name and wait. after 15 minutes we got a beautiful outdoor table and were ready to order. in case you are planning to eat there I would make a reservation.
BARCELONA FOOD TIPS

we really loved the food presentation. all of our meals were served in different plates. well, in M’s case it was a shovel. 🙂 it was the first time we saw food being served in a shovel and we all thought its an awesome idea. so, what did we eat? we ordered: egg benedict, quinoa burger and avocado toast. mmhhmm, everything was super tasty.
BARCELONA FOOD TIPS
MY BARCELONA FOOD TIP #2
SMS DELICES // FB
C/Asturias 33
08012 Barcelona
this is a spanish restaurant serving tapas but in a very elegant and modern way. I had the best BRAVAS (potatoes with a spicy sauce) and C loved his PULPO (octopus) on the sticks. its a tiny space but very cozy and relaxed with a good atmosphere. we felt almost like at home.
BARCELONA FOOD TIPS
these are the BRAVAS that I was mentioning before. mmmhhmm, look at this creamy spicy sauce that covers the potatoes. and below that photo you can see the PULPO on the stick. we would absolutely recommend to eat at SMS DELICIES and try the BRAVAS and PULPO.
BARCELONA FOOD TIPSBARCELONA FOOD TIPS
MY BARCELONA FOOD TIP #3
EL NACIONAL // FB
Passeig de Gracia 24
08007 Barcelona
ooh wow. we did not expect such a beautiful space when we walked towards EL NACIONAL. its hidden between the houses at Passeig de Gracia. a place to relax for a moment and enjoy a traditional spanish meal or a refreshing drink. EL NACIONAL used to be a garage and was transformed to this very cozy hall with different restaurants and bars. I really hope that you so far enjoy my BARCELONA FOOD TIPS and I would love to hear from you. which are your favorite places to eat in Barcelona?
BARCELONA FOOD TIPS
thats how the entrance looks like. lots of wood and green with a very nice wooden cobble stone floor. wow. look at this! I really have to go back and eat and drink something in all the different places inside the EL NACIONAL. I was so impressed with the decor so be prepared for lots of photos.
BARCELONA FOOD TIPSBARCELONA FOOD TIPS
we chose to eat at the LA PARADETA, which was a very great choice. the GAZPACHO soup was one of the best I have ever had. unfortunately I totally forgot to take a picture. maybe because I was taking so many photos of the beautiful location. each restaurant or bar had their own style but everything fot very well together. the nicest thing of each place were the lamps.

BARCELONA FOOD TIPSBARCELONA FOOD TIPSBARCELONA FOOD TIPSBARCELONA FOOD TIPS

the lavatories were really nice as well. a nice mix of materials and a lovely reuse of old pipes and faucets. there were big photos of how this place use to look like. the transformation of the garage to EL NACIONAL.

BARCELONA FOOD TIPS  BARCELONA FOOD TIPS  BARCELONA FOOD TIPS

 

BARCELONA FOOD TIPSBARCELONA FOOD TIPS
MY BARCELONA FOOD TIP #4
BOTAFUMEIRO // FB
C/Gran de Gracia 81
08012 Barcelona
‘When the raw material is the best on the market, the only thing a chef need do is respect the product, using the right amount of heat and seasoning to arouse all its flavour and aroma.’


Moncho Neira, Botafumeiro’s owner and chef
BARCELONA FOOD TIPSBARCELONA FOOD TIPS
BOTAFUMEIRO is a very elegant and very well known restaurant in the heart of Carrer Gran de Gracia. a lot of famous people have dined there and lots of photos are shown at the entrance. (Clinton, Bush, several football players and actors) the place is famous for its fish and sea food dishes. from the entrance the place looks like a normal restaurant. but by walking further I realized how big BOTAFUMEIRO was. there were so many different rooms and platforms. with the white dressed waiters I somehow had the impression of being on a cruise ship. It is a funny and lovely combination of The Grand Budapest Hotel and the The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, two awesome Wes Anderson movies.

BARCELONA FOOD TIPS

BARCELONA FOOD TIPS
MY BARCELONA FOOD TIP #5
CAFE CAMELIA // FB
Calle Verdi 79
08012 Barcelona
thats the place where we have spent our last night in Barcelona and both had an amazing dinner. the funny thing was, that we were looking for a place to eat and were walking down Calle Verdi reading the menus and checking the restaurants. so when I read their menu, I could not belive my eyes. I LIKED EVERYTHING ON THE MENU. thats a very rare thing to happen. and when C came to check the menu too, he finally found out why. CAFE CAMELIA is a vegetarian restaurant. well, now everything made more sense. lol 🙂
BARCELONA FOOD TIPS
we ordered a QUINOA BURGER and COUS COUS VEGETABLE STEW and started with a fresh vegetables/fruit juice. awww, the food was delicious and the waiters were so kind and nice. I will def go back to this place. lets see how fast I can be back in Barcelona 🙂
BARCELONA FOOD TIPSBARCELONA FOOD TIPS
so, that was it for MY BARCELONA FOOD TIPS. I hope you found them helpful. I took all the photos with my new HUAWEI p9 phone. I am very curious to hear about your favorite restaurants in Barcelona. please leave a comment below. X
FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

VITRA SUMMER PARTY 2015

as every year it was a blast to be invited by VITRA for the summerparty during ART BASEL. look at the lovely decoration – so nice! there was cool music and lots of nice art and design to see. there are many different buildings inside the VITRA campus, the newest is by SANA. my favorite one is the showroom by HERZOG & DE MEURON but I also like the one by TADAO ANDO. this years entry badge was a piece of fabric that the tied around our wrists. a nice idea but so far the metall bands were my favorite – I still have them and collected the different colors from other friends that were there.

VITRA

the food was delicious and there was a nice vegetarian alternative. my favorite was the couscous salad – mmmhhhmm, can I please have one more?! and the ice cream was a touch of heaven on earth too bad I did not check by whom the catering was..

I dunno if you can remember but a couple of years ago there was a bug attack during VITRA PARTY and I was telling some friends about that and literally 5 minutes later the first bug was there and he was followed by friends. I jinxed it 🙂 sorry for that but again it was fun to see all the people hide and run from the almost blind flying bugs.. after one hour the bugs were gone, ouff!

VITRA

all the friends in the house – eehm at the VITRA PARTY!
thank you Wilpert, Mo, Cristian, Esther and Fleur – it was super nice!

VITRA

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

AQUAZINGER – MY NEW BEST FRIEND!

aquazinger

AQUAZINGER – this thing rocks! thank you Catherine for this awesome present. such a nice and easy way to jazz up simple water and infuse it with fruits. my favorite is lemon + mint or mint + raspberries – mmhhmm! the best thing is that this also works with warm beverages – ooh I am already looking forward to make my own CHAI TEA with this bugger. stay tuned.

aquazinger

how does it work?

1. cut tiny pieces of fruit
2. close the lid 3. twist the metal part to the part with the cut fruits and the lid
4. fill it with water, shake it and cool it.
5. ready to drink ; )

more ideas for infused water

watermelon + basil water
kiwi + lime water
raspberry + blackberry water

aquazinger

I wish you all a nice day and I hope you have found this post helpful. this might be the best present for the friend that already has everything. : ) I dunno where she got it from but it is all over the internet. just google AQUAZINGER or visit zinganything.com/recipe for more ideas and recipes.

 

BPA FREE
packaging is printed with SOY INK
designed by STUDIO MURMUR

 

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

ART BASEL OUTFIT

my outfit

finally I can show you my ART BASEL outfit and the cool thing for you is that the pieces are on SALE now – yay. I found this lovely jersey dress by ARMANI JEANS and the super comfy flat shoes by MARCO TOZZI. the dress is now 90 CHF instead of 175 CHF and the shoes are 23 CHF instead of 41 CHF – thats a nice deal!

I got back from my one week vacation in sicily, castellammare del golfo to be precise, and oh boy it was super nice there. I miss the beach already… but I need to get back to work – so many nice things out there that I wanna feature on my blog. lots of ART BASEL posts will be following and soon also my SICILY GUIDE for CASTELLAMMARE DEL GOLFO – stay tuned.

outfit

dress ARMANI JEANS via zalando.ch
shoes MARCO TOZZI via zalando.ch
bag DESIGN MIAMI BASEL official bag 2015
coat PAUW

my outfit

phtoto taken by MO – thanks. X

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

SUMMER ESSENTIALS

image

these are my favorite products for summer and I quickly want to introduce each of them.

#1
KÉRASTASE
K CC Crème

I use this for my hair. Before after or during sunbathing or swimming. It helps to protect the hair from UV dammage.

#2
ULTRASUN
SPORTS transparent gel

I have only started using this sunscreen last week and I gotta admit its the best I have ever tried. It has no perfumes, no mineral oils, no emulsifiers, no preservatives and the best thing: water-resistant! I use it once a day in the morning and it lasts all day. Usually I wear SPF50 but now that I am a bit more tanned I think I am absolutely fine with SPF30.

#3
KIEHL’S
ULTRA LIGHT DAILY UV DEFENSE
SPF50 PA+++ UVA

this is my go to product for the face. I apply it every morning in summer before leaving the house. my skin is very sensitive and I have red parts on my cheeks thats why I need to protect my skin even more.

#4
LANCASTER
TAN MAXIMIZER
INSTANT COOLING MIST

this product is amazing. I apply it every evening after spending a day in the sun. Its such a nice feeling to spray this cooling mist and it helps your tan to last.

#5
GOLDWELL
DUALSENSES
SUN REFLECTS UV PROTECT SPRAY

I have only tried this for a couple of times and I like what it does. I spray it in the morning before tanning or being in the sun all over my hair. It has the perfect travelsize!

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

IS IT A TOP OR A DRESS ?

hahaha as you can see from the phot below. I really dont know and I also dont really care : )
It is a top and a dress, lets agree on that. I have found this piece on SALE at h&m for 20 CHF and I wanna thank Freya very much for the birthday voucher that I used for this purchase – thank you so much for coming to my party!  new dress

outfit
top H&M
shorts ABERCROMBIE&FITCH
sandals GRACELAND
sunglasses C&A

new dress

 

from the front it looks like a dress and from the side it looks like a top.

 

 

 

new dress

today is the first day of our trip to SICILY and of course I have also brought this top/dress to wear during the vacation – I try to take some really nice sicilian photos in castellammare del golfo. until then stay tuned for something nice tomorrow. X

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

SOMETHING NEW

loccitaneverveine

VERVEINE AGRUMES by L’OCCITANE is really worth a try – something new fresh and nice for spring summer. there are many different products and I got to try the shampoo and the body milk but have not opened them yet. too many other things to try first 🙂 hahahaha, thats the life of a blogger – no I am just kidding, certain things need time to really test and I only want to write about things in detail when I have tested them. so this blogpost is more an announcement.

finally the sun is back in town and this makes everything a lot easier. at the moment I am planning some outfit posts and am so excited to travel to KARLSRUHE
this friday – soon more via my SOCIAL MEDIA channels. X

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

L’EAU D’ISSEY – NEWS

IMG_3583there is a new fragrance in the shops – the new SUMMER EDITION of the well known L’EAU D’ISSEY. and I have more news for you, there is also a new L’EAU D’ISSEY that is called CITY BLOSSOM by Mademoiselle Maurice.

the bottle of the summer edition looks very similar to the regular one but the scent of the is a bit lighter and more floral. the CITY BLOSSOM has a less sweet and less floral base and is a bit more herbal. again I have to admit that I am very bad at discribing scents. : ) this post should tell you that there is something new in the shops and is not a review about the products.

I was a big fan of the L’EAU D’ISSEY scent when I was around 16 and I can still bring back memories by smelling it. somehow I grew out of the scent and I am not wearing it anymore but with the new CITY BLOSSOM this might change it 🙂 I have only smelled it but not worn it yet. lets see it and you guys should see for yourself – visit your next shop and ask for the new summer edition. I am curious if you like it. X

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

WHITE ideas

IMG_7083

for quiet some time I was looking for a white oversized sweater and finally I found one when I was strolling thru the H&M in Weil am Rhein. the cut is really oversized as I am wearing the size XS and I feel it is quiet big already. so today I wanna show you two different versions of the white shirt: a casual one – the one you can see above and below and an elegant one that will follow.

IMG_7141

outfit
top H&M
pants C&A
shoes TAMARIS via zalando.ch
clutch ÖGON DESIGN via labelleboutique.ch
earrings PIECES Screen shot 2015-05-17 at 22.13.14IMG_7220

I really had an amazing sunday today – I slept until eleven and then had a nice breakfast followed by some blog work and delicious frozen joghurt – mmmhhhmmm. then I took these photos and in the end I found time to sit at the rhein in the sun. now I wanna show you the same shirt in a more elegant way – have a look:

IMG_7303

same shirt different style. thats done very easily with such a bling bling sequin skirt like this one. I am so glad I waited for it to be on SALE and cost half as much as it would have before. : ) and I guess that thought and the sunny weather made me dance a bit.

IMG_7252

outfit

top H&M
skirt H&M
shoes L’AUTRE CHOSE
clutch TURKISH AIRLINESScreen shot 2015-05-17 at 22.07.08

IMG_7237

I also found another nice piece in Weil am Rhein and I hope that I can show it to you very soon. have a lovely start into the week. X

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

MASCARA TIME

I DID IT – I tested some MASCARAS and had a bit of help with testing them. I am not a daily mascara user and I had my issues with several other mascaras before so therefore I am the best judge 🙂 I found all of them for very very decent prices at the parfumcity online shop and I couldnt believe what awesome products they sell there, absolutely worth to visit. ok, lets have a look at different mascaras for different purposes.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
photo credit: pinmakeuptips.com

whats on the menu today?

ASTOR big + beautiful boom killer volume 
BOURJOIS PARIS volume glamour 
BOURJOIS PARIS volume 1 second
LANCOME hypnose drama 

 

ELNW_35725_extra

ASTOR big and beautiful boom killer volume mascara
oh wow – yes this mascara makes BIG and BEAUTIFUL lashes. I love the wand and the product stays put the whole day without irritating my eyes.. I hate it when mascaras flake and often the tiny parts end up in my eyes – so thats a BIG plus for that one and actually all the other ones I have tested. not one flaked! another nice thing is that you can either wear one coat for a rather casual look and then later on apply more coats for a more dramatic eyemakeup. 11.75 CHF (mascara 12ml, makeupremover)

volume_glamour

BOURJOIS PARIS volume glamour mascara
this mascara promises VOLUME and GLAMOUR and I felt both, the wand separates the lashes and therefore applies more volume the glamour factor comes with the rest of the makeup and the compliments that one gets for her mascara! compared to the ASTOR mascara this one is a bit more decent and less dramatic. perfect for everyday business look. 10.75 CHF (mascara 12ml + kajal)

Bourjois_Volume_1_Seconde_Mascara_1403188600

BOURJOIS PARIS volume 1 second mascara
volume in one second, well that was not true for me as it takes me a bit longer to apply mascara 🙂 but once I was done there was the volume. so far all of the mascaras have held their promises and thats a big PLUS. the 1 SECOND volume mascara has a medium sized wand and separates the lashes like the volume glamour mascara. I felt like this one is a bit more dramatic than the one mentioned before. but still after layering a couple of coats I had a very stunning eye look.
13.00 CHF (mascara 12ml)

3605970009274_DEEPBLACK_HYPNOSE

 

LANCOME hypnose drama mascara
the queen among the mascaras and not only due to its prize. I can really see a difference between this high end product and the rather cheaper ones. so in the end you get what you pay. I know, it is not always the case, some cheaper products can do more than other more expensive ones but with the mascaras I gotta stick to what I said. you feel the difference in the consistency and how easy it can be removed. thats a huge bonus because our eyes area are very sensitive and rubbing the eyes with a cotton pad full of eye makeup remover irritates the skin. I got the DRAMA mascara in a set with eyemakeUp remover and I found that a great deal!
40.75 CHF (mascara + eyemakeup remover + eye cream)

 

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

TAN MAXIMIZER by LANCASTER

IMG_4032

as every year I wanna show you some awesome sun products – today we lay the focus on APRES SOILEIL by LANCASTER and their collection is called TAN MAXIMIZER. the one above is for the face and can be applied directly after tanning. it moisturizes the sunkissed skin and helps to achieve an even nice tan. the one below is for the body and I feel that this one has a bit of a cooling effect, a very light one though. IMG_4029the one below is a really cooling one and so far I have only used the spray on my legs, but I am looking forward to spraying my entire body after a long hot day in the sun with this cooling mist. IMG_4040
and then there is something nice for the whole day – a summer fragrance by LANCASTER and it totally smells like summer holiday – SOLE DI CAPRI. awww, CPARI is on my MUST SEE list..IMG_4045
in case you need more information about the products you can find lots of interesting facts here >> Screen shot 2015-05-11 at 10.07.17

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

GETTING READY FOR SPRING

yes! the time has come – I am getting ready for spring and summer! and this year I have found some nice little helpers for my skin. in summer my skin is more exposed to sunlight and I am wearing nice short dresses and I wanna be sure to have a very nice, soft and even skin without any redness, stretchmarks or dents! so therefore I am drinking a lot of tea and water to get rid off any toxines and waste! that is step one and very crucial for a healthy diet and a fit body! I am a vegetarian since I was a baby and never liked meat so I already eat a lot of veggies. lately I have tried to eat a seasonal diet and I gotta tell you that is NOT easy for a person living in switzerland and craving AVOCADOS – ORANGES and LEMONS : ) so every now and then I had to make an exception and bought some delicious avocados, lemons and oranges. I try to mix vegetables, carbs and proteins. my favorite dish is rice with beans and different vegetables – I could eat that every day! a well-balanced diet is step two to a healthy body! mmhhmm. I think it is time to show you some of my lovely dishes that I am cooking all the time. stay tuned. now back to the healthy lifestyle. drinking enough and eating a well-balanced diet are key to a nice and fit body. the industry is showing us so many different things to stay in shape and one could spend hundreds of franks on different products. and thats why I wanna show you these 3 awesome products that I have found at MIGROS!

ZOÉ slim-it!
200ml/ 18.50 CHF
I AM shape my body
200ml / 10.60 CHF
ZOÉ push-up!

150ml/ 17.50 CHF

I started using them last week: the ZOÉ slim-it! for my tighs, belly and arms and the ZOÉ push-up! for my decollete. it takes at least four to six weeks to see any results. so I will keep on applying these lovely buggers and will get back to you with my results. have a lovely tuesday and I hope it was not too bad to get back to work – well at least the sun is out. : ) I have moved my computer so I can sit in the sun – have a look at my instagram photos here >>

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail

I HAVE FOUND SOMETHING NICE

how do you like these nice pieces? I have spend the last hour strolling thru the internet shops and looking for some must have pieces for spring summer or awesome keypieces for all year around. I think I found six amazing pieces and they can be all worn in many different ways!

#1 a long blazer – everyone should have a long blazer in black as it can be worn with a simple jeans and shirt look or it can be worn over a nice dress or for a more summery look it can be worn over shorts!

#2 a grey tank top – for me this is a serious must have or key piece as it can be dressed up and down and is great for layering looks in fall/winter.

#3 a golden bag – yes we all should feel our princess gen and I totally feel mine and I love metallic clutches and bags. and like with the blazer this bag can be worn with the most elegant dress or with a cool boyfriend jeans look.

#4 a chunky necklace – that is something we should all have one as it can be worn for everyday or for a more special outfit going to the opera or having a fancy tete a tete dinner.

#5 a lace skirt – yay, already last year they came in fashion and I absolutely love the pale rose color of that very one I have found. wear it with a tucked in blouse or with a normal t-shirt with flats or heels for day time or a party night!

#6 black sandal heels – speaking of a party night everyone should have at least one pair of black heels and most importantly they should be comfortable in order to dance all night long on them. I found these awesome sandals and I would totally wear them with jeans, shorts or a dress meaning from day time casual to a hot elegant party night.

check out all the items here >>
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6

and in case you need some more outfit inspiration you can have a look in my 5 year old archive – I am sure you will find something nice!

FacebooktwittermailFacebooktwittermail