Then the Snow Started Falling...

The snow started falling the morning after Christmas Eve. Last night it started snowing again and I woke up to a blanket of whites and a pale blue sky. I just had to take a walk and take in the wonder and beauty of nature. While walking I could hear the laughter of children and parents sledding down a nearby hill. A father laughed so much he couldn't get up from the ground. That's music to my ears. 

 

 

Weekend Inspiration #46

A Very Merry Christmas from Me to You

Weekend Inspiration #45

Weekend Inspiration #44

Adventures in America

When I was 16 years old I decided to become an exchange student through Rotary. The interesting thing about making such a decision in a young age is that you're totally unaware of the gifts such an experience will bring you - and little did I know that the gift would last 20 years later.   

And so it is that I just returned from yet another wonderful vacation in Wisconsin where I stayed with my host parents from way back when (my American parents) in what I consider my second home next to Christianshavn called Stonerich. This time I came for Thanksgiving which is my favourite American holiday (the food isn't bad, either, ha ha) and I was also able to join the annual Norwegian Lefse Party held by dear friends. There is quite a bit of Scandinavian influence in the area which is great for me. I take a lot of the things we do here in Denmark/Scandinavia for granted but when presented to me the way my friends do it I see it with new eyes and is reminded of how much we love "hygge" and "aquavit" and simply to just have a good time. 

I've created some "musts" for myself every time I visit and of course shopping is one of them. I have been a loyal customer at Banana Republic since 1993 and pretty much returned with a complete wardrobe this time. Inspired by my American dad's good taste in clothes I ventured into Brooks Brothers in Chicago and shopped in the boy's department which I highly recommend :-) The ambience there is amazing and I was treated very well by the classy staff.

There is, of course, more to life than shopping and to me that's eating :-) Among many culinary pleasures, I enjoyed marvelous meals at the Wisconsin Club where I also love to spend my time. In Chicago I experienced culinary greatness in the Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock building conveniently located in walking distance from the Four Seasons Hotel where we stayed (yes, it was quiteee cold in ol' Chicagotown). Afternoon tea in the Palm Court at the Drake Hotel was a treat and a great way to say adieu Chicago. Besides that I had the most wonderful French cuisine at Lake Park Bistro and I could go on and on ..... and on and on ..... 

I enjoyed myself tremendously and while writing this I am recovering from jet lag which is always a challenge. It's also a challenge to return home to the darkness but since Christmas is around the corner I'm able to continue the "hygge" and the festivities with people I love. 

Didn't someone say that in the end everything is really just a plane ride away? In my case that means I'll be visiting again soon.

For information and inspiration the orange highlights will take you to the respective webpages. 

Evening Walk

I don't assume anyone notices that my posts are a bit irregular at the moment but it gets increasingly difficult to take pictures outside when it gets dark around 15.00 - 3 pm in the afternoon. We'll have the pleasure of this madness for the next coming months and some people love it (cuddling up inside, lots of lit tea candles, cookies, coffee/tea/mulled vine, a few decorations etc.) Others have a harder time coping with the darkness feeling the weight of depression and boredom. I am sort of in between but if we are lucky enough to get some snow the mood always lifts. 

Anyway, I captured the Opera in Copenhagen this evening while taking a stroll around 4 pm. in my neighbourhood. The light on the Opera changes between red, green, blue, orange and yellow and it's quite pretty. 

Weekend Inspiration #43

Weekend Inspiration #42

Weekend Inspiration #41

Last Day of October

After a few days at my sister's house I decided to stroll through Roskilde's City Park on my way to the train station going back to Christianshavn. I couldn't help but ponder on what's ahead as we now have reached the last day of October. 

It's slowly getting darker and I need to remember lights for my bike if I stay out longer than 4 pm. It's also getting colder so I have to wear my scarf and gloves and soon also a hat. It's time to slow down and cozy up inside with candles, books and movies - red wine, good food and long talks with friends and family. It's time to hit the museums and old fashioned movie theaters with plush velvet seats. 

Have a great weekend, everyone!!

A Red Coat

One thing I love about the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is (of course) Holly's simple and sophisticated wardrobe designed by Hubert de Givenchy. Where most people rave about the black floor length dress she wears in the opening scene, I've always had my eye on the red coat with the quarter length sleeves. Holly Golightly wears it on her day out with Paul Varjak. 

I had the pleasure of seeing the coat in real life when I travelled to Rome in the fall of 2011 to see the exhibit "Audrey A Roma" curated by her son Luca Dotti.

With that coat in the back of my mind (minus Givenchy, unfortunately) I've been looking for something along that line for ages and now I finally have a red coat of my own. Late summer I noticed it at COS and promised myself I would snap it up when it came on sale. It has three quarter length sleeves, perfect fit and colour. 

Picture credit: me and www.cosstores.com/dk

Weekend Inspiration #40

Weekend Inspiration #39

Postcard from Istanbul

The Blue Mosque

I just returned from Istanbul where East meets West. I had high hopes for this colourful city rich with history and culture and excited to be spending time with two of my best travel friends from Helsinki, Finland - yes, Laura and Riikka, that's you :-) It took me a little while  to get "under the skin" of Istanbul but once I did the city enchanted me and certainly delivered what I'd hoped for.   

When we visited the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar the smell of spices combined with burned coal from the street stalls selling roasted chestnuts and corn stopped me in my tracks several times as I immediately was transported back to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.* It actually moved me and made me smile because I've come such a long way since then. I highly recommend anyone to follow their dreams even if it means stepping out of their comfort zone. The rewards are tenfold, trust me :-) 

Anyway, Istanbul reminded me of this and that's what I love about traveling. You are challenged, reminded, educated and enriched at the same time. I will post pictures in random order to give you an idea of the city's diversity and total charming craziness - and honestly, the nicest people I've met in a long time. Enjoy - and oh...!**

*Part of a longer journey I embarked on three years ago as a way of leaving something old behind in the hope of building something new.

** Just a little word on food. We tried a lot but a few things especially caught my attention: 
AYRAN, a cold yogurt beverage mixed with salt. The Turks consider it their national drink - and I'm totally with them on that one :-) 
KUMPIR, a huge baked potato cut open, the white interior flesh smothered with condiments like butter, cheese and salt and then mixed with various fillings you choose yourself (olives, corn, meat, smoked aubergine etc.) 
LOKUM, maybe better known as Turkish Delight (I have a thing with the rose scented kind) and brought home kilos whereas BAKLAVA is way too sweet for me. 
CAY, Turkish tea, (pronounced Chai) 
TURKISH COFFEE, although I am a huge coffee drinker it was too strong for me and became too sweet when adding sugar so I preferred their "Cay" without sugar or a regular cup of black coffee. But it's still worth trying. If you're into coffee I highly recommend buying a bag (or three) of whole beans from MEHMET EFENDI, a veery popular coffee shop located right by the Spice Bazaar. Don't be scared off by the looong line of people waiting because the staff is so efficient that the queue moves faster than any I've ever stood in. Wish it was the same way in airports ;-)

Life in Square Format Part III

A little peak into my life of lately. Fall has arrived on Christianshavn and it's nice and puts me in a nostalgic mood. The weather in Copenhagen has been amazing - jeans, shirt and a light coat has been sufficient wear but you sense it soon won't do anymore. And that's okay!

A Rose is a Rose is a Rose...

I tip-toed out early yesterday morning and captured this rose in natural morning light. Fall has definitely arrived but there is something nostalgic and so pretty about the little array of roses my sister still have in her garden. They might look a little tired by now but as the poet John Keats wrote: A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever!

Weekend Inspiration #38

Life Without My Iphone

Disaster has struck! My WI-FI button won't swipe so I've had to hand in my Iphone to get it repaired. I was told it could be up to 2-3 weeks before I get it back so I've borrowed an old phone which is good because I suppose the essence of a phone is.... telephoning, right?! 

Oh, but no!! I don't miss the phone function on my Iphone one bit. I miss everything else that it provides - capturing my life for instagram, texting, checking e-mails, snapping pictures and listening to music. So the interesting part, and I think this goes for most people, is that we can't do without our phones although telephoning is the last thing we actually use them for. 

These days I am very much aware of the present moment as I can't look at life through my phone camera or miss details because I'm busy checking messages or snapping a picture of my café au lait and croissant. 

In other words; this time I don't arrange my coffee and croissant so it looks good for instagram. Now, I actually drink my coffee while it's warm and enjoy the superb crumb of my pastry. Now, I take my time conversing with the Japanese couple next to me who excitedly tells me it's their first time visiting Copenhagen and I genuinely smile with them because I feel their excitement and how much they enjoy the city.* I'm forced to take a step away from my (narcissistic) universe and engage in others.**

While observing people with phones I realize that I must come across just as absent-minded and boring as them. That kind of behaviour is not really welcoming or nice - it's actually kind of rude. But despite that I must admit it surprises me just how vulnerable  "naked" I feel and how much I miss my phone.

But then again, maybe "naked" is good sometimes.  

*I probably would have spoken to the Japanese couple anyway as I'm known to strike up conversations with almost anybody :-)
**I'm exaggerating here but you get the point?!