It's Been Awhile.

Well hello there!

I can't believe the last time I blogged was (*gasp*) June 3... 2013! What the what?

So much has happened since then... I:

• visited Helsinki (twice!), Maastricht, Rotterdam and last but not least, Hamburg (I totally fell in love with this ultra hip & super friendly city)
• saw a lot of great films and read some amazing books (have you read this one yet? If not... DO IT. NOW.)
• fell in love with Prague (hipster) cafés. There's so many cool cafés popping up all over the city - they're my new obsession! If you'd like to keep up with my café gallivanting, check out my Instagram. A word of warning: if you're not into latte art, don't even think of clicking on the latter link
• got into pilates, power yoga and working out in general. While I may never be a true gym rat, I'm totally enjoying keeping fit (I'm also currently trying to put together the perfect fitness wardrobe... not very wallet-friendly, let me tell ya!)

Why have I been gone for so long? I guess I just needed a (looong) break from blogging. I gotta admit, I don't read as many blogs as I used to. I still love the blogosphere, but I'm more careful with what I check out on a daily basis.

Having said that, I am super excited to be back. I already have a few posts lined up, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that at least some of you haven't given up on me. Till next time... or should I say, see you soon? :)

Role Model.

Robyn 'Dancing On My Own' (Official Video) from Robyn on Vimeo.
Do you have role models? I think it's important to have people who inspire you to go the extra mile (did that just rhyme? I'm trying to be all deep and this is what comes out... great). Robyn is definitely one of my role models - despite outward appearances, she hasn't always had it easy. She's had to work hard and in the end she's come out on top. I love her music but I also love her take on life. She rocks. 
P.S.: I know my blog has been in hibernation mode as of late, and it makes me sad because I miss having all the time in the world to blog. I have decided that I will set myself some blogging goals and see where that takes me. I love writing and I love blogging, and I'm excited to be back! :) 

2013 Resolutions

This will be a super duper quick one (I just took a shower, my hair is still wet and I've got a New Year's Eve party to go to... ahhh!!).

I love making lists (don't judge me :) so I thought I should make a New Year Resolution list (I was inspired by Lois's '28 before 29' list, which is way better than mine). I kept it short and sweet and really focused on things I TRULY want to accomplish or get done in 2013 (more on NaNoWriMo later... this is one of my biggest goals for 2013).

Happy New Year everyone! See you in 2013 (exciting!) - I know it will be a blast!

Baby, It's Cold Outside.

Today I got my wish - snow! It's been snowing for a few hours now and Prague suddenly looks completely different. The Old Town especially looks really magical (except for Old Town Square.. I'll never be a fan of the Christmas market there, wayyy too touristy & crowded). I met up with my friend Jitka in the afternoon and we went to a cozy little cafe close to the Charles Bridge. Afterwards, I just had to snap some super touristy pics on said bridge. The pic of my friend and I was taken by a really funny man who first insisted on taking a picture with me ('the photo will be really nice if I'm in it') and then finally offered to take a pic of the two us. :D All in all, I had a really cozy day today! 

What have you been up to?

P.S.: So many blogs have really cool Christmas posts this year, so here are some Christmas-themed links for your enjoyment:

Christmas in Copenhagen.

Fun gift ideas by Maiju, whom I interviewed a while back. 

DIY Christmas tree.

Brittany from The House that Lars Built has asked her favourite Scandinavian bloggers to share their personal Christmas traditions in her 'My Scandinavian Christmas' column. Every day leading up to Christmas, a different blogger shares their story.

Cool Christmas giveaway.

A really touching Christmas ad.

Aaaand... a thrifty Christmas gift guide. 

Emerald 2013

Firstly, I'd like to apologize for going AWOL - it was not my intention, but sometimes life happens (OK, I think my 'cheesy statement' limit for this post is officially up :). I am getting really excited to blog more over the holidays (a gift guide may be in the works ;).

Today I wanted to talk about the colour emerald green. Why? Every December, Pantone releases its colour of the coming year and this year, emerald green ('17-5641 Emerald' to be more precise) is the 'winner'. Check out Pantone's Holiday Look Book Pinterest board, which features emerald green-inspired gift ideas. Plus, isn't this emerald iPhone 5 case really cool?

What do you think of this choice? Personally, I love it. It's a bit strange for me to say, though, because I've never really been a fan of the colour green (not only emerald, but most shades of green). That all changed this summer though - I think I got bored of always (ALWAYS) buying pastel-coloured clothes and, well, things in general. I also fell in love with this nailpolish - it so wasn't 'me', but I think that's why I loved it (and love it) even more. Sometimes you need a crazy pop of colour in your life.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the whole emerald subject. Hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas holiday season (I'm still waiting for snow). x

Story via Whitney Port
Photo from Christmas Stock Images

Liebster Award

Yesterday the lovely Mirjam from Hallo September nominated me for the Liebster Award! I was really honoured that she chose me, along with 10 other bloggers, since I have only been blogging for 2 months.

Thank you so much Mirjam! I really appreciate it.

The Liebster award is given to smaller and upcoming bloggers in the blogosphere. It's also a great way of finding out about new blogs - when you win the Liebster Award, you answer a few questions, give the award to 11 other blogs (some say it's 5? I guess a lot of people make their own rules) and ask them 11 new questions.

Here are my answers to Mirjam's questions:

What's your favourite moment of the day?
Definitely the evening. I'm not really properly awake in the morning, I'm more of a night owl. I love lazy evenings when I just read or check my favourite blogs - bliss! I also love going out for dinner... too much. My wallet ain't too happy about the last one.

As a child, what did you want to become 'when I'm old' (and did you)? 
I wanted to be an artist or a writer! I really loved drawing and writing (I even started my own magazine when I was around 9 - I'll talk about that in an upcoming post ;) and at one point I *almost* illustrated a children's book (that's my claim to fame!). Somehow it didn't work out in the end though... I don't really have artistic aspirations anymore, but I'm still very much interested in art - I mean, I have an MA in Arts Management. I go to a lot of art exhibitions and just generally like to stay up-to-date with what's shaking up the art world. And I still want to write a book one day, that's one of my biggest dreams/goals. So I guess my interests have more or less stayed the same. :)

What's your favourite magazine?
OK, this is a tough one. I'm addicted to magazines! I was truly in magazine heaven when I lived in Scotland during my bachelor studies - there's SO many cool British magazines. I even wrote my BA thesis on fashion blogs vs fashion magazines, so yeah, it's super hard for me to choose a favourite. I like Elle Decoration UK and Vogue Paris a lot (although I don't like Vogue Paris as much as I used to now that Emmanuelle Alt is the editor-in-chief). I also really like the Czech magazine Dolce Vita.

Do you eat Chinese food with chopsticks?
Haha! I try, but anyway I don't really eat Chinese food that often. But I definitely eat sushi with chopsticks! :D

Tell about a family tradition.
Ringing the bell when Christmas presents are 'ready'. This is usually something you do when you have kids (it's meant to mean that Baby Jesus dropped some presents off.. yes, I also think it's weird!). Even though Czech people are really not religious (AT ALL), this Baby Jesus thing is somehow still a popular part of Christmas. The thing is, my parents somehow didn't get the memo that I'm (almost) 27 & this tradition is still going strong in our family. :D

Are you afraid of spiders?
No, not really (maybe only the humongous ones..). Actually, I always feel sorry for spiders when people kill them.

Do you mind losing a (board) game?
I think I always act all cool and people probably think I really don't mind losing, but let me tell you something... I can be very competitive. And I do not like losing. ;)

Red or white wine?
Rosé. ;)

Name your favourite city.
Again, super tough! I'll always, always love Montreal - I lived there for 5 years with my family about 10 years ago and it'll always hold a special place in my heart. I love my dear Helsinki for similar reasons. But if I could just pick a city where I'd live for the rest of my life at this very moment, I think I'd either go for Copenhagen or Stockholm. Maybe Copenhagen would win because of their bike culture - major brownie points!

If you could choose another first name which one would it be?
I love this question because even as a kid, I always envied people with middle names. Last year I found out that you can actually 'get' a middle name quite easily in the Czech Republic - you just go to the city registry office, choose your new middle name, pay a fee and voilà! You've got yourself a brand new middle name. Ever since then, I've been thinking about possible middle names & I think I'm pretty much set on Filippa at the moment (if I ever decide to go through with it).

What's the first blog you read after starting up your computer?
I always go to my Google Reader & check all the newest posts. But I'm always really excited to read posts by Rachel, Niki and Brinja.

Here are my nominees:

Head in the Clouds
My Scandinavian Home
Heart With Companion
Mode de Boulangerie
Recycling Mama

And here are the questions:

What's your secret hidden talent?
What's your favourite food?
How would you describe your fashion style?
What's your favourite spot in your home city?
Are you a sporty person?
What's the best restaurant you've ever been to?
What's your favourite song at the moment?

I kept my choices relatively short, as you can see (as opposed to my answers :D). Anyway, I'm excited to read all the answers of those who decide to participate!

Edit: I forgot to thank everyone for the lovely comments on my last post. I'm thankful for every single comment, but last time you guys really made my day. Thank you! 

Top photo source

Dream Destinations

I had such a good time with my friend Joke last week that I guess I'm still in the post-holiday mood. That's why I only got back to blogging today. Sometimes you need a bit of a break, right? And while I would love to post quite frequently in the future, I have to acknowledge the fact that won't always be possible. I really love blogging though, no question about it! :)

Today I'd like to talk about the places I would love to visit sometime in the future - I've narrowed my list down to a total of 3 destinations. I love traveling but visiting these places is not really (financially) possible at the moment... I really do believe that one day I'll see them, though! 

1. Japan

Out of my 3 top places, Japan has been on my 'list' the longest. And no, my short-lived high school J-Rock obsession has nothing to do with that. ;) But seriously, there's so many reasons why I'd like to go to Japan: the food, the over-the-top techy atmosphere, the crazy fashion (Harajuku!), all the kawaii stuff (I think I'd go crazy over this one ;), bullet trains, Kyoto and geishas, karaoke, and just the 'uniqueness' of it all. I also have a few friends from Tokyo and I'd love to visit them & hang out in all the non-touristy places as well. One day, one day!

2. Iceland

To me, Iceland is a bit of a mysterious country, a country where it's still OK to believe in fairy-tales, a country with hauntingly beautiful nature. I first found out about the awesomeness of Iceland when I was studying in Scotland and met my friend Gigja (who's now working with a few people to turn an old fish factory into a creative art space!) for the first time. Ever since then, I've wanted to visit Iceland - I mean, which other country has made such a cool tourism promotional video? Also, I'd love to go to the Iceland Airwaves music festival one day - amazing music and an awesome location, done! Plus, you know, Icelanders are kooky (and all look like supermodels apparently).

3. Faroe Islands

I may or may not have fallen in love with the Faroe Islands after watching a certain H&M video last year. ;) I know, I know, the video is completely staged and apparently there is no H&M on the Faroe Islands (irony!), but still... I think my dream of spending a few nights in a super cozy cabin in a completely secluded area could come true on the Faroe Islands. Lovely, right?

What are your dream destinations? Let me know, I'd love to hear them all! :)

Photo sources: 1, 2, 3. 

Interview with Maiju from 'my 2nd hand life'

TGIF! I'm really excited about today's post and I hope you will be too! On Wednesday I dropped a hint that I would be posting about something exciting soon and, well, it seems that 'soon' is today (I'm pretty impatient, if you haven't noticed yet ;). Soooo... a few days ago I asked the lovely Maiju from my 2nd hand life if I could do an email interview with her and she said yes! She was super nice about it too. :) For those who don't know Maiju's blog, it mainly centres on interior design - Maiju often blogs about her own home as well as things that inspire her. You really have to check her blog out, it's filled with beautiful photographs (Maiju's house is just amazing!) and witty posts. It really is one of my favourites! I wanted to interview Maiju as I was curious to find out about the story behind her blog.

Tell us a bit about how your blogging journey began. When did you start your blog and what inspired you to do so?
I started blogging in 2007 on my maternity leave. In Finland the maternity leave is 10 months, so I needed a nice hobby that I could do at home. I have always been interested in interior decorating, but when I at the time discovered interior blogs, I really became fascinated with the field and wanted to start my own blog too. My 2nd hand life blog I have had for two years now.

What do you like the most about blogging? Has blogging changed your life in any significant way?

Yes, it has definitely changed my life in a positive sense. I'm a creative person and blogging is a great way to express yourself and your ideas I think. And to get inspiration from other bloggers. Also the feedback from the readers has been amazing and really made me more confident about my visions and skills! And that's priceless, I think!

Apart from blogging, what do you fill your days with?

I'm a mum for a 5 year old boy and soon for a little girl too, if everything goes like expected. I'm also a public servant on the public sector on daytime - a job that isn't that creative all the time, but needs constant rethinking and new ideas too. I think that these two sides (being a blogger and having an administrative dayjob) go well together :)

 

You have a great eye for interior design, where do you draw your inspiration from? Has your 'interior style' changed at all in the past few years? What 'motifs' do you love using in your place?

Thank you, I read lot of blogs from everywhere - mostly from Europe though. I love the Danish style of interior decoration - black and white, contrasts, vintage items, playful details mixed with good design. A bit bohemian look I guess. To live in an older home with wooden floors, old windows and doors, several fireplaces and so on is something that I enjoy and appreciate everyday! I think my style has changed from more ruff industrial vintage to more clearer style with more modern design during the recent years.

What's your favourite thing about living in Finland?

Four seasons absolutely, all though having a long and dark winter feels many times a bit tuff...

Finland has so many amazing designers, who is your favourite?

This is a difficult question, I really can't pick one. But I think that for example Marimekko has a nice brand and products.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully happy with my family of four persons! I would also like to develop my blog and blogging to a stage, where I could earn some of my income from there. Just to have more freedom in life and do the things I love!

Thank you so much, Maiju! You rock :)

Photos of Maiju's house courtesy of my 2nd hand life