Notre Dame de Paris

Visiting Notre Dame inspired us to re-watch old Disney movies and thus resulted in a fun night. Who said churches are boring?

 

Lush lips, so to speak

Winter means dry and chapped lips and I used to piddle and peel and bite until I had tiny bloody patches. Lip balm helps, but only to a point, so I invested into a Lush Lip Dip with lemon and cranberry. It’s delicious and sweet and so far, it seems to be helping.

We’ll see how it goes.

30 in 30

I’ve signed up for Kendi Everyday’s 30 for 30 Winter Edition. For those not familiar with the concept: You pick 30 items of clothing and for 30 days, you wear only those items.

I signed up for the challenge for three reasons:

1. I want to (learn how to) use and combine what I have in my closet rather than falling back on the same outfits time and time again. I’m hoping this challenge will force me to combine items I’d not usually wear together and expand my horizon a little.
2. Tied to that, I hope the challenge will force me to put a little more effort into how I dress, something that I always strive for and never actually end up doing. Maybe this will be the kick up my butt I needed?
3. It’ll give me an opportunity to go through my closet and hopefully throw out a couple items I never wear anymore. Every once in a while, I need to do that.

Here’s some stuff I think is worth mentioning up-front:

• I won’t count work-out clothes
• I won’t count my work uniform
• I won’t count accessories (jewelery, scarves, bags, tights).
• If it should happen that I'll dance in any competition, I won't count whatever I wear then.
• I might make an exception for my birthday, but I probably won't.

Essentially, I just hope to have fun.
Image Source: Kendi Everyday

The Pantheon

Graffiti

This reminded me of Banksy.

Market(ing)

The Christmas markets in Paris were still up and running around New Year’s.

The most visited cemetery of the world

Père Lachaise in Paris is gorgeous. There’s quite a few famous people buried there (e.g. Oscar Wilde), but it was more fun to just stroll along and snap a few pictures than to actively seek out graves.

 

Triumphant

100 Things To Do In 2011

I made this list for my livejournal and since a lot of it is lifestyle/photography-related, I thought I should post it here as well. A few livejournal-specific items I’ve deleted, so don’t be surprised at the empty spaces here and there.

10 Things
1. Read 10 philosophical texts
2. Read 10 fiction books
3. Send 10 letters to people I should send letters to (grandparents, etc.)
4. Send 10 letters to people for no particular reason
5. Make 10 music mixes
6. Bake 10 different things/different recipes
7. Dance in (at least) 10 competitions
8. Give 10 presents to people for no particular reason
9. Watch 10 movies I haven’t seen before
10. Tell 10 people I care for them and why

Photography
11. Buy a new lens
12. Learn more about photography
13. Submit a photograph to a contest
14. Update photography blog regularly
15. Figure out what exactly I want with/out of my photography blog
16. Make [15] happen, whatever it is
17. Take pictures in an aquarium or zoo
18. Develop a style
19. Create a portfolio
20. Find a way of watermarking my pictures that I’m happy with

Livejournal, Writing & Fandom
21. Write at least one story a month
22.
23. Do NaNoWriMo again.
24. Comment on stories I read
25. Edit my 2010 NaNo
26.
27. Do a request post for drabbles and actually fill all requests
28. Keep track of all my story ideas
29.
30. Comment more

Healthy Living
31. Lose 15 kg & keep weight down after
32. Keep a food diary for at least month
33. Keep an exercise diary for at least a month
34. Eat more fruit & vegetables (five a day, sob)
35. Floss
36. Exfoliate and moisturise regularly
37. Do pilates or yoga
38. Do Tai Chi
39. Donate blood
40. Go to the gym at least once a week

Craft & Lifestyle
41. Finish knitting the scarf I started in 2010
42. Knit at least one more thing
43. Do laundry once a week
44. Clean room once a week
45. Sew something
46. Learn a new song on the piano
47. Compile all my recipes somehow
48. Update lifestyle blog
49. Get a really nice laptop-/handbag
50. Take up drawing again

Things I’ve been meaning to do
51. Read the Cuban constitution
52. Learn Argentine Tango
53. Go to a jazz café
54. Learn CSS
55. Let my original hair colour grow out
56. Make sushi
57. Have a girly evening with friends
58. Visit a spa
59. Get a smartphone
60. Buy a point-and-shoot camera

Things that need to be done anyway
61. Write thesis
62. Graduate
63. Answer e-mails immediately if possible
64. Apply for Master Programmes
65. Hand in all pieces of coursework on time
66. Save up money
67. Move
68. Quit job
69. Get the minors Law and Health, Human Rights, and Criminal Justice and Human Rights
70. Vote

Out and about with others
71. Visit London
72. Have a picnic
73. Throw a party
74. Spend time with BFF Ken-kun
75. Go out & drink cocktails with friends from Cologne at least four times
76. Go on a holiday with friends
77. Go on a walk with my grandmother
78. Spend a whole day only with my mother
79. Go ice-skating with friends
80. Visit the Christmas market in Cologne with friends

Miscellaneous
81. Visit my mother more often
82. Epilate legs once a month
83. Smile at strangers
84. Order a badly named cocktail and drink it
85. Learn how to make all my favourite cocktails
86.
87. Figure out my style in clothes/what I want it to be
88. Do another A Day in my Life
89.
90. Ask my father for the recipe of his Semmelknödel
91. Compliment someone I don’t know
92. Take a day to myself to relax
93. Give away clothes I don’t wear anymore
94. Keep up with Covert Affairs, Doctor Who and Lost Girl
95. Get Latin dance shoes
96. Stay stocked up on condoms
97. Use daycream with SPF
98. Stay healthy
99. Stay happy
100. Create a 2012 list

Thought of the Day

Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.

Emily Kimbrough

La Tour Eiffel

 

The Eiffel Tower is one of those “must-visit” places in Paris. I’m not too fond of it myself – mostly due to the crowds – and think that close-up, it doesn’t look all that great, but oh, from a distance it’s a whole other story.

 

Since I always end up in Paris with people who’ve never been before, every time a visit to the Eiffel tower is in order.

 

Sacre Coeur à Paris

Sacre Coeur in Paris; full of tourists and we felt like sheep walking in line with everyone up the mountain, but is is beautiful.