My boyfriend bought me this adorable cookie cutter in form of the Cologne Cathedral, and of course I had to try it out. I made these incredibly cookies, though I added a little vanilla aroma to the dough and can only highly recommend it. Next time, maybe I’ll try adding a little mint.
The tradition of love padlocks has long reached Cologne, and every time I go back, I find myself surprised by the amount added since my last visit. Here’s some impressions of the bridge.
What do you think of this custom? Know any similar ones? Me, I’m pretty amused and a little puzzled, but it makes for nice photo-material, so I’m not complaining.
… think differently
… say what you mean, even if it isn’t conform to public opinion (and especially then!)
… travel alone
… go to bed really early and just sleep
… close your eyes and just breathe
How incredibly delicious does this look? Design*Sponge shares the recipe here.
Image Source: See link above.
The Cologne Carnival is a carnival that takes place every year in Cologne, Germany. Traditionally, the "fifth season" (carnival season) is declared open at 11 minutes past 11 on the 11th of November. The Carnival spirit is then temporarily suspended during the Advent and Christmas period, and picks up again in earnest in the New Year. The time of merrymaking in the streets is officially declared open at downtown square Alter Markt on the Thursday before the beginning of Lent. Street carnival, a week-long street festival, also called "the crazy days", takes place between the Fat Thursday (Weiberfastnacht) and ends on Ash Wednesday (Aschermittwoch). The highlight of the carnival is Rose Monday (Rosenmontag), two days before Ash Wednesday. All through these days, Cologne folks go out masqueraded. The typical greeting during the festival is Kölle Alaaf!, a Kölsch phrase which can be translated as "Cologne above all!"
His glasses say: I like you.
Carnival in Cologne is a big deal. It’s surrounded by tradition and depending on who you ask, it’s ranges from very political all the way to an excuse to drink, with layers and layers of fun and happiness in between.
- have breakfast after noon for whatever reason, including sleeping in and just not bothering
- dream of being a kick-ass pirate ninja assassin, no matter what people say
- grin widely at grumpy strangers, especially if it makes them smile back
- be confident in your abilities, even when everyone around you seems to doubt themselves – maybe especially then
- love with all your heart without being afraid of getting hurt
- curl up with a book and not answer e-mails, phone or requests by family members and friends for an afternoon / evening / night / weekend.
- fall head over heels in love with a song and listen to it for hours on repeat.
- dislike something everyone else seems to love.
- spend money on something you really want, even if it has little to no practical value.
- put on cute rubber boots and jump into puddles after it rained, no matter what your age.
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My four favourite outfits of the 30 in 30 challenge. I had a great time doing this challenge, but I’m also happy that it’s over now; dressing for the challenge every day took more effort than I usually put into my outfits, but it also taught me that planning an outfit beforehand (especially before I go shower) is immensely helpful. If I have to run around in a towel to find something to wear, I’ll end up in jeans and t-shirt.
I like that it challenged me to put the effort into my clothing, into thinking about what I wear and how to combine items, and I like that it reminded me of some items I had hidden in my closet. I’ve noticed again that I value comfort a lot. Quite possibly more than style. All in all, I’d probably do this again. It was good fun.
How cute is this owl necklace? By miniblings.
Isn’t this dress lovely? By yanhuatang.
I love the breathy softness of this cardigan and scarf by Zara.
Day two of the conference, considerably less fancy than day one. Also, please excuse this picture but oh dear was I tired. Early mornings are not my thing, so the image quality isn’t quite what I’d like for it to be. I did really like the combination of this dress with a dress shirt underneath it, something I didn’t think would actually look good. A pleasant surprise, and something I’ll definitely try again when 30 in 30 is over.
Lookit, I’m wearing colours. Though actually, I’ll have to admit to stuffing the scarf in my bag as soon as I arrived at my destination, because I was scared of the two colours so close together. Oh my. This outfit was for a conference on the constitutional and judicial perspectives of European integration in the Netherlands and Germany. Very interesting, I loved it.
Zara has gorgeous shoes. Yes, admittedly- I have never bought a pair of shoes from Zara, so I can’t speak about quality, and I most likely wouldn’t buy any of these based purely on the height of the heel, but oh. A girl can dream look at pretty shoes online, right? Right? Good.
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| Peep-Toe | Plateau Sandals |
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| Knotted Peep-Toe | Open Heel |
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| Roman Wedge | Marine |
I’m especially in love with the last one, the Marine / Sailor Sandal. I wonder if it’d look as gorgeous on my feet as it does online. Maybe a visit to Zara is in order sometime soon…
