April 5, 2017Lena 4 Comments Beauty.

My favorite spring fragrances 2017

Spring is finally here! I know, Captain Obvious, but for those of you who haven’t noticed or are sleeping under a rock, I just wanted to make sure… I’m so uber excited because it’s such a beautiful season, it brings a fresh start to our wardrobe and make-up and sets the mood for summer (which is even more fun, in my opinion). I already organized my wardrobe because I was moving anyway. It feels so refreshing to dig out your summer wardrobe, put the huge down coats in boxes and get inspired by all the spring/summer collections which are finally hitting the stores. Or, if they have already hit the ground, now is the time to wear them. Also, it’s time to switch up your perfume collection. Yes, you heard that right.

April 2, 2017Lena 2 Comments Fashion. Outfits.

Taking an outfit from day to night

I hope you all read my post in which I declared my love for leather jackts. It was such a comfy, yet cute and cool outfit on a beautiful weekend. What I didn’t show you was how I transferred the look from day to night. I’m not good at keeping secrets, so I thought you’d like it if I shared the look with you. The outfit was based on a) me being lazy b) I wasn’t home so I only had a suitcase (carry-on!) of options to choose from and c) little time because I was starving. So I threw my shearling vest over the leather jacket. Guilty as charged: I ALWAYS do this when it’s slightly too cold for whatever outfit but I still want to wear it. Plus, I changed my shoes, to a more elegant Chelsea boot instead of trainers. And last but not least: my Gucci Swing bag had to take a break and I took my brand new Furla with me instead. Oh and of course had to add some kind of color with my bright pink paisley silk twilly from Hermès.

March 29, 2017Lena 0 Comments Travel.

Follow me around – 3 countries in one weekend

Moving to Aachen, which feels like the end of the world, is not that bad when it comes to weekend trips and get-aways. I needed to get out of my hotel that I had been staying at for two weeks and so we drove to Belgium that Friday. A review of the hotel will be coming soon so I don’t want to spoiler too much. It’s only a half-hour drive and Maasmechelen is such a cute and pretty place. We needed some serious relax-time Friday night, only to wake up Saturday fresh and bright and ready for the day. The Maasmechelen Village outlet shopping center is literally around the corner of the hotel we stayed at. They have a good variety of brands and as in every outlet, the possibility of some really good bargains does exist but is not insanely big. That being said, I love how beautifully the outlet and every single shop is decorated. As K said “I imagine this is what would happen if Disney World and the McArthur Glen Outlet in Roermond would have a baby” haha. I couldn’t have said it better. Customer service is awesome, everyone is so helpful and the sales personnel in the boutiques make you feel like you are shopping in a regular store. But budget-friendly.

March 26, 2017Lena 0 Comments Fashion. Outfits.

The sunniest day, yet

I have been waiting for this kind of weather for soooo long. Even though it is only March and in Germany, you can’t consider this time of year particularly warm or sunny. But last weekend was absolutely beautiful. We went to Belgium because a) I hadn’t been there in forever, b) I’ve stayed in a rather mediocre hotel for the past two weeks and couldn’t bare spending the weekend in that place and c) the hotel we went to is right next to the Maasmechelen Village, an outlet shopping mall. Need more reasons for a little weekend get-away? I don’t.

March 22, 2017Lena 0 Comments Travel.

Follow me around – Duesseldorf

You’ve probably already read the post about the Steigenberger hotel we stayed at a couple of weeks ago. I told you all about it and how much I loved it, what I didn’t tell you was what I did all weekend and how much fun that was. The original plan was to arrive Saturday because my friend wanted to have a girls’ night out for her bday. But since we spontaneously decided to stay at the Steigenberger on Friday, we had the whole Saturday to stroll around and do some shopping. Walking down the Kö is probably my favorite thing to do in Duesseldorf. Before 1.30pm it is usually not that crowded and you really get to enjoy the scenery with all the beautifully decorated windows of the designer boutiques. I loved the new maje boutique and of course had to go to Chanel to check out my new bag-to-be (my 2017-wishlist is here)…

Also, make sure to check out the smaller streets leading from the other side of the Kö towards the old city centre. It’s a great way to do a “round-trip” and there is an Hermès, Versace and one of my favorite concept stores Apropos. The sales personnel suck but they have many collections from different designers, well-chosen pieces and a beautiful book corner. Also, I love the Closed store and the Uli Knecht boutique in Grabenstrasse. Plus, definitely check out the lovely flower shop Bergine while you’re there. Coffee, cupcakes and ice cream are always a good idea, no matter where you are but if you’re into that stuff, make sure to visit Sugarbird’s café for delicious cupcakes and Giovanni L. for A-M-A-Z-I-N-G ice cream (dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan options available!).

March 19, 2017Lena 0 Comments Fashion. Outfits.

Bring out ’em leather jackets

The weather has finally decided to opt for spring temperatures and less rain so of course, my very first to-do was to get out my leather jacket. Not that I would ever burry it too deep in any storage because basically, I wear it all year round, but in cold cold winter, I definitely prefer a down coat… Anyways, it’s back now and I’m so glad it is that time of year again. I bet every one of you has that one leather jacket (no matter if real leather or vegan) that you love to bits and have worn it A LOT throughout the years. They are such versatile pieces and I pair them with everything and anything. So if you don’t have one yet or your favorite piece starts falling apart, get a new one quick, so you can life in it the next couple of months and if you are lucky enough for a hot summer, get it back out in October!

What I truly love about my leather jacket is that it is not fully leather but partly wool at the ends. I think it’s a cool twist to it. Also, the zipper is diagonal which makes it drape really pretty when I don’t close it and makes me look slimmer when I do. And it has well-sized pockets, and leather straps on the zippers… Did I mention the uber-buttery leather? Oh, and not to forget: the collar which is insanely convenient in cooler weather to keep me warm. So, if you’re thinking about buying a leather jacket, I highly recommend splurging because this piece will be your best friend for years and years and we all love a trusted friend who’s around to stay, right? If you’re looking for a more seasonal item in light pink or baby blue or any pastel-spring color: definitely opt for a more moderate price point because we never know if the cute pastel pink du jour is going to be labeled Miss Piggy pink next season…

March 15, 2017Lena 5 Comments Travel.

Out and About – Steigenberger Hotel, Germany

I only started this series last week but it’s so much fun to give you guys little hotel reviews because not only is it a great excuse for me to take pictures of the pretty places I stay at and try out my new camera (my first Canon, yeah!), coming from a reader’s point of view, I always find it so convenient when somebody honestly describes their impressions. Plus, posting genuine pictures of the hotel, the way it really looks, is incomparable to staged professional photo shoots where every little banana is spray-painted. Not that anyone would need to do that at the Steigenberger hotel in Duesseldorf, Germany.

We decided to spend a night here because of all the apartment-moving-madness that had been going on and because my girls and I were going to celebrate my friends birthday Saturday night in Duesseldorf anyway. Traffic in the city is never fun, especially not on Fridays and not these days when every corner of the shopping district is under road construction. But we made it, finding a parking spot right in front of the hotel. The Steigenberger concierge was super nice, offering a dinner reservation in a restaurant of our choice and promised to take my evening-express parcel (the new Canon!) up to our room asap. So lovely!

March 12, 2017Lena 2 Comments Fashion. Outfits.

Navy wool, fluffy black and white silk

I had the perfect weekend last week: drove to Duesseldorf on Friday without getting stuck in a traffic jam, picked up my boyfriend at the airport and checked in at the Steigenberger hotel. So far, so perfect. I will post a quick review of our stay at the Steigenberger later on. Anyway, back to the outfit. I already talked about the navy wool fedora on insta which I got when shopping in Hamburg the other week. I’m still obsessed with it and it was just perfect for a slightly sunny, slightly warmer day when you just can’t be bothered to properly do your hair (and the chance of a down-pour is 40%).

Also, I love my denim with a ripped hem to give my outfit a tiny little edge even when staying at a fancy hotel where ripped denim is simply out of place between grandma’s huge gold chains and the complete LV travel set getting unloaded from a Bentley. Yes, it was THAT fancy (and kinda weird, too). I wanted to add some dimension while still sticking to classic colors, so I mixed black and navy plus layered a white silk blouse underneath the sweater, plus, adding a fur vest on top. And let’s not forget about my all-time favorite Hogan booties. They are perfect for a long walk (or shopping trip). All in all, the perfect Duesseldorf-Outfit to stroll down the Kö.

March 8, 2017Lena 2 Comments Travel.

Out and About – Castle Hugenpoet, Germany

You already got a little sneak peek of the castle Hugenpoet where we stayed the other weekend in my post from March 1st. Even though I’m not a fan of Valentine’s day, not at all actually, K and I decided to at least “do something” because we hadn’t seen each other in a while – working and travelling have been crazy throughout January and February. I thought we’d just hang out and he decided to surprise me and booked this beautiful hotel. It is located right outside Essen, Germany. The location is beautiful because it is near the Ruhr, a big river, and the castle itself is located at the side of a hill, surrounded by water on a historic site.

We arrived pretty late and I totally recommend seeing the castle at night because the scenery is absolutely stunning. Light spots are everywhere around the castle, highlighting the old brick walls and beautifully decorated windows. Also, they have a separate restaurant and it is supposed to be awesome but that day, we preferred mommy’s chicken bone broth soup. The staff was super nice, they knew our names and led us to our room. 12ft high ceiling and huge windows, brocat wallpaper, wooden doors and furniture… Do I need to say more? It seriously felt like stumbling upon a fairytale. We decided to have breakfast downstairs the next morning and were not disappointed either: a nice variety, very good quality food and prosecco. Plus, the waitress was very nice. Oh and let’s not forget the view of the park!

The only bad thing about castle Hugenpoet? It was raining on Sunday so we didn’t get to take pictures in the beautifully planted park that surrounds the castle. What a pitty! That’s why most of the pics from my outfit post are taken inside. I’m usually not a huge fan of doing that but the alternative would have been pouring rain outside. Not a cute look, that’s for sure. Plus, the interior is beautiful despite the super yellow lightning which absolutely doesn’t coordinate with my blog layout… The struggle is real, haha. Hope you enjoy the pictures and if you are in the area of Duesseldorf or Cologne make sure to check them out and bring your camera 😉 P.S.: They do have a shuttle bus to Duesseldorf’s main shopping district “Königsallee” or “Kö”. So you can dine, relax and shop – WIN.

March 5, 2017Lena 2 Comments Travel.

Follow me around – Hamburg

I had the whole week off and since my new apartment is still not ready, I’m staying at my parents house. Which can be exhausting at times, I’m not gonna lie, but mostly, it’s a lot of fun and I get to spent loads of time with my mommy. So we decided to do a little girls-trip and go to Hamburg. We both love Hamburg. To me, Hamburg is just such a beautiful city because of the old, white houses, the harbor, great restaurants and endless shopping opportunities. Always something going on but not as big as Berlin and rather subtle and classy than hipster.

We started our day at the Mönckebergstrasse, a rather popular street with lots of shops like H&M, Zara, Mango, beauty stores and Starbucks. It’s nothing fancy or special but the buildings are pretty and the stores there are all rather big and usually have all the items from new collections. So I tried on about 20 pairs of shoes, some ruffled shirts… And finally got myself the end-of-one-chapter-start-of-the-next-chapter gift I had missed to get in Frankfurt: the new La Petite Robe Noire Intense by Guerlain. If you haven’t tried it, you absolutely should, it smells delicious! And of course some Essie nail polish 😉 Just on a side note: I like to get myself fragrances on special events in my life or when successfully completing something. Because when you smell the perfume years later, it still reminds you of that accomplishment or occasion.

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