The first of the spring...in Stockholm



Cherry blossom time in Kungsträdgården

    

My world

Fika time



The fabulous streets of Stockholm

National Library of Sweden in Humlegården

This city is amazing in style - and they keep it green too!

 So finally SPRING has arrived…in Stockholm at least (Still nothing in London). Filip and I flew in late Friday evening and out again late Sunday, and spent a full TWO days basking in the sunshine, meeting friends, taking FIKA (ah my favourite) and exploring some old spots and some new. What a fabulous time!
This is possibly my 8th time roughly in Sweden and possibly 5th in Stockholm…? What I love about this city is the fact that is completely tire-less. You never get sick of seeing its sights. From my first experience in the city as a singleton travelling with my girlfriends, to now travelling ‘home’ with my boyfriend,  this city never ceases to be old in its presence. It oozes being quaint and holding charm whilst being infused with modernity unlike many other European cities, and really steps up to the plate in design, culture and pure decadent style. This is most definitely the city to ‘people watch’. Sitting out in the sunshine having a coffee and cinnamon bun, watching the ‘indeedly-very-beautiful’ world pass you by.

On this weekend trip, we walked A LOT, as you do and discovered many great things to see and do. For lunch we went with friends to this fabulous outdoor/indoor café with all organic produce named Centralbadet.

Wayne’s Coffee brought us a bought of ‘Fika’, which translates into a social coffee break, and usually with something sweet to accompany your kaffe. And in the evening we were invited to a fab restaurant Restaurang AG almost similar in style to London’s Hawksmoor or Gaucho, where we shared a tenderly cooked meal of pork. Its style and ambience was authentic and designed accurately and prices were rather low in travelling with a group. I think in total including wine Filip and I spent 840SEK, which equates roughly to £76…so definitely not too bad for the two of us. Sunday we popped to the local supermarket for brunch and walked through Skansen where we stopped and enjoyed the fabulous spring sunshine and had classic Swedish hotdogs and ice-cream!

No shopping purchases for me this time.. but NK is always a favourite in our household, and if you’re looking for stylish and inexpensive prices check out Gina Tricot, similar to also the very famous Swedish Store Henny’s -  H&M.
The only real purchase (other than candy) we bought was a little jumpsuit from Lundmyr of Sweden for my new niece or nephew, that expands to allow more room as they grow – an awesome idea! NB: when you check out their website alskling = darling (uber cuteness).

The Swedes definitely understand great and inventive design, and they most definitely infuse it with perfect style. For a place where they truly get it, book your tickets to Stockholm soon!

Ideas on Style

I think in regards to finding your personal style, in whatever realm we’re discussing – travel, fashion, art etc., my advice would be to work with what you have.

We, especially us women, focus a little too much on the things we don’t have, or the things we dislike. Instead, I urge you to work with what you have. 
The way in which I’ve really understood my own style and taste, has been when I’ve has no other option, than being stuck with what I’ve got. Times when i’ve been frustrated with my hair attempting to grow out, or I’ve had no money back when I was a student and you become forced to make do with your wardrobe’s offerings as it stands. 

You become creative, and innovative, and although you may risk making a few errors here and there,  you soon discover your comfort levels, levels of risks you’re willing to take and you begin to have fun exploring new possibilities, even if they’re ‘old ‘clothes etc. It’s the same when you travel - be it to the same place, either to visit family or business etc. or new adventures awaiting you. 

Find new crevices of discovery – Dare to step on a different path – and discover new lengths to which you will go to be yourself, and to find your own flavour for your life and ideas.

"If we never found this love
If we never took that road
If we hadn't had the heart
We wouldn't have this home."
       Love will take you  by Angus & Julia Stone

I love how this parallels who we are - Home is wherever you are right now and to have an understanding of ourselves being where we are by our own choice and previous choices, is more than just empowering, it's reminding in its own self, and therefore enabling for all we are and more!

Eye Spy...ME

What is ME time?…Mary Engelbreit time of course.
I first stumbled across this amazing and distinctive illustrator when I was a child. My aunt lives in America, and used to send calendars and desk diaries to my grandmother and mother in NZ. Nana was soon labelled after one of Mary’s greatest characters ‘The Queen of Everything’, which then meant my Aunt and my Mum were the 'Princesses of Quite a Lot', and so on.

Nana LOVES Mary, and I soon began to not be able to get through a year, without Mary’s fabulous creations also.
Every year I buy myself and my family a new calendar and whatever other items I can get my hands on without being too over the top for my boyfriend’s liking (I now buy for his Mum too) and set myself up with a new and exciting year.
Mary’s affirmations, whether they be her own or from the great of the greats, have filled the lives of the women in my family with joy, laughter and unbreakable hope that life is a ok, and will continue to be so. Mary has turned simple products into a family tradition for me, and I hope will continue to be passed down and continued on. ME time will be centred around a quote of the day from Mary’s Day-to-Day calendar I bought for 2012. I hope you enjoy and get as much joy as I do from seeing what the next day will bring….