Lillys Roses

Back on Stage - Lilly's return

2011-03-29T22:35:00.007+02:00

I love the contrast to the background xD - Here in my favourite
winter jacket.

Cinema Outfit: dress+cardigan+purse - hm, necklace+tights -
primark, shoes - nina fiarucci.

The most delicious cupcakes, from Budapest's main market hall.

Hi! I realized that I love my blog and cannot give it up. It has been months since I last blogged, but I will make up for it. Are you ready to join Lilly Rose in her latest adventures? Layout is still under construction and here are the major changes:

focus on fashion
focus on sweets
focus on everything glamorous =)
~ 2 posts per week
additonal pages (e.g. About)
new layout
motto: Life is glamorous

I am happy to greet new and old readers, we will have a great time! =)

Lilly

Hide Away in the Flower Tree

2010-08-23T19:51:00.006+02:00

Lilly trying to camouflage in the magnificent flower tree with her new print romper from Jerusalem.

Well hidden like a panther =) (or so I wish). Okay, at least I tried.

Climbing down is another matter...huh!
(romper jerusalem, sunglasses+bracelets nazareth, ring six, earrings madonna)

~*~

I got back onto the flower tree during the night to sit between the softly swaying branches and gaze dreamily into the stars... =).

~*~

Look what I found in Jerusalem - Topshop yaaay!!! First time visiting one of their stores!

Pretty stylish girl, seen in Jerusalem.

Shooting (outfit) pictures while sitting in a tree is something I have to try again. It's kind of funny when you pretend to manage sitting on swaying branches, all the time avoiding to fall down. =)

Love,

Rolling in Black Mud at the Dead Sea

2010-08-23T01:08:00.004+02:00

400 meters below the average sea level: the last stop of our road trip through all of Israel was the famous "Sea of Death" - or Dead Sea - the deepest hypersaline lake in the world! After visiting Masada, we seeked for a refreshment and went to one of the Dead Sea's beaches (beware of sinkholes!) to jump into the supersalty water...(the water was warm like a baby's bathtub, so far for the refreshment, lol).

Lilly, completely covered in black mud, enjoying the Dead Sea. (Washing that stuff off is another story *sigh*).

Very creepy experience (later funny): The high salt content (~ 34%) keeps you easily afloat. Swimming is not really possible, because the "water" is very thick. Never duck your head under, it literally burns your eyes out (not that I tried or something). Why the shoes? Well, you have to walk in and the underground nearly scratched our soles.

The shore of the Dead Sea (lonely beach^^).

Bizarre salt formations at the shore (try to walk on that!).

Rather typical Israeli breakfast: you realize something?? Yes, half of it is salad and vegetables. (That ratio also accounts for the rest of the diet here O-o).

Flower tree in En Gedi - I had to climb it!! (and I did, haha).

~*~

End of my Israel Road Trip =) I hope you enjoyed the travel report!

Love,

It's a love story, baby just say yes!

2010-08-20T18:01:00.008+02:00

Summer, Love, Italy - best ingredients for the new film starring Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Redgrave in "Letters to Juliet" (2010). The soundtrack contains my new favourite song, which is playing non-stop at my home: "Love Story" by US star Taylor Swift. Listen to this song, jump around your room and feel happy^^ - summer, the best time of the year! (And I assume the movie is supercute and worth a visit, too). It's a love story, baby just say... YES!

The Song:
(most adorable music video ever! The dress is awesome!!)

The Movie Trailer:

Love, (still singing and jumping)

Medieval Fantasy Earrings by Vintouch

2010-08-19T11:16:00.003+02:00

No end to shopping tipps this week -haha^^. But you'll agree at the sight of those handmade pieces of jewellery that they are something special! Found in the (private) Online Shop Vintouch - handmade and inspired by medieval artwork. Prices are reasonable! Below my shop favourites:

Flower design with coloured pearls.

Blue and gold - is there a better combination? The symbols at the pendants look mysterious.

A little more oriental: hearts and pearls.

~*~

Anything more? Yeah, I am quite annoyed with G**gle right now. When I logged into my blogger account this morning, they asked for my phone number to 'restore' my blog in case of sudden data loss. What a ploy - just yesterday I read that they are focusing now on collecting cell phone data from people and that they are already able to locate you/your phone via the number. I am really unhappy with this (and did not give my number of course). Don't give yours if they ask! With the whole G**gle Street View thing going on, I am trying to get away from them as far as possible - which primarily means changing the search engine and reduced use of my g**glemail email adress. They are crossing the limit with their schemes...

Shirt dress by Haburi: + or - ?

2010-08-18T10:30:00.004+02:00

I stumbled upon this dress on Anna's Blog and found out that it is available over Haburi (brand: Herrlicher) for 64,90 Euro. In my opinion an interesting idea, but the price is definitely too high for my budget - so I keep telling myself that it looks like a giant undershirt, lol^^. What do you think - hot or not? Love,

Best Deals at Forever21

2010-08-17T18:07:00.005+02:00

After a one week net absence due to serious laptop issues, I am finally back to blogging. For today? The best deals at Forever 21 (hurry up, some of it already in sale!). I love...

...this nerdy tshirt!! The shoes are my most favourite pick^^. (How adorable is that baby chicken?)

And how sweet is that?? Cupcake key caps =). The pink lamé sport bag is a pick for my special friend KMC (you rock, honey!).

A cascade of lace dress and earrings from 1001 nights... what do we need more?!

~*~
Always in search of the latest stylish pieces! ;)

Royal Desert Fortress: Masada

2010-08-04T18:17:00.005+02:00

Road through the desert.

Driving to the South of Israel, the scenery changed drastically, as we made our way into the desert of the Negev. Last stop on our big road trip through Israel, we drove to the Dead Sea. Hills of sand and rocks surrounded us for hours and no green far and wide.

Short driving break. Practical outfit: shirt new yorker, shorts hm, sandals keen, sunglasses nazareth, bracelet hm, fish necklace zafed.

Food to survive the long drive: Super yummy cookies from a bakery^^.

Plan for the day was the desert fortress Masada, a national sanctury to the Israelis. It is located on top of a plateau cliff and you have to either walk up (not during the day!!! HOT.) or get up there by cable car.

King Herod built this fortress and he made it quite splendid: there are several palaces and store houses, a clever water system and even a sort of ancient thermal wellness spa.

Great view over the Dead Sea!!

Ruins from the ancient buildings on top of the cliff. Masada is a highly frequented spot of touristic interest. Despite the effects of an earthquake on the fortress, the desert climate keeps the ruins in a good condition.

Leftovers from inhabitants of the royal fortress: ~ 2,000 years old. They also had quite amazing (gold and silver) jewellery in the museum. The vials and bottles in the picture were used for --- Make Up!!! Believe it or not.

***

The story behind Masadas importance

Actually, Masada is famous for a very sad incidence that happened long after King Herod left the castle. The Romans invaded the country and the only resistance gathered at the old castle: Jewish rebels. The Romans tried to take the castle by military force, which is not an easy task, because the fortress is in on top of a remote cliff. (The leftovers of the Romans' military camps are still visible around Masada today!). The night before the Romans were about to finally break into the castle and presumably enslave all the rebels and their families, the leader of the rebels held a very passionate speech with the result that he claimed it would be more noble to die instead of becoming Roman slaves.
He chose nine other men (it is said that they drew lots) and they proceeded to kill all the 2,000 people in the fortress: their wives, children, relatives, everyone. Finally, one of the ten men got chosen to kill the other nine men. After he did that, he commited suicide.
The Romans took the castle on the next day and they were left speechless about the massacre they found inside. It is said in the historical record that only two women and three children survived, because they successfully hid in a small cave. Nowadays, Masada is a national symbol for Jewish resistance against oppression. In fact, the picture in the museum shows belongings that were left from the rebels. They also found shoes, braids of hair and children toys, as well as food. I could'nt help it... when I stood there, looking at all those things, I cried my heart out... What a terribly sad story.

Top 6 Picks at Topshop this month

2010-08-03T12:45:00.004+02:00

Best 3 Rings at Topshop: Butterfly is ♥♥♥.

Rings are my latest obsession...bought around ten here in Israel?! My three favourites currently at UK Topshop are the blue butterfly, the crown and the golden bug. What else catched my eye is below. What do you think of those black booties? Wanna wear them in autumn soon =) (or so I wish, haha). I agree that the bird cage earrings are rather excentric, but also terribly adorable!! X3

Hippie Summer dress - glamorous^^.

Look at those babies!! Waah! [Black Booties]

Bird cage earrings - crazy, but cool.

Just had three pieces of chocolate cake and now my stomach hurts... should have known better :[ Love,

Sand of Time

2010-08-02T13:00:00.001+02:00

Actually, I don't feel like an outfit post today... due to the severe bombings this morning in Israel. Everyone around me is acting like nothing happened, but I feel confused and uneasy about it. Now I keep receiving emails from Germany, pleading me to come home. So, you see, even if you are in paradise... nothing is as perfect as it seems. I try to concentrate on work for now and hope that I can spend the rest of my time here in peace.

Lace dress from a local store, leggins primark, (non-matching) flipflops noname.

The flowers around the plam tree are (together with hibiscus) the only flowers that grow well in the desert climate here.

We went out that evening to my favourite coffeeplace at the beach (so, no high heels^^).

Close-up on the jewellery: from a local market.

All the best for you! Keep in mind that we cannot value peace high enough. Even if your Monday morning seems boring, there are many places in the world, where people would be happy to have a boring Monday...

Love,

Nazareth: City of Mysteries

2010-07-28T13:00:00.009+02:00

Lilly, with her third pair of sunglasses -.-

I broke my second pair of sunglasses in Nazareth (one screw is lost), so I was forced to buy a new pair at the Bazaar. This is how I got those fancy pink ones! Really, you cannot go out of the house during the day without sunglasses. Nazareth is a beautiful city, but the traffic is crazy...I would not dare to drive a car there. The food is amazingly delicious - I'd like to spent a week here, just eating through all the yummy restaurants!! We spent the night in an old convent (very calm place to sleep^^) - Galila had to be smuggled in. Here is an impression of our adventures in Nazareth:

HL, T. and Lilly after visiting a mosque, on our way to the Bazaar in Nazareth.

HL, bargaining at the Bazaar about buttons for a new DIY-project.

The Church of Annunciation: at this place Mary is supposed to got informed from the Angel Gabriel that she'll have God's child. It is the biggest Christian church in the Middle East.

Did you ever see an Arabic cemetery? Well, I didn't.

We found a great little restaurant at the Bazaar and stopped for a traditional lunch^^.

Israeli dishes: Falafel, pitta bread, lebone cheese (white), humus (beige), salad and more salad XDD. You drink mint leomande with it or/and water.

For dessert, there is strong black coffee and small pancakes with honey that are filled with white cheese or nuts. Super-yummy!!!

***Have a great evening, my lovelies!***
♥♥♥

Step Up, City Girl!

2010-07-26T17:31:00.006+02:00

Summer, summer, summer!! :D (source)

Not that I have everything here in Israel that I need....I bought tons of jewellery and dresses =) (already picture the airport staff asking like "You want to open a boutique or something??!"). The only problem is getting proper shoes... (not that I currently can walk in anything else than flip flops, lol). And as much as I try to avoid the online shop of our favourite Swedish fashion house, those stunning summer shoes are on my wishlist =)). How do you like them?

No.1 Lace Peeptoe Booties (my favourites^^)♥♥♥. 40 Euro.

No.2 Soft Pink High Heels. 40 Euro.

No. 3 Cut-out Booties in Marshmallow Pink. 30 Euro.

No.4 Flower Print High Heels. 30 Euro.

Here is my mission: Writing to H&M and complaining about the fact that their size 41 is generally a little too small for average 41. I am not supposed to cut off one of my toes like the sisters from Cinderella, am I??! Lots of sun and love to you,

Lake Kinneret: The Mount of Beatitudes

2010-07-25T11:34:00.006+02:00

The Church on the Mount of Beatitudes, North Israel.

In the warm afternoon sun, we reached the famous Lake Kinneret (Genezareth) on our road trip through all regions of Israel. It was already a little late, so we rushed to visit a few of the many holy places along the lake (which close before 17h). At the place of this church, Jesus is said to have given the blessings from the Bible (~therefore Mount of 'Blessedness' would also fit as description). Isn't it beautiful??! Many pilgrims visit this cloister every day.

A look in the garden around the church (yaay, palm trees^^).

~An exotic blossom~.

Great view over the Lake Kinneret^^. It is the fresh water lake, which is most below the mean sea level in the world. Many events in the Bible are connected to the Kinneret!!!

Lilly at the shore of the Kinneret (I am in the middle of a monk cloister there, so swimming is forbidden, lol. And I only took the shawl of my shoulders for a second to shoot the picture).

We drove to this beach and jumped into the lake. YR complained that a fish bit him, maybe that is a lucky sign? He told me: "Lilly, you have to be careful; this is fresh water, it doesn't have much buoyancy!"- I laughed at him an explained that this is the only type of lake we have in Germany =))). [In Israel, swimming in the Dead Sea and the Red Sea is fairly comfortable, because the high salt content keeps you at the surface).

Look at our poor sweetheart Galila! I totally used this situation, catched her and washed her ears (still wet, hehe). After that she looked too miserable for my initial mission to train her in swimming a bit. Instead, she was more interested in drinking the water from the lake (out of my hands of course, spoilt dog!). She looks really like a baby German shepherd dog, does she?

***

Only a few more weeks left in Israel. I feel very happy here, but I am also looking forward to go home and see my friends and family again. Hopefully they will still recognize me (tanned as I am, haha) *-*. Love,

Autumn Favourites at H&M 2010

2010-07-24T16:02:00.005+02:00

Classic Grey Coat, 50 Euro.

Summer is still at its best, but H&M already provides hungry fashionistas with new inspiration for the autumn season. My favourites this year? An outfit that combines caramel, ferrari red and black together. The red blouse and the long cardigan are my most favoured picks^^. And I started to consider buying the black hat... not that I specifically like hats (aside from the small French berets I own), but I feel in the mood for some fashion experiments ... *Cough, cough*, I already apologize to my friends in advance, lol^^. Here's what I like best so far:

No.1 - Red Blouse with ruffles, 20 Euro. ♥♥♥

No.2 - Elegant Chiffon Dress, 30 Euro.

No.3 - Classical Shopper, 2o Euro.

No.4 - Pearl Hair Jewellery, 5 Euro.

No. 5 - Long Caramel Cardigan, 20 Euro. ♥♥♥

No.6 - Black Hat, 8 Euro.

Something you fancy?! Can't wait to check out the rest in the new autumn catalogue that is (hopefully) waiting for me at home in Germany. After 4 months of constant summer ... rain, fog and a cloudy sky seem nothing more than a distant memory, like something from a dream that you have nearly already forgotten about...More soon ♥. Love,

Nimrod: Castle in the Sky

2010-07-23T14:21:00.007+02:00

The boarders to Lebanon and Syria are in sight from here! The Golan heights don't only have the most beautiful waterfalls (here), they also surprise their visitors with a castle in the sky =). Okay, but at least as close to the sky as possible! Nimrod is a famous fortress in Israel - initially build by Muslims, later taken over by the Crusaders that came to the holy land and a few hundred years later it got destroyed by a severe earthquake.

Lilly, enjoying the view over the valley below the castle. (shirt+belt noname, pants hm, necklace+earrings souvenirs, hat outdoor shop).

A hidden water cistern in the castle. We found doves and bats there! Magical, hu??!

What the earthquake left of this gigantic fortress... (walking there is only allowed on special trails).

On this day, Galila (our rescued puppy dog) was strong enough to follow us around the castle by herself. She messed with other dogs, got lost between the rocks and was too small to climb some of the huge stone stairs.

Portrait of HL, YR and Gaaalilaaa!!!

During a road stop at a small café...we smuggeled Galila in and she was patiently sleeping under the table for an hour. She is the most well-behaving puppy I ever saw! (sleepily opening an eye for me =)).

***

The Nimrod castle was the most Northern point of our road trip. That day we headed back to the South, in search of new adventures along the way =). More soon. Love,

A Midsummer Night's Dream

2010-07-21T19:11:00.004+02:00

This is my favourite dress from Jerusalem: over and over covered in roses, very Sleeping Beauty-like^^.♥ I found it in a small shop on Jaffa Street. The lenght is ideal!

Bracelet from H&M. Thanks to K.A.By. for taking the pictures!

We were going out that night to the beach to have drinks in a small bar. The wind is execptionally warm, like from a hair blow dryer!

The heels are a present from my dear JP. for last Christmas, they are perfect! I got the embroidered bag in Jerusalem's Old City. The black rose ring is from six, the earrings from madonna.

My favourite summer outfit =)). But then, what else can you wear, when the temperatures don't significantly drop during the night??! More soon^^. Love,

Banias: Under the hidden waterfalls

2010-07-20T14:41:00.006+02:00

***Check out cute puppy dog Galila here :D***

Hi XD
After the Galilee, we headed for the Golan heights in the North of Israel. The area is rather green in comparison to the desert area I am living in.

Break from Driving: Earrings from Pik'In, Necklace from Zafed, Shirt Noname, Scarf from mam, sunglasses stolen from my sister.

This is the Jordan River, supplying the South with water. And the proof that there was -one- day during my stay here that I wore jeans!! (The night before it was cold in the mountains, so I had to).

Next stop was a beautiful nature reserve: I had no idea that there is so much water available in Israel! The Banias are a wonderful spot to wander along for a few hours and the place reminded me of Germany a lot!

*-* Amazing!! Swimming was forbidden due to strong currents.

Last point of the hiking trail was a wonderful waterfall ^-^. We carried Galila all the way with us in a bagpack (dogs were not allowed to enter, but we got a special permission).

The landscape looks like this in the Golan heights. I was impressed by all the green after I got used to live in a city where the only trees are palm trees! The next stop will bring us to an ancient fortress - stay tuned for more! Love,

The green earrings I mentioned in the last post - bought in the Druze village Pik'In. They reminded me of grapes ("Very arabic!", commented HL amused).

This wall in their living room (see last post) was decorated over and over with tons of earrings (Yay, heaven^^).

Pik'In: Visit in a Druze Village

2010-07-19T20:25:00.000+02:00

Arabic dessert: looks like coloured carpet and tastes sweet like the sin... =)

The Druze people are a minority in Israel, living in their own cities and villages in the north. Pik'In reminded me of an Italian mountain village. People were very friendly!

My friends and I were allowed to visit the first family of Pik'In during our road trip. This is how their living room looks like. (Yeah, that's Kennedy on that poster!). I bought a pair of green chandelier earrings from them =))).

We spent the night on this Israeli version of a camp site: an outdoor living room with carpets... XDD. There was no electricity and no warm water, so we had a fire in the evening and drank whine while looking into the stars.

This cute yard belongs to a wavery in Zafed, a city in the north, widely known for its popular art galleries and the ultraorthodox (strongly traditional Jewish) people living there.

*** Okay, now finally Galilas story :D ***

This is my friend HL, carrying around the newest travel group member: puppy dog Galila^^.
The night before, we were driving at a deserted mountain street and Galila directly ran in front of the car. HL stopped and little Galila was so miserable, that T. picked her up and we decided to leave her at the farm where we planned to spend the night.
Just that they did not want her! We gave her sugary water and she throw it all up again during the night. The next day we took her to see a vet (who also did not want to keep her). She said that the little one was just two months old back then! YR made the best name suggestion for her:

We named her after the region that we found her in: the mountains of Galilee (Galiläa). For the rest of the week-long travel, she was sitting in a small basket on the backseat and we would take turns to feed her and cuddle her. What a strenous travel for such a young dog! By this point, it was still not clear what would happen to her. She was like our baby and enjoyed the affection not only from us, but from random people in the street that stopped to pet her and love her. However, there is an happy ending for the abandoned puppy dog... HL and YR took Galila to live with them ( for happy ever after of course). Doesn't it sound like a true fairy-tale?!

Love,PS: Check out this turtle!! I was so excited that I jumped out of the driving car ("Lilly!!!")...

... More soon from the Holy Land ...

Back to the Blogosphere

2010-07-18T16:23:00.004+02:00

Wearing white requires caution: not the best for someone as clumsy as me...XD

We went out for drinking a coffe together (yeah, at night, totally normal).

A recent going out outfit: shirt from blogger Jules, leggins primark, belt noname, shoes (?), earrings jerusalem, bag present from mam, ring six.

It happens to all bloggers occasionally and there is not much that we can do about it, even if we love blogging with all our heart and put a lot of passion into it...sometimes real life demands (and pleasures) are so strong that you get completely distracted from the blogosphere. In my case, I had no idea that my break would be a month long even if I was thinking that I'd like to blog every day!!. Does it give any indication of how incredibly busy and exciting a work place abroad can be? Now I am back for good and I have tons of fantastic pictures and stories with me:

* a shopping trip to Tel Aviv
* a adventurous trip to Jordan
* a boat trip at the sea
* lots of events with friends

So: Yaay, finally a blog update (a decent outfit post, suitable for a fashion blogger) and there'll be more from me soon =). Cordial greetings to all my beloved readers!
Love,

Inspiration from the Fashion Studio

2010-06-19T12:55:00.003+02:00

Did you have those paper dolls in your childhood? The ones you can cut out clothes for and dress them up for every occassion?? I had a lot of fun with them when I was little, so it's not surprising that I highly enjoy to play around with H&M's Fashion Studio... This time I discovered the portrait function^^:

My favourite items styled together in three outfits:

1) Let's hit the city =)

2) Let's go to the open air theatre play

3) Saturday afternoon Latte Macchiato

Which one do you like best?! The autumn/winter catalogue will be published at the end of July and I am curious what's up for the next season... By the way, I have my first free day since what feels like forever (in Israel, only Saturday is usually free from work). Still, there is some household chores waiting, a lot of emails and other stuff... And there is going to be a small beach party tonight with some of my friends =)) Yaaay!!

Lots of Love,

High Seas at Rosh Hanikra

2010-06-18T22:15:00.000+02:00

It was a perfectly sunny day at the Mediterranean coast: We arrived at Rosh Hanikra during our Road Trip through Israel one afternoon. Rosh Hanikra lays in the very North at the boarder to Lebanon. It is famous for its grottos: during storms or high seas the waves crash into caves at the cliff - spectactular! We luckily catched high seas and experienced the grottos at their best!! =) (And of course we got splashed with sea water a lot!).

View over the coast line next to Rosh Hanikra. WOW!!

A small cable car brings people down the cliff to the grottos.

Seriously bleached hair - and new jewellery^^: pearl creoles and frog necklace from Jerusalem.

Waves crashing against the rocks!! Huuu =). Inside the caves the day light can be completely blocked out with a big wave rolling in! Some of the paths and tunnels inside the rocks were closed because they already got to slippery to walk on them savely!

Found this ring at the Old City Bazaar in Akko!

After Rosh Hanikra we drove to the mountains and had a dinner picnic on the rocks and watched the sunset^^. You can see classical Israel food here: Lebone (white sour cheese), salad, more cheese and bread as thin as skin.

This evening somebody special literally crossed our way! Galilas whole story soon^^.

***

The work project is finally over! All in all it went pretty well and there will be some follow-up work with it still, but generally I will have more time from tomorrow onwards =). Great weekend to you all and cordial greetings from Israel!! Love,

Little Brothers first steps into fashion industry =)

2010-06-15T15:03:00.006+02:00

I am a very proud big sister! My cute little brother just turned into a model^^. Check out his first photoshooting for a skater boutique below. What can I say? This makes me very happy - and now I get a lot of new photos from my brother =). (Haven't seen him for quite a while now). I wish you much success, cutie!!! Keep going!

I miss his smile! Hopefully there is more soon^^. Love,

Milla vs. Rumi vs. RVCA

2010-06-13T12:21:00.009+02:00

Rumi Neely (Blog).

Collaborations with star designers are nothing new in the fashion world. But this one is: Fashion Blogging Queen Rumi Neely from Fashiontoast (who has her own campaign for Forever21 displayed on Times Square, NYC right now) teamed up with surfer label RVCA and designed this awesome dress for their collection: The Machinery Dress.

Available at RVCA's Online Shop: here (~ 60 Dollar). Kinda reminds you of something??!!

Right! The inspiration was Leeloo Dallas' (Milla Jovovich) outfit in The Fifth Element (with Bruce Willis). (One of my favourite movies and I recognized the source of inspiration already before I read where it is from =))).

I am not sure yet if I like the black version better than the white. Okay, but the most important question: Any RVCA retailers in Germany or do I have to ship it from the States??? Awww.

Conclusion: More design collaborations with Rumi please ;). Amazing how the bloguettes influence in the fashion world grows, hmm?

***

Still overly busy until at least Friday! Please keep your fingers crossed that everything works well. Meanwhile I had a lot of other issues to deal with also (uff). A few calm and peaceful days would be nice soon! A good start into the week my lovelies, keep your spirits up!♥♥♥
Love,

Oriental Magic in Akko

2010-06-10T06:51:00.007+02:00

Hi =). So happy that I managed to get away from work to blog!!^^. Ready for some impressions from the city Akko? The Crusaders built an impressive fort here when they arrived in the Holy Land and the Old City is strongly influenced by the Muslim cultur. Which means more small streets and lots of small shops for food and jewellery! This mosque is located in the middle of the Old City of Akko (love the turquoise colour of the dome!!):

(This is a pavilion in their courtyard).

Amazing! =)).

Just found Aladdins wonder lamp! Can I buy a dschin to fulfill my (shopping) wishes??!!

Cinnamon on the market. Smells niiice^^.

Roses grow here as easy as dandelions would in Germany!

Hey!! Finally there is the white horse from every girl's dream... and where is the Prince??!! (Not wearing Flip Flops, is he? Heeelp.)

We found a kolibri here (a small bird that lives on the nectar of blossoms). It is the first time that I saw this flower!! It is the blossom of the passion fruit! =)

Dry rose buds from the spice merchant. What are they for?

Hey, I really want to blog more. It's just that I am majorly busy at least until the end of the next week! I am excited that the World Cup started and I am looking forward to watch some of the games, yeahh!! Greetings to all of you from Israel!

Love,

The Bazaar: Roses, Jewellery and Strawberrys

2010-06-08T10:00:00.000+02:00

Hi =)
You see those insanely delicious strawberries here? I bought one kilo (!!) for 1 Euro♥. You get bargains like that on one of the many (oriental) bazaars we visited all throughout Israel! Here are my favourite impressions. In Jerusalem, there were the Shouks in the Old City and the Mehane Yehuda were all the traditional people buy food for shabat. And of course there are the shopping streets in the city centers.
Bazaars are so great! I love the chaos, the people, the many different smells that mingle with each other, so many exotic products and fabrics! The atmosphere is often less touristic, because of all the normal citizens buying there. Imagine the shop owners shouting their offering of the day and the attempt to fight the prices of their neighbours. And there are clothes hanging above you (you never know where to look first, it is just overwhelming!!). Birds in small cages, schoolchildren, stray cats...people playing old board games, women chatting^^.

My favourite fruits (they look like rubies here!).

View into one of the small Shouk Streets.

Adorable jewellery boxes!

Wide range of choices for the religious customers.

Spices, spices, spices.

Fresh flowers, waiting for happy owners.

The City Center of Jerusalem (there was a rock concert that evening).

One day I ate so many pastries that I felt sick afterwards... I am so silly. The next day I went back to buy more.

We have a really though work project at the moment and I cannot promise to blog daily for the next few weeks. I hope to manage every 3-4 days (hopefully that's OK for you!^^). See you again soon and stay tuned for more adventures from the Middle East (including a small puppy dog♥). Love,

ATLANTIS

2010-06-05T13:22:00.008+02:00

Caesarea gave us the possibility to shoot these pictures. They came out like I hoped^^. So, a kind of extraordinary 'daily outfit post' today =). H. volunteered to take the photos, thank you honey!♥

White embroidered dress, borrowed from H. I suppose, the red veil is left from a play that took place here.

The feeling of the warm wind coming from the Mediterranean Sea, caressing through my hair can only be described with the wish to Fly away...

Waves softly crushing against the rocks.

What must life have been like at the time this building was created initially?

Close-Up on the pearl creole earrings from Jerusalem. Ring from Six Jewellery. I tried to find a dress with a similar embroidery - not successfully :(.

Seriously, one I day I want to live in a house at the sea. That's all I need to feel happy. Really really happy.

Picnic in Caesarea

2010-06-04T09:01:00.008+02:00

On the Road again... Now we are driving north along the coast and pass Tel Aviv and Haifa on our way. After a few hours, we reach the ancient port of King Herod: Caesarea! Directly connecting his kingdom to the Mediterranean Sea, it is an amazing old (archaeological) city with even a palace, bath houses and an huge amphitheatre. There were even a few actors enacting the times of King Herod. We roamed through the ruins and imagined life 2000 years ago here! Later we had a picnic on the rocks, enjoying the breath-taking scenery and the fresh vegetables.

Our picnic place =).

A typical meadow in the dry and hot climate there.

View over the southern storage facilities in Caesarea.

The wooden stairs were build for the visitors of course (else they would have to climb around the ruins, not such a good idea). Here are my lovely T. and H.!♥♥

Hidden between the rocks. Look at those fleashy leaves! They store water for the flower (after 2 months I saw it raining here exactly one time!! Imagine!).

Where the Flower Birds live

2010-06-03T21:33:00.007+02:00

I am so happy to blog again today! We have new oven in the apartment and ever since the electricity breaks down twice per evening and the internet only comes back after like an hour...(don't ask...). So finally we continue the trip^^!
We left Jerusalem on the 3rd day and headed for a small village in the hills around the city: En Kerem! It is so beautiful that I would love to live there =). It reminded me of a Italian mountain village... small nice houses, lots of flowers, cloisters, cafés and a great view into the valley! We strolled the streets and stopped to pause in a wonderful cloister garden!

This beautiful dress is borrowed from my friend H. She bought it in Jerusalem another time. Scarf from Mam, bag from the Old City, shoes H&M, ring by Six, earrings from Jerusalem, sunglasses stolen from my sister. I love this blue door!! =)

Delicate flowers in En Kerem. We saw (for the first time in my life!) a wild kolibri here, a bird living from the sweet liquid of blossoms!!♥♥

Close-Up on my new embroidered bag from the Arabian market in Jerusalem. Very practical!

Christian monks live and pray here (my shoulders are properly covered^^).

It is a really amazingly beautiful place! (with Mediterranean flair).

♥I adore petals....easy to guess :P

Another souvenir: A bracelet from Jaffo Street (best shopping tipp!!). It reminded me of the ocean... when you are under water and look up against the sky and see how the light breaks through the surface =)).

One of the myriad salad variations here!

I hope you enjoy the impressions from my Road Trip and I promise that I'll update more often. You know how it is - sometimes life just takes over. The next three weeks will be extra busy for me (getting up early, going home late), so for now I plan to get some sleep^^. Sweet dreams for you! =)♥ Love,

The Mount of Olives

2010-05-29T15:16:00.011+02:00

Hi =). A visit to Jerusalem is not complete without the Mount of Olives ('Ölberg'). I walked it down with T. and catched up with the sights on the way! The sun was crazy that day, but then - when is it not in Israel? Grab your scarf and sunglasses and follow me! =)

On top of the Mount of Olives. Check the video for the view of Jerusalem behind us! By the way, I am wearing sunglasses pair No.2 - my precious Primarks got lost on the bus...!!

The Western Wall (formerly: Wailing Wall). It it the most important sanctuary for the Jews. People come here to pray and cry and dance. You have to clean your hands before you enter and then you can lend books with prayers. Of course you can also leave your wishes on small notes in the wall. A special place in Jerusalem! Directly behind lays the Dome of Rocks.

A cat chilling in the Muslim quarter of the Old City.

Short break =).

Rose petals in a Christian churchyard on the Mount.

In this Christian church, the prayers Jesus taught his disciples can be found in about 50 languages (on the walls, see picture). It was founded by a French princess. It features also a cave where Jesus is said to have spoken to his followers. By the way, Mount of Olives is the place where Jesus ascended to heaven!

A Russian orthodox church on the Mount. A nunnery (cloister) in these days, not open for visitors. Beautiful cupolas!

WOW!! The olive trees here are dated back about 2000 years. This is the Garden Gethsemane. You remember, were Jesus spent his last night in freedom and was later arrested by the Romans after Judas betrayed him?

The Garden Gethsemane belongs now to a Christian Church. Sorry about all this religious stuff, but man we are in Jerusalem!! What do you exspect??! I find it pretty interesting to visit so many sanctuaries from the Christian, Muslim and Jewish religion.

Evening in the center of Jerusalem... Lilly had to climb this statue in a park. Pretty embarrassing that it was (even for me) too high to get on and I ended up with a guy having me placed on top of the horse (not that this was very much fairy-tal-y, nooo...).

Yummy, eggplant lasagna for dinner!

I hope you enjoyed the photos and there will be more of the Big Road Trip through all areas of Israel soon! For now I can't stop to listen to Beyoncés new song: Why don't you love me? Lalala... Wonderful Saturday to you! =)

Road Trip: First Day in Jerusalem

2010-05-27T21:50:00.007+02:00

Hi =)

I am finally back from the streets of Israel from our big Road Trip. Our first stop was the Holy City: Jerusalem! We spent three exciting days there and I cannot say what impressed me more: the Old City, the crazy traffic, the shops, the people?! It is an amazing mixture of history, religion and different cultures. A mixture which derives from the heart of the city: the Old City of Jerusalem. Divided into four quarters (the Christian, the Jewish, the Armenian and the Muslim quarter) and thriving with life, it had to be our first destination!

In the video, I am standing right in front of the main entrance area - the Jaffa Gate. Behind it lay all the secrets and sanctuaries that so substantially influenced the world as we know it today.

The stones beneath my feet are 2000 years old. They are slippery from the centuries. (I tripped over three times...).

Oriental bracelets in the markets on the side-streets of the Old City.

The shiny Dome of the Rocks. We'd love to enter but did not find it open for Non-Muslim visitors. Such a pity =(.

Delicate flowers on a roof top.

An arcade in the Armenian quarters.

Properly dressed in Jerusalem =). The dress is borrowed from H., she bought it in South Africa. Just the right thing to deal with the dry heat! My Mam bought me the black scarf. Sun glasses are obligatory.

Yaay, of course my favourite new necklace had to come along!

In the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (by the way the most important Christian Church): Candles next to Golgatha...the place where Jesus was crucified and died. People queue up here to pray and cry and/or take pictures. I'd like to respect them, therefore I generally never took photos of praying people (regardless of which religion).

The window over Jesus' tomb. Amazing light ray infall =). On a side note: The key to the Holy Sepulchre is (traditionally) owned by a Muslim family, to prevent any arguments between the Christian communities who have access and responsibilities in the Church.

Our small travel group was made up of four people: H., T., Y. and Lilly. Above is T., in a similar outfit than mine (very modest). Her skirt is from India^^. The red guy just happened to stand there, lol. Before this trip I never considered travelling in a dress or a skirt convenient, but I found myself surprised how well it works with the hot climate.

More from our road adventures soon^^. Back home since Monday, I was overly busy with all work-stuff and everyone wanted to hear about my trip, so I am still in the process of catching up to the recent events offline and online. Love,

Have you ever been to an Ethiopian Restaurant?

2010-05-21T13:18:00.000+02:00

Lilly and M.

I am not so familiar with African food, therefore it was a major experience to go to an Ethiopian restaurant here! The interior decoration was really typical and (okay, non so typical) I saw African music videos on their TV for the first time! Wow, I like :D.

It was supposed to look like daisies, but it came out more like fried eggs, sorry friends!! (H. was quick enough to nearly avoid the obligatory 'daisy', lol).

There were only two main choices: meat or non-meat. We ordered both and I tried each meal. Okay, these are the facts: You do not get forks or spoons or knives. Which means? Yeah, you have to wash them throughly and then you eat just with your hands!!! O.O

The vegetables (or the meat) are served along with little salads on the Ethiopian version of bread and you take some of it and then you try to move both to your mouth without accidents...

Of course we had a lot of those 'accidents' and at the end I felt like a three-year old toddler, my face and my clothes stained with the yummy food! Haha, we are going back there in about a week. =))) Love,

What are you reading at the moment?

2010-05-18T12:59:00.000+02:00

Hi =). I did not exspect to have the time to read, but you know - a little now and then...ahaha. It took me two days to finish Zafóns 'Shadow of the Wind' and it has about 500 pages. =) Okay, let's see what I have here: The Instyle and Grazia are bought at the airport in Germany (April issues). I found the Allure left at our apartment (from last year). Now it's an easy guess where my fancy wall decoration comes from (in this post).

Then there are two books featuring the under water life here (always checking after snorkeling!!^^). And of course Carlos Ruiz Zafón's 'The Shadow of the Wind' and Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake (review is in preparation). You can find a review for Zafón here.

A German-speaking friend of mine here is reading the 'Psychologie Heute' (Psychology Today) and lending it to me^^. It is a magazine about the recent research findings in the field of psychology and related topics. Very interesting! What are you reading at the moment? Can you recommend something specific for this summer?
Love,

~ Come Along with Me ~

2010-05-15T12:26:00.007+02:00

After nearly six weeks, I feel really that I started living here a normal daily life^^! So are you ready to join me for a short ride through my city? Come along with me and discover...

Growing next to my office♥. A red hibiscus.

The beach for tourists and parties =). The harbour is behind it.

A small palm tree forest (the only known form of a forest here!).

One of the 24h supermarkets - very convenient, when all other stores are closed on shabat.

The mountains. I'd love to go hiking, but the season is already over. Now it's too hot to move outside! O.O

Bars and restaurants for big nights out^^.

This evening, I'll take the 6 p.m. bus to travel to the city where my friend lives. Tomorrow morning, we are heading to Yerushalaim (Jerusalem), the first stop of our Road Trip. We are going to explore the city for three days and I am sooo looking forward to see everything!
Love and bye for now,

Found on the Beach

2010-05-14T11:24:00.005+02:00

Wandering the shore I found these beautiful ocean-coloured pieces of jewellery between the beach pebbles. Or so it seems ;)). A girl can dream... Anyways, I suddenly discovered my love for turquoise jewellery here and was happy to find these purchases.

Looks like a stone itself, doesn't it? A caramel coloured ring.

I wear this necklace nearly every day ♥. The inspiration came mainly from those pieces:

Source

Source

Source not recorded

Summer approaches us now in big steps... we are exspecting to hit the 40° C (104 °F) line within these days! Now to the BIG NEWS: I am going on a trip with friends (starting Saturday evening) all around Israel for a week! I am so excited to see all different kinds of cities and sights and of course I'll make you part of this experience^^. Because I am not yet sure if we have the time to see an Internet café during the tour, I'll prescribe a few posts to keep you entertained and maxium I'll share the Road Trip Photos upon my return in a week! Wish me a save trip! =)
Love,

PS: All the other fashionistas receive their H&M catalogues in these days... F., please make sure that you keep my exemplar, do you hear me? =)

Peek into an Israeli Fashion Mag =)

2010-05-13T10:15:00.006+02:00

My abilities to read Hebrew are still developing... so for now I feel nearly like an analphabet, when I try to read a magazine! I found this magazine and took some impressions out for you. Are you looking for your own pirate ship or did you ever see the cutest washing machine in the world?

Many people here have extra curly hair (adorable!!).

Reminds me of the Black Pearl...yaay for Pirate jewellery!

Be you-nique...okay. This ad directly aimed at every fashionista's heart who already has everything and seeks for the perfect possibility to endulge herself with an extra washing machine for her beloved treasures! by smeg.

Scarlett Johansson for the Mango campaign 2010!

Can you spot the pink Kitchen Aid (c) on the left?? I want!! Also love the rest of this kitchen.

There will be more Israeli fashion campaigns soon! Lots of work for today... Lovely Thursday!

The Shadow of the Wind

2010-05-12T13:12:00.006+02:00

Source

When we first met in 2005, I eyed it curiously, feeling within me the deep certainty that our time would come in the future to meet again. It waited for me patiently. Five years later, this book mysteriously found its way to me…and I could not escape before it casted its magic on me and abducted me to another century and another country until I could not think of anything else. I did not merely read the book, it felt more like it read me!

The author Carlos Ruiz Zafón (born in Barcelona 1964) studied journalism and later worked as an advertiser, before he turned into a full-time writer. Finally he moved to L.A. and became a successful scriptwriter for the film industry. It explains the monumental setting of his scenes, the film-like atmosphere and the important details he describes which add to the feeling that you are living with his characters. Already famous for his books for youths, he now became highly acknowledged also as a successful writer for adults. "La Sombra del Viento" (which is the original title) is the first book aiming at an older audience. The publishing company advertised it only little, so it got famous only by word from mouth to mouth. This is Carlos Ruiz Zafón:

Source

To the question when he started writing, Zafón answered (Source: Interview on Amazon): “Since I received money for something I have written. Back then I was 8 years old and thought that I would be famous by the age of 13. I founded a publishing company with some friends at school. One of them took care of the layout, another one made the copies and I wrote. It was horror stories with aliens and vampires. With the earned money we bought candy. Since then I did not stop writing…”.

So what is the book "The Shadow of the Wind" all about?

The story begins to evolve around Daniel (in the beginning 10 years), who is taken by his father to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books in Barcelona during Francos dictatorship. He finds a lost book from the Spanish author Julián Carax. Soon several people are desperately trying to get this edition from Daniel at any cost and before he realises, his life is entwined with the book's plot and its characters inextricably. Little does he know that soon he has to defend the book with his life, trying to solve the mystery of its author and desperate to save those who have been sought with him into the story and its deadly secrets.

Source

A tale full of love, mystery, crime and history, as well as characters you will grow to love and a delicate sense for humour will keep you enchanted during your travel along the pages!

Such a well-written story with suspense and twists and turns in its subtly enfolded plot which never gives you the time to take a breath, has not crossed my way often throughout my life!
I felt paralysing fear, I laughed heartily and I cried bitterly several times… The story would not leave my mind for days and when I finally came to my senses on the last page I hat forgotten who I am and where I was. I had never something like a favourite author - now I have!

Source

A must read for everyone who enjoys to wander the wide worlds of written dreams. A masterpiece!

PS: More about good books on my friend Diane’s book blog (in German).

PPS: Zafón’s latest book (published in March’10) is called “The Angel's Game"/"Das Spiel des Engels”.

More pictures of the old Barcelona on the official page of the book: here!

Exotic Treasures by Bamboo

2010-05-10T09:06:00.004+02:00

"...endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful
have been, and are being, evolved." - Charles Darwin

I have a weakness for endangered wildlife - and I love jewellery.... so imagine my delight when I came upon those fine pieces in a local store and later explored the Online Shop from Bamboo Jewellery ( a Californian company). Above is only a small selection of my favourites, basically I adore everything they have! They offer from each design different versions like earrings, necklaces, rings etc.
Now I feel like I want to establish a small zoo in my jewellery case...lol. To start with, I'd choose the green sea horse and the blue rainforest frog. Or better my favourite butterfly, the blue Morpho♥? Bamboo operates as a green company and they recycle i.e. the silver they use for the jewellery. Find out more about their green standards here. Want to start looking for your own favourites? Click here. Time to get back to work :). Happy Monday everyone!♥
Love,

Shopping Blues #2

2010-05-08T09:48:00.008+02:00

Night blue cocktail dress with black dotted lace.

We just suffered a small electrical power outage and I have been busy all morning to fix it... or at least trying to find the source of the problem. Now it is working again (without any apparent reason from outside...) - the question is just how long... So far to my weekend...it really messed up with my schedule for today!Anyways, it is getting hotter and hotter here every day (we do not have a thermometer at work, presumably because nobody really wants to know the exact degree of torment *lol*). I am still looking for a wedding dress and for other summer dresses. I found a very stylish store called Renoir(?), where they sell all the cute dresses in this post. Let's see what we got:

~ By the way, they don't have mirrors in their (indeed very narrow) changing cabins, so I did my best to catch the design either way. What about the poor fashion bloggers in Israel?! How are we supposed to work under these conditions?? :) ~

Here we have a dream in turquoise with lace and in a very soft fabric - my personal No.1!♥ The jewellery I already bought here would match perfectly.

WOW! I mean, come on, this dress outstands everything that H&M produced this year for the Garden Collection. Beautiful pattern and delicate volants! We want... ♥♥♥

And last but not least I was still looking for a dress with blue roses (like the one here). The reason why I did not initially let them all wrap up and run out of the shop like the happiest girl in the world? Each of them costs between 80 to 100 Euros... and I feel so guilty when I think of all the dresses in my closet (one a rainy Sunday in the future I should take the time to count them... or better not). Sooo, which means that I have some very good options now, but I am still not content. The wedding is next month, so I'll be busy finding something appropriate!
For now, I'll go to check the electricity again...!
Wonderful Saturday to you!♥
Love,

Kiss no Frog, except Mr. Campbell!

2010-05-05T20:55:00.007+02:00

Please meet Mr. Campbell! I found him at a shop during a dry and cloudy afternoon and when I picked him up he whispered that he wants to go home with me. Now he took his place at my office desk and observes me quietly and curiously at work. I decided to take my new companion to the beach and show him the sea. He assured me politely that he honours my efforts deeply, but he would prefer the tropical rainforest over every other place.

Song: 365 - Aura Dione

The photographer expressed his fear at this point, that after a kiss Mr. Campbell would turn into a prince and we would both fall off that rock, haha.

Behind me is the coastline of Jordan. Lilly wears: tshirt by local aquarium (with a lionfish!!), shorts+shoes hm, sunglasses primark.

I have to add, that he kindly informed me that his true name is Agalychnis callidryas (which sounds very much like a prince), nevertheless he appreciates 'Mr. Campbell' due to its simplicity. I am sure we'll become friends in no time ;). Have awonderful Thursday everyone!
Love,

Walk the Palm Alleys with me

2010-05-04T09:15:00.007+02:00

It seems that after a month here I already adapted to the temperatures and I don't think its hot anymore...maybe this saves me for the killing summer here? My lovely D. took these pics on our way home from work, waiting for the bus. I am wearing a NoName dress from Ebay, which is highly practical and chic at the same time (people asked me at work if I plan to play tennis today... :P!!). This is in my ears at the moment:

Satellite by Lena

Lilly wears: polo dress noname, shoes hm, sunglasses primark, earrings+necklace bijoubrigitte.
Taking pictures outside during the day is especially challenging, because my eyes start to tear after a few seconds already. Most people never remove their sunglasses due to the intense radiance here.

My hair got seriously bleached by the sun. Hair dying for free, lol!

I adore this round-about with marine animals!! Would love to take pictures there, but it's in the middle of the street and I am not sure if its allowed ... =(

Beautiful blossoms at work! How I enjoy all the fragrant flowers here ♥. Right now I have to get back to work. Hopefully my plans for tomorrow work out! See you again soon with more from my daily life here in Israel.

Love,

Out of Reach

2010-05-03T13:56:00.005+02:00

Hi =). A few days before my departure to Israel a new H&M order arrived and I had only minutes to try the clothes on, before they got savely tucked away in boxes. Now they are at home in Germany and I cannot wear them before August. Isn't that tormenting?! Let's see what I got...

I blogged about this skirt before here and was so lucky to find it in the Sale finally! The initial inspiration was Nathalies first outfit on Lookbook! =) It is a true princess skirt^^.

This whool dress was so gorgeous in the catalogue... trying it on was very disappointing! The fabric is very thin and cheap and it did not meet my exspectations at all. I sent it back instantly!

Same for this black romper. I was convinced that it would be a must-keep, but it totally wasn't. It did not fit me at all and the fabric felt like plastik on my skin... so sad =( Now I am still searching for a better one. Got also back to H&M!

This sweet cardigan (I got a discount of 25% on it, yay) is from the Modern Classics Collection! I bought it for work^^!! I love it. I'll just wear a black top underneath that. Can't wait until it's within my reach again!

Here's the cardigan in the catalogue. The Garden Collection or the Sonia Rykiel could not win my heart, but I love nearly all the pieces from the Modern Classics pages!! More, please! You can read my advice on business outfits here (Fashion Rules for the Successful Business Woman). Oops, I just realized that the cardigan is actually in that post also...XD.

I bought these navy blue sailor shoes for Israel and I am happy that they are really useful here. At the beginning they were a little too small and one of my feet bleeded a little, but now they are worn in and it's fine. So, at least I have something of the new arrivals with me!^^

A song for you:
Why don't you? by Gramophonedzie

See you all soon again, XoXo (Kisses and Hugs)

The Thunder Storm Adventure

2010-05-02T09:19:00.010+02:00

Yesterday suddenly the sky darkened and a thunder storm approached the city from the North. I was already in my bathsuit and decided to jump into the sea for a short swim. The waves became higher and it started to rain. I could hear the thunder in the distance... still I was to eager to find out how the under water life is reacting to it. It turned out that they seemed fairly unaffected. I dived down to look below one of the coral ledges and totally freaked out: !!! Quietly in the shadow sat a yellow ribbontail ray with blue dots! It eyed me curiously, not sure if I am a danger or about to be ignored. He appearently felt save and I was able to dive down several times to watch him closer! Later I found out that his tail spines are venomous. Lucky for me that I did not get too close! What an event, my first wild stingray and such a beautiful one!

The Bluespotted ribbontail ray (Taeniura lymma). Source.

Black Lionfish (family Scorpaenidae). Source.

I was already sure that the stingray would be the highlight of this snorkel trip, when I suddenly detected a black lionfish! You remember the first ones I saw here? Usually they are brightly red coloured, actually I did not know that black speciman do even exist until then! What a surprise. I watched him, how he checked out a black long-spined urchin patiently and realized after a while, that the rain increased and I got seriously cold. I managed to run out of the water before the first few lightnings occurred over the now grey sea surface. By now, I was really shivering hard and escaped from the natural forces to a warm shower! What an adventure!

Blue Christmas-tree worm (Spirobranchus giganteus). Source.

A few days ago, I was lucky to catch a glimpse of a rare Christmas tree worm! Such beautiful creatures! It was the first time I saw one for real, well hidden in a massive coral. And also a small 'colony' of red sponge. I was not aware of this species so far. Doesn't it look incredible?

Red sponge (Cliona sp.). Source.

Do you agree that the most colourful creatures can be found under water? It's so inspiring! I am looking forward to explore the reef much more! What else will I find?
Love,

Edit: I consulted my reef guide and found out that the black lionfish can be considered as the juvenile stadium of the (later red) lionfish. Interesting, I had no idea.

Ready for a New Look?

2010-05-01T18:59:00.007+02:00

Paris, J'adore!

This Online Shop was fairly a surprise. New Look is one of the big British fashion companys that bloggers are hyping (now including me...). There are a few pieces which caught my eye and I'll share them with you to provide some inspiration! (Another desperate attempt to cure my shopping blues here, lol). I like the amount of clothes available in every category at New Look... Asos for example bothers me, because it takes you hours or more than an evening to see half of their products. Please enjoy and let me now your favourites!

This butterfly watch is perfect!

I want this roses backpack!!! Desperately!!

Another pair of dream shoes - sheer eye candy!

~

Now some fun: I am going to scream when I see the first fashion blogger wearing this:

Is this for real?!

Now we are going to the supermarket to buy some stuff for dinner. I am tired and hungry! I wish everyone a great Sunday (work starts again tomorrow here).
Love,

Impressions from Work ♥

2010-04-30T18:00:00.005+02:00

Everything you need to survive on a hot work day:
Coffee and strawberries!

This is my office ♥ (I am serious!). When I get inside, it feels like stepping into a fridge. No idea who left the boat there. Captain Sparrow?

It's too hot to walk barefooted. Do you agree that these shoes were the best investion? You walk in them like on a piece of butter.

Favourite time of the day? Running along the Pier after work and jumping into the sea with a loud scream!! Waaahh!

Creativity Rules! My colleague T. did this last week. Imagine her sitting in the middle of it!

Today the sky is surprisingly cloudy. This evening there is going to be another work beach barbecue. I have to prepare salad and go out to buy bread and meat! All the best to you and have a wonderful weekend! :-*

By the way, how do you like the new header?!

Love,

Accessorize Lookbook SS 2010

2010-04-30T10:34:00.005+02:00

This bikini is a dream!

A little much jewellery for a comfortable beach outfit, but who cares...

How cute is this car! We want!!!

Can I please have one of these perfect bags?

I went to my first Accessorize store in Athen/Greece. Since them I am enamored with their multi-coloured designs for jewellery, bags and clothes. The only reason why I don't buy their stores empty is the in comparison high price range! But looking is for free^^. Their summer lookbook just had to be posted! The atmosphere is really happy-go-lucky. There is also a Accessorize store here in our mall. Last time I got there with D. and we found a cute anchor necklace for her!
Love,

Image Source: Instyle.co.uk

Wild Dolphins Calling

2010-04-29T20:26:00.006+02:00

(Source).

Today we had a major event here: Dolphins in the bay! And not just a few... a whole school with about 50 wild animals! People got excited like crazy, rushed to the shore and tried to catch a glimpse of this rare happening. Soon all boats along the coast were filled and out on their way to the sea! Of course the dolphins were shy and stayed away from the boats. I was in the middle of work, but was allowed to run outside with the others (a little late, though...). I saw them on their way back to the open ocean through borrowed field glasses at the horizon. Amazing!!! Can you imagine the excitement and the happy people everywhere? (Sorry no photos, they were to far away and my camera left in the office.)

Please meet Esmée Denters! This girl has the most amazing voice! Just discovered her and my favourite songs are "Outta Here" and "Gravity". She is from Holland and became famous through her webcam videos on Youtube, where she recorded herself singing. Justin Timberlake offered her a contract in his own record label. I love her! Check out the video! (By the way, I want this navy blue romper!!). Isn't she incredulously cute?

Esmée Denters Album (Source).

I keep singing the new songs!! Yaay! (My poor roommates, haha).

You are with me in my Dreams

2010-04-27T11:26:00.006+02:00

Two of my brothers and my cute sister.

Part of the hardships living abroad, is that the time at home is not standing still. Everyone is busy living their lifes and you are just not there to see things happen. Last Sunday there was a big family celebration for one of my cousins and I just got these beautiful photos from my uncle. It made me realize how much I would have liked to be there with them!

Here is my third brother! =)

Hey, my lovelies! I really miss you. Last night a dreamed that I would see you. That was great^^. Hope to see you soon after I get back, okay?

At first I did not recognize my sister...lol. She experiments with her hair quite often.

And of course I miss my friends. It feels weird not to meet them like I am used to. Hopefully everyone is having a wonderful day! Now I am going to prepare lunch!
Love,

What I'd order right now to complete the summer

2010-04-26T15:23:00.003+02:00

Seen by H&M Online

Yesterday I did something very wrong... checking Online Shops while I am out of their delivery range is a modern way to torture girls. And of course there where some striking pieces, which I'd love to get... Now the only joy left is looking at them. Please, if one of my friends at home sees the pink butterfly clip (2 Euro) at H&M, please, please get it for me!!
The light blue blouse with the sleeves would be perfect for working outside here. Already have a similar model, but left it at home, because I figured it would be too warm! Geeeez.

Seen by the Vintage Shop FKids.

And the beautiful blossoming bushes in front of our house:

I feel like I have to do some serious real window shopping. Fashion-addicted, I admit it. And still no wedding dress in sight! See you^^
Love,

Lilly on an urgent Fashion Mission

2010-04-25T17:52:00.004+02:00

My mission: Find a wedding dress! I mean: a wedding party dress. Just got the invitation from my colleague M. and checked my suitcase: The only chic dress I have with me reaches to the floor and is white! Bad. Very bad. Superbad. I have like a million dresses for such occasions, but guess where - at home in Europe! In a desperate mission to find something which is not going to ruin my travel budget profoundly, I went to an Israeli brand called 'Golf'. Here is what I found:

I like the colour, reminds me of plum cake in autumn. My roommate D. loves it, she is crazy about everything violett.

Oops! That looked better on the hanger than on me! I feel like a super-sized peach.

Green like an emerald. Makes me think of fairy tales in the woods. (Makes me look fat?!)

Any suggestions, ladies? Which one would you prefer or should I keep looking?

The view from our balcony:

(normally you can see also the sea and the mountains...strange weather conditions in this case)
I love to sit outside for breakfast! (Enough green, Diane?)

On an (embarassing) sidenote: During lunch, I dropped nearly the whole content of my pitta bread all over me and my legs: White, salty cream cheese and tomatoes. Luckily nobody commented, but I felt really like I am not able to eat properly. What a food accident!
More news coming soon. Love,

PS.: This is the first shopping/fashion-related post this month... -.-

La Cucaracha Ai Ai Ai!

2010-04-24T19:46:00.008+02:00

~ May I introduce our unpopular roomates? Get to know Freddy and his family! ~ (scroll down)

This is my apartment: We have three rooms, a kitchen and a tiny balcony. Each room is intended for two girls, but at the moment we are only three. So I am happy to have my own room. Okay, I apologize in advance to the ladies from the interior design blogs: this is all I got and I made the best of it!

This is my wardrobe. Yees, the doors are broken. The orange book is a forgotten Hebrew dictionary I found! The pink laundry basket is a pleasant luxury I just bought here.

Most of the time I use only a pure blanket as cover (except the Aircon gets too cold). On the shelves are my papaya bodylotion^^ and all my reading stuff. I need an adapter to charge my cell and the camera, cause the electricity plugs are different.

Two nails in the wall - taken over by me to store my necklaces and bracelets (below is my desk). Nice, hmmm? Did you spy all the magazine outcuts/editorials everywhere? The girls tease me about them, but it makes this room more me. With some creativity and improvisation, you can make every place comfortable, oui?

A warning: Now some of you have to be very, very strong
(or just close your eyes!):

This is Freddy.

I found him when I innocently wanted to do the dishes and put my hand into the sink and....yiieeeks. After a few shocked seconds (he's about 5 cm!) I got the camera, before I threw him out. Freddy was the first of five. In two weeks! I should seriously stop counting!!!!

How do you like my place? It never becomes boring, I assure you. When one of the girls screams, I am anytime ready to run to the "scene of crime", with a serious and focused look in my eyes and a self-developed catching-cage in my right hand, built out of a plastik box where you get tomatoes in from the supermarket.

Any ideas for more home style? Actually I thought about some artificial flowers...maybe lilys? If wished, I can post pics from our kitchen and the living room also.
Love and see you soon,

PS: I just got informed that the second light bulb suddenly broke down. Now there is no light in two rooms and I'll put 'bulbs' on top of my to-do-list for tomorrow. Oh happy day :D

Playing with Light and Dark

2010-04-22T13:42:00.004+02:00

Lilly wears: Dress+shoes hm, leggins esprit, bag tally weijl, pullover mark&spencer, necklace vintage.
(The pink camera in use, horray!!)

Yay! I wore this outfit on a night out with my Israeli friends (which are also my work colleagues^^). We went to a new bar associated with a big hotel. Good for us that it's still new, because there were just a few other people there - and we kind of took over this place. (We were like twenty people?) Haha.

This memorial (?) piece of art is located outside the Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport.

The lights at the horizon are beyond the Israeli border! They belong to Jordan! I like the view.

I found this beautiful chandelier in D.'s gym/fitness studio (lol).

I have to admit that I am still amazed about the day/night change here. From completely bright in one moment, the darkness falls within (that's my feeling) 15 Minutes...Happened to me when I tried to walk another way home than the usual, which resulted in me getting lost somewhere in dark and unknown streets, surrounded by about ten to twelve stray cats...*yieeeks*. Can't remember exactly how I got home from then.

Another thing, which "hunts" me is the fact that Israeli women are crazy about nail polish. They accumulate new colours like ordinary pens. And you know what? I left my stuff in Germany, because I assumed that it would be pointless to maintain, as the salt water keeps destroying it. Now I feel like an idiot. Okay, I could just go and buy new ones, but this feels really odd to me, having in mind that a whole set of my favourite colours is waiting untouched at home. Anyways, I'll just have to bear with it - and concentrate on buying earrings!

Love and see you soon,

The Kingdom of the Lionfish

2010-04-21T09:03:00.009+02:00

A pair of lionfish (Source).

WOW! That was a surprising encounter. After work I often take the time to go snorkeling over the coral reefs here. My wish to find a (rare) lionfish was finally fulfilled yesterday afternoon: I swam to my favourite place on the reef: a small cleaning station. Fishes of all sizes and colours swim there to have any parasites removed from their bodies by smaller cleaning fishes. So there is always a lot of action going on at this spot.

At first I wasn't sure and dived closer: But it was a beautiful lionfish for sure! After I caught my breath again, I went down more times and found out that he was not alone: He had the company of two other lionfishes! I was so excited that I swallowed a lot of sea water and had to force myself to breathe normally. They did not feel disturbed by me at all and I could take my time to look at them closely. I got so close that I could have touched them (which I did not of course). They are just as beautiful as I imagined them to be!

A white moray lurking under a coral-covered rock. (Source)

Another (at first frightening) encounter: I saw a long white moray eel moving over the sea floor (at least 1 m!), trying to hide himself in the cracks and crevices of the reef. Lucky me it wasn't a sea snake (lol).

A sea cucumber, surrounded by curious Anemone fishes. (Source)

And those creatures also are a little alien to me: Black holothurians (sea cucumber)! I dived very closely to them, but how can you guess that you deal with a living organism? They are not moving at all! And heaven they are big! I also saw anemonefishes, close to their host anemone (now everyone: "Neeemo!!"). Haha. More about my underwater adventures soon. :D
Love,

I'll give you 1000 Camels for this Girl

2010-04-20T11:40:00.004+02:00

Beautiful lanterns at a traditional restaurant.

Kitchen under the open sky. (Me, looking like a tourist!!)

One of the many flowers at my work's garden.

You see the man in the second photo? I went to his restaurant with my friend D. and after a brief introduction, he asked her to sell me to him. He offered 1000 camels and promised that I would live in a villa and have a Volvo. What a strange idea! Sometimes I nearly forget that I am in the Middle East and such thing is not as unusual than it is in Europe. Lucky me, D. refused and took me home again. The food was - by the way- delicious!

A similar situation happened two days ago, when I was walking through the city with a male work colleague. A man stopped us, pointed at me and asked him with a serious voice: "Is this your wife? No? - Okay, then how much do you want for her?".... I was terrified and hoped that my colleague would set him right instantly. But No: They actually started to negotiate about my price, until I became mad and walked away alone...

Seriously, I have no idea what's up here with the guys. Do I look like some kind of souvenir?? Anyways, I should feel honoured (at least a bit) by the first offer. The girls told me that 1000 camels is a very high price for a girl. (As if that would set my mind at peace!). Today is the Independence Day in Israel, so we are not working. Later there will be a big barbecue from work at the beach and me and the girls will join them!
Love,

Paint me with the Colours of the Rainbow!

2010-04-19T17:24:00.005+02:00

You can guess from the pictures so far that my new home is either sandy/brown (like the mountains) or clear blue (like the sea and the sky). Luckily, I found several views in between which really enchanted my heart... So today I am happy to show you some of my most favourite photos.

Those sweets are openly sold in the closest supermarket to my home. When I see them I feel like in candy wonderland! Heehee.

I saw this advert at the airport. My reading skills are improving, but I am still not sure what they are promoting :D.

Those beautiful baloons are sold here everywhere! And it's so lovely: People buy them when they fetch somebody from the airport or from the main busstation. Yaay!!!

The cute plushies were sold in Tel Aviv.

Now I need to hurry a little bit. This evening (today was the Memorial Day for Dead Soldiers and tomorrow is the Independence Day, which are both official holidays) several girls are invited to our apartment and D. , H. and I will give our best to cook a delicious meal! Afterwards, we are all going out together^^!! I wish your lifes contain as many different colours as this post, ok?
Love,

Creature of the Night

2010-04-17T18:46:00.006+02:00

Where can I get onto the next pirate ship?

Lilly wears: pullover marks&spencer, leggins esprit, skirt pimkie, shoes+ socks+bracelet hm.

These pics were taken around 00 a.m.

People used to jump from this bridge into the water(for fun), until it has been prohibited today.

The main beach and the harbour by night.

During the day, people here stay inside with the aircondition on, because the temperatures are too high to walk outside without reason. Darkness tends to fall quickly here: the twilight period is short and within less than an hour a softly midnight-coloured blanket ornamented with stars covers the city. Now the shops open again (on Shabat (today), everything is closed, but as it ends with the evening, the stores open!), people are on the street, meeting friends or going to restaurants. Living in the night, is much more convenient (especially for Europeans...lol), so I got the impression that I became a creature of the darkness (with a pink, flowery skirt of course!).

My Israeli friends complain that it gets "cold" during the night (which means by definition that the temperature drops to 20 °C). They get freaked out when I leave the house in a short dress or in a Tshirt. So I take a pullover or a light jacket with me, just to lend it usually to somebody else. :D
Mainly, there are only three occasions when I feel cold in this city:

You are getting out of the sea after 30 minutes swimming. Stay in the sun for 90 seconds and it is all gone.
You are in front of the fridge in a supermarket and cannot decide which cheese you want to buy. Walk to the vegetable area and you are fine.
You enter a heavily climatised store (hello, ...energy costs??!!). Adaptation takes 3-5 min.

Love to all my readers, I will keep you updated for more soon! Kiss, :D

PS.: Just for the record: I managed to avoid a sunburn until now! Really hard...

Take a tour around my new Town!

2010-04-14T19:00:00.007+02:00

Let's take a tour around my new home town today! This is how the streets and the "trees" look like! The houses doesn't seem as individual as in Europe, but I guess they are mostly meant to keep out the heat in the first place. Crossing the streets is a nerve-attacking task: Israeli people only seem to stop for small children! As a foreign adult, you just close your eyes and hope that they will stop when you cross the street!!! It took me some time to get used to that....

View from my window!
Additionally, it seems like every second car in this city is a taxi! So don't stand clueless on the pavement...it happened several times to me that suddenly taxis would stop next to me to pick me up. Haha, and don't raise your hand to fix your hair or sunglasses also, because they even stop for that!! Apparently the competition between the drivers is hard and they fight for every customer.

People tell me that palm trees is one of the few shade-providing plants they are able to grow in this climate! I love to see them every day and I don't get tired of them!!! :D

The sea....awww. It is warm enough to stay in there for at least 25- 35 min. without getting too cold in a bathsuit! More about the interesting underwater life soon!

And the mountains! It is possible to go hiking there (a little too hot for me!). They make still a beautiful scenery and who knows - maybe I will go hiking one day eventually^^. Funny are the different perceptions of temperature. For Israelis, everything below 20 °C is "coooold!" and only temperatures above 35 °C are hot! So they laugh at me when I say it's hot. (In my perception, everything above 20 °C is seriously warm and 35 °C is my limit for temperature). I have to improve my ability to deal with that in order to survive the summer here (45 - 50 °C)!
I am sending you sunrays!!! Love,

Miss Mermaid hits the City of Lights

2010-04-13T20:49:00.004+02:00

A fish sculpture in the city center^^. There are several more, but this is my favourite one!

Ship Ahoy! Here comes Miss Mermaid (Lilly wears (not as if this can be considered as an real outfit: pants+ shirt hm, sandals keen, earrings madonna, sunglasses primark).

By night the city is even more beautiful: The heat of the day ceases and the lights create a magical place! Everything is still open and you walk around to eat or to look at the stores.

I like how different light colours mix! People even dance in the street!

Okay, a very important building here: The local shopping mall! They have also Zara and Mango, yay!

I feel really comfortable here. It is amazing to skip into a new culture and become a part of it. I have the impression as if I would be living here for about a month, not a mere week. Soon I'll post pictures about my room (the personalized version, haha). The other girls tease me already because of it. Moreover, I found it surprising that many shops are open until 00.00 am and are closed for hours during the day. More coming soon, I have to rest for today! Love,

See the Best Workplace in the World!

2010-04-12T22:49:00.004+02:00

1. In this place we drink coffee and have lunch! It is my favourite spot during the day!

2. This is my workplace. My (okay, shared) office is left hand of the main building. There are many trees and other plants to provide us with shade.

3. This beautiful hibiscus grows also in the garden around my workplace. I am amazed by those blossoms!

4. This is "Mitzi" (mostly referred to as "The Devil"). She belongs to my team and my colleague E. is feeding her since she found her one day. Mitzi is around all the time and during the day you nearly step on her about five times or more. She enjoys the attention of everybody here (haha, either they hate her or they love her!! She is cute).

5. Ah, and that's of course me. We were going out to a new bar that evening!

I could not be happier to introduce my workplace today. All those beautiful impressions are around me every day!! I cannot believe it yet! Please understand that I refuse to describe where/what I am exactly doing - just enjoy the view^^. At the moment, we are having a small storm, so everything is dusty due to the strong winds! My flatmate D. (she is so cute!!) fell asleep next to me and I am looking forward to hit the pillow after an exciting day now! I'll describe more about the everyday life in Israel soon and of course there are also going to be fashion-related posts! I send my best wishes to you,

Welcome to my new Life!

2010-04-11T23:19:00.005+02:00

The flight got delayed for an hour and everything was a little stressful (my train to the airport got blocked by a demonstration!). But the food on the plane was delicious!!

The Israeli Airport (quite amazing!). I arrived there heavily overtired.

The following morning I took a bus to my new home town. They are all green like this one! I was a bit scared to stay at the bus station, because many (also civil) people with weapons (like machine guns) were there (which is common in Israel). However, I did not dare to take a picture of them!

Luckily I met J. shortly after! He is travelling the country and we became friends during the journey! A few days ago we met again and I hope see his country (France) for a visit anytime soon!

The desert. I realized that I haven't been to a proper desert before. Beautiful!!! It got soon freakin' hot! The daily temperature in my new home is around 25 - 30 °C, with peaks during the day with more than 37 °C.

McDonalds can be found anywhere on the globe...and yes now it's proven: also in the middle of the desert!

Edit: I had some major technical problems during the last week and that involved the camera, as well as the laptop and also the Internet. This is solved now for sure and I will be able to update regularly and share impressions from my new life here! More coming very soon, hugs to everybody!
Love,

Do you collect Essence hearts?

2010-04-05T09:30:00.001+02:00

I promised myself not to fall for this excellent marketing strategy...ahaha. Essence started a campaign ( in Europe?): until the end of June, you can get silver heart stickers for every product you purchase. Okay, here is my confession:

Fruit nail stickers (aww)
Nail art decoration device
Lash Mania mascara
Pocket hand washing paste
and a free heart for online registration :D
(also in the photo): Heavenly deodorant by 8x4.

Makes 5 Hearts already! You get different bonuses for 10, 20 and 30 hearts. Unfortunately, I won't be close to Europe for the next couple of months...therefore I am giving my heart collection to my (happy) sister. Anyone else hearting?
Love,

Do you speak Hebrew?

2010-04-04T10:30:00.000+02:00

Lilly deep in her studies... :D

The correct answer to this is: Ani medaberet rak zat ivrit. (I can speak a little Hebrew). I love languages and when I am going to a non-English speaking country, I always train to know at least some basics. In this case, it is actually more difficult, because Hebrew (Israel's official language) has a different alphabeth than the Western countries:

via

Additionally, you have to know the word (guessing from the context) before you are able to read a word, because it is written like that: "mthr" instead of "mother". And the scripture is written from right to left! Therefore, I exercised the phonetic transcription and it works pretty well! Hopefully I have soon the time to get deeper into the alphabeth! These are almost all learning cards I have written (learned) so far (the lipstick works as size comparison, haha) :

I was excited to read that Hebrew is the only ancient language (recorded from 1'000 before Christ's birth) that has been revived recently and is officially spoken today all over the country! Of course they had to adapt it a little and invent words for "Internet" and "Secondhand-Shop", but basically it is one of the oldest languages of humankind! Ah, and... the the Bible is originally written in Hebrew. Lehitra'ot! (Goodbye)
Love,

Over the Clouds and far away

2010-04-03T17:40:00.000+02:00

via

In this minute, I am taking of with the plane from the airport...heading to Tel Aviv (capital of Israel) via a stop in Istanbul (Turkey) this night. What will await me? I am looking forward to set foot on my new country! Yaay.
Naturally, my suitcase contains mainly summer clothes, as the temperatures will be already around 30 °C (86 °F) upon my arrival. (Reaching up to 45 °C (113 °F) in July...oh my). See what's in my suitcase:

LOL! Every fashionista's dream! :D
They are from Keen and appropriate for walking the hot desert!

A new black longshirt from Esprit, worn with...

... a special collection of whole new leggins! Grey (by Mister & Lady Jeans), White (Primark), Black (Esprit). I hope they help me to deal with the high temperatures!

And more stuff from Primark: A red belt, sunglasses and flip-flops!

I wish everyone happy Easter holidays and a wonderful weekend! My heart is jumping...
Love and Kisses,

"You are going WHERE? Don't you watch the News?"

2010-04-02T09:57:00.005+02:00

via

Map of Israel (Source).

That is a common reaction when I tell my whereabouts for this summer. A lot of things are going to change during the next days - the secret is going to be revealed: Okay *holdingmybreath*: I am going to Israel! Yeah!!!^^
For the next four months I will be working there and hopefully experience many adventures, the culture and people there! I am flying tomorrow, but won't reach my new home until Sunday afternoon.

I am facing hardships when trying to get into the Internet at the moment, as I had to move out of my home here in Germany already. The last few days were so troublesome...can't believe how many things can go wrong in such a short time. This is what I prepared: A Travel Beauty Set from Nivea!! Hihi...it is awesome^^.

It looks like this: (appropriate for flying restrictions on fluids!)

My travel book, a calendar from my Mam and a novel about women in Israel.

More to come soon!
For LillysRoses, I'll pre-write some posts, please expect the first photos from over there not before the beginning of next week. Please everyone hold your thumbs for a save journey! I am doing my best to organise everything.
Love and Kisses,

My Baby shot me Down... Bang, bang!

2010-03-29T07:14:00.008+02:00

Bang, bang, he shot me down
Bang, bang, I hit the ground
Bang, bang, that awful sound
Bang, bang, my baby shot me down.

more here

Lilly wears: blazer only, pullover mango, skirt pimkie, tights ca,
necklace primark, earrings madonna.

HJ.

Mmmh...chocolate cake by HJ^^.

The floor was HJ's idea...we couldn't find a better (funnier) place and now that I see the photos, they remind me of those US crime series (kinda). Shooting was a lot of fun *-*. This is my favourite outfit at the moment!! This skirt was really a good choice. She invited me over for a delicious cake and I was happy to escape my household chores for a little time. I also managed to meet my deadline on Monday, but now I am so exausted!! And no time to take a break. Sleeping doesn't really help.

Time is flying, literally. Tomorrow, I will reveal the secret I have kept so long. Only four days left now.
Love and Kisses,

9 Items to Instant-Wow up your Wardrobe

2010-03-28T13:57:00.005+02:00

Summer Party.

Evening Bliss.

Shoe Heaven.

The secret to a stunning closet are some wow-accessoires and key pieces. Some apricot heels with bugs? Or maybe a flowerprint jumpsuit or a thin lace cardigan? Here are Lilly's best picks from our favourite British stores and also shoe picks from Görtz. The jumpsuit (Collage 1) is actually the second flowerprint piece I like this year. And yeah, this is probably number three:

This dress looks really fab, I am drawn to it. Saw it in one of the H&M Spring Magazine editorials, but don't feel ready to pay 40 bucks for it...maybe I am a lucky girl and find this in Sale in a few months? Blue rose prints are rarely found though. Oh lovelies, I overslept today (if that is possible on a Sunday morning, haha) and now I am ready (am I?) to meet the chaos at home. So many things to organise and to sort out...couldn't I just have magic powers like my favourite witch Sabrina (Sorry, Hermione!)? I'll just dream of that blue dress...:D

Pictures via: Topshop, Asos, H&M, Görtz, Miss Selfridge, Oli, Joy.

We promised each other to go only Eyeshopping...

2010-03-27T16:04:00.006+01:00

Flower Skirt by Pimkie.

...which means that, when either of us sees something great, the other one is supposed to immediately cover your eyes! Erhm, good plan...but didn't work. I am seeing a lot of my friends for the last time now these days and so I met up with my lovely KV to have a drink at our favourite café. My throat is still a little sore, so I opted for a mixture of cherry and banana juice - try it, delicious! It started to rain like crazy (as common for this month) and we headed off to H&M.
KV found a cute long necklace there with a small swallow ("Schwalbe") and was absolutely convinced that it is a dove :D. I tried to stay strong, but when we entered Pimkie, I saw this skirt. You know what? - It's seriously the first flower print this year that I like. I wouldn't wear any other voluntarily. (And for my excuse, it was reduced about 40%...haha). Took this pic earlier that day:

Isn't there something better than enjoying the spring sun rays in a stylish café with some glossy magazines? Now the sky is all grey again and I am sure that I watched way to many crime series last night. Wearing the skirt right now^^. Love,

Visit the New H&M Fashion Studio!

2010-03-26T18:57:00.004+01:00

Fashionistas, you will love this! I introduced the H&M Style Guide already, but yesterday they launched the best blogger tool ever: a whole Fashion Studio! Create your own outfit styles online and spread them via your blog, facebook or twitter. Here is how it works:

Click either women or men fashion.
Choose from 10 possible models (see picture).
Choose from more than 300 styling items from the latest collections!
Combine to find your perfect outfits or create something totally crazy!
Best function: Layering is possible! Choose "wear over/under skirt" etc.
Save or start over again until you are contend.
Share your ideas and looks!

I am loving this. It reminds me of cutting out paper dolls during my childhood and design clothes for them. Haha. These are my four favourites:

~ Flowers rule ~~ See you at the secret garden ~~ Navy Chic ~ ~ Happy Hour ~

Happy styling, girls!^^ I'd love to see what styles you are going to create. Meanwhile, I'll be watching CSI Miami and eating tuna salad (I eat to healthy, lol... :D). Now I am free for the weekend...lalala. Oh, not really, I have to meet the next deadline on Monday. Doing my best!
Xoxo,

Extraordinary Jewellery at Nerdbirds

2010-03-25T13:34:00.003+01:00

I have a definite weakness for special jewellery pieces! So here are my favourite choices from the Online Shop Nerdbirds. Every fashionista can find unique picks to suit her individual style. My top 3:

Bird Cage necklace
Strawberry necklace
Snow Flake earrings

I am still fighting against my cold with like a thousand cups of tea (this gives a real experience about a crazy "tea party" - you know what I am talking about...). Tomorrow will be great: finally I'll hand in my long-prepared assignment and meet with KV to go shopping...erhm, I mean to drink coffee (seriously, my wallet is stitched up momentarily and not going to be opened for any (fashion-related) reason). So, tea anyone?
Cordially, your

PS: Please note that this is an unpaid post. I am sharing this because I adore their jewellery.