The Original Royabelle Blogazine

Quote of the Day

2010-09-06T14:24:00.003+02:00

The only thing that gets wasted in this household is us!

Don't throw out things that are still good. It's like throwing out money.
This simple rule that everybody's grandma knew already is still true.
Try and observe your own actions through a week - how much waste do you produce, how much do you throw out unnecessarily?

Picture and Video Update

2010-07-21T20:36:00.007+02:00

Some impressions from Muehlheim's Artificial Family:

For the video, click here.
(I realize that the choice of music is questionable)

I'd love to find more pictures of the actual installations, they were amazing!

Poi Spinning and Hanging Out - What happened after facebook

2010-07-19T12:36:00.005+02:00

After my not-so-euphoric review of Love Family Park, I concluded that a lot more fun could have been had with a couple of beers and music in the park.

This Sunday I put my theory to the test, and - hooray! - it worked! Hooray again!
To make it work, all I had to do was invite all my facebook friends on Friday.

My other preparations were just as simple:

I made five extra pairs of pois (fill balloons with 50g of rice, put them in kneelenght socks, tie a knot and you're laughing) ~ 5€ for socks, 50c for rice, 1,79€ for balloons

I bought a big pot of street crayons for 2€

my boyfriend organised beers, wine and ice cubes for the cooler box (~15€)

I bought a mobile docking station for my iPod, which I'm going to return today "because the battery didn't last as long as it said on the packaging". That may be a lie, but I simply cannot afford this amazing little piece of technology.

And that was really it. And it was a great day!

We started out by writing and drawing on the street closest to us what we were doing : Poi Spinning Lessons! Everybody is welcome to join us! Loads of flowers and smiley faces! :) When we started spinning and twirling, the most unlikely types came over and gave it a try. Families, grannies, guys in suits and guys who looked like they were more scared to mess up their hair than hitting themselves with the poi, two boys who just came back from fishing... you get the picture.

Speaking of pictures: I didn't take any, but if you were there and read this, please send me your photos and videos!

And the last thing worth mentioning: Just after we started setting our little camp up, we were joined by Anastasia, a lovely Moldavian girl, who had just arrived in town on that very morning! She hung out with us til after dark and told her surprised sister on the phone that she already made friends in the new town, and is now having beers in the park with them. Anastasia told me that the whole day felt surreal like a movie to her, because in real life, people aren't that nice to strangers :) Well guess what - they are sometimes.

And karma actually repaid me straight away: Yesterday I was short 19c from my supermarket bill and the girl in the queue behind me just helped me out. How often do strangers do random nice things for you? How often do you return the favor to another stranger?

Summernight's Dream in Muehlheim

2010-07-19T10:35:00.006+02:00

Who would think that Muehlheim am Main actually is a secret party epicentre? Ok, I might be exaggerating here, but Muehlheim's well-hidden party scene took me by surprise on Saturday.

In fact I had had a long day of inexplicable grumpiness and crankiness, and was not crazy about the idea of leaving the house at all, when I got a call from a friend in the evening. The idea of a relaxed night under the stars at the Artificial Family, with a campfire and chilled-out music was vaguely appealing, but what really got me was the fact that there were artsy projections on big screens all around the place. Trippy!

We arrived just after sunset, which of course was the best time to really appreciate the installations by Silberfisch. The crowd was an all-ages-all-styles mix, relaxed and easygoing ... almost to the point of being boring, but I blame the DJs for that. Granted, the music was supposed to be chilled-out, but at some point people wanted to dance, there was even a little crowd forming on the sand-covered (yay!) dancefloor - but the music actually got slower and more subdued, to the point of being turned off at some point (dramatic break?). Needless to say, after that only very feeble attempts at starting a new dancing crowd were made.

But the main focus was not on the dancefloor anyways. The installations were quite impressive and fun to watch. It took a while until we'd figured out just how they work :)
My favourite one looked a lot like the eye of Sauron from Lord of the Rings, but more colourful. Until I saw the video afterwards, I had no idea just how awesome it looked when I danced right in front of it :)

Click here fo video!

And on top of it all, this was a really budget-friendly party:

travel costs: 7,60€ return
cover: 7€ (and I gladly gave them away, the box office team was absolutely darling)
beers were 2€, water 1,50€, coffee 1€ (we needed it to stay awake til the first train home came - remember, we were in Muehlheim!)
barbequed sausages were 1,80€ including all-you-can-eat-salads

The only expensive thing at the place was a dreadlocked hippie desperately trying to sell everybody a pair of rather hideous pants, "straight from India".
:)

Raving on the Rhine

2010-07-14T14:08:00.005+02:00

Until last Saturday, I'd always believed that making long scenic boat excursions is for old people only. I was wrong, as I am so often :)

Through a friend of a friend I learned about a privately organised boat party in Mainz. I was rather sceptic at first, when I was told that I would basically be stuck on a boat for ten hours with people I've never met before.

But just because something sounds like a stupid idea, it usually doesn't mean I won't do it.
So at 12:30 last Saturday a friend of mine and I arrived in Mainz, utterly disorientated and tired, but in good spirits. Until I realized that I had exactly 15€ on me, and no card to take money out. Oh, and of course they didn't accept credit cards on the ship. What a way to start a party ...

Trying to find some shade on the lower deck

---------------------------------------------------------
Now if you find yourself at a party with next to no money at all, I find it advisable to NOT let everybody know. That just sounds desperate and if it's only the very beginning of the day/night, people might think you "forgot" your cash on purpose because you're cheap. Or they might pity you. Both sentiments I don't really like, so I decided to shut up and see how I can manage over the day.
Thankfully, the drinks were really cheap on the boat. Otherwise, I'm sure, the crowd would've gotten moody, because obviously there is no alternative to the board bar. Also, the sun was scorching hot, we had over 40*C in the sun. Making water any more expensive than it was (~1,50€) would have been irresponsible.

So I got myself the first drink, mingled with my friend's friends and their friends, and then the friends of those. As it turned out, most people knew each other already and I was the exotic outsider. And then ... well, I hate to say it but I totally capitalized on that status ^^
But I never bugged anybody to buy me a drink, or got all doe-eyed. No sir. I just gladly accepted if somebody offered to get me something :)

Do you find that kind of behavior cheap/desperate?
I found that getting drinks or dinners paid for by somebody else is a major issure for many German girls. But I digress, I could write whole articles about this... and maybe I will. But not now.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Because the party went on. And on. And on.

By 3 p.m., everbody was properly plastered. By 4 p.m., most of the people were dancing. By 5 p.m. the staff had given up telling us to not dance on the tables.
When it got slightly cooler (not cold by any means, only gradually more breezy and just below 35 degrees), I got up and danced, too. Originally I had expected the party to be packed, but as it turned out, there was well enough room for everbody... and I didn't have the poi on me! Bugger!

But being tipsy and light-headed from too much sun made me creative, so I started asking random guys on the boat if I could borrow their tops. Yes, that's right. Wifebeater-wearers were my favourite victims, because ... those shirts are easiest to turn into pois :)

This is how you do it:
Walk up to a guy, smile sweetly and ask if you can borrow his shirt for five minutes. Tie a big, loose knot into the bottom end of the top. Make it wet with a little of water to add weight. Stick your fingers through the top end. Spin like poi. Voila!
After thus spinning two tops completely out of shape, I realized that the knot is optional ^^

Apparently the other party-goers liked it, partly because the water from the shirts lightly rained down on them and the wind I created was very much appreciated.
When we later moved on the after-partyboat-party, one of the guys even made me an improvised pair of pois from bottle-openers and barrier tape. Needless to say, I was way too far gone at that point to avoid hitting myself in the head with them so i quickly gave up on them. But I still think that the token gesture was adorable.

After-Work Fun

2010-07-09T10:40:00.004+02:00

6 things to do for little to no money when you come out of the office in the afternoon and it's a beautiful day:

Go to a public pool. Hopefully at this time all the kids are tired and on their way home. Ask for a special price at the ticket booth, if the pool is about to close within the next two hours. The lion and I paid 1€ each yesterday for two hours of swimming and hanging out.

Find a way to climb on the roof of your house, take a sunbath where nobody can see you.

Make sock-poi out of kneelength socks and little bags of rice or sand. Practice with friends, not in front of the computer (for inspiration, have a look at these youtube channels: 1 2 3 )

Have a watergun fight in the park. If you can't find anybody who's up for it, organise a waterfight flashmob. There are websites that will help you with that: here, here and here)

Go guerilla gardening. Reclaim your streets.

Read a book that's been sitting in the shelf for ages. But do it outside, with ice cream at hand.

I'd love to hear what you guys do on a long, warm afternoon. Care to share? :)

I want my NinjaVideo!

2010-07-08T11:49:00.006+02:00

Again, I'm late. On June 30th the ICE shut down 9 websites that distributed pirated movies and TV series. One of them was ninjavideo.net.

I often watched American and British TV shows there, simply because I couldn't watch them any other way here in Germany. When they had problems with one ad provider, I donated a little money, because I didn't take this super convenient service for granted. But not only did NinjaVid have just about everything and anything that one could want to watch, awesome specials (like the Dennis Hopper collection), they also had a very lively and intelligent community.

All of that was shut down, the funds seized and the bank accounts shut down, so now the Ninjas can't even afford legal proceedings. If you want to help, have a look here:

http://www.saveninjavideo.net/

or follow @SaveNinjaVideo on twitter : http://twitter.com/SaveNinjaVideo

or on facebook : http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=129200970452184

Of course, all attempts at creating a Legal Fund have been stopped immedeately, accounts have been frozen and so far the only way to help out seems to be to click the ads on Save Ninja Video.

So do I support illegal pirating of movies? Yes AND no.

No, because I generally respect laws and regulations.

Yes, because these websites are the only way for millions of people around the world to watch shows and films that are not available in their country.

No, because pirating movies obviously costs production companies money that they need to make more movies. But ironically it is mostly the very big production companies complaining about piracy, and they could effortlessly cut their costs to balance out their losses by deflating the ridiculous salaries for their (already extremely rich) actors.

Yes, because watching some shows or movies online usually makes me want to go and own the DVD or go to the cinema, respectively. It's like a free advertisement for the movies, and it allows you to make informed decisions before you pay money.

YES, because there is no alternative. I have read SO many times on various different blogs and forums, that many people would happily pay a reasonable fee to watch their favorite programmes online in good quality, but there is no provider for it.

The demand is high for a legal way to watch TV and movies online and on demand. Let's hope it's coming soon.

Now what do you think?

More links for a more or less informed opinion:

ePirate

People2People

NinjaVideo Manifesto as audio , part 2

GeekoSystem

NY Times

Not much Love at Love Family Park

2010-07-06T12:58:00.011+02:00

Last Sunday saw the 15th anniversary of the hugely popular Love Family Park Festival in Hanau, close to Frankfurt. For 38,55€, I thought I was in for a treat for relatively small money : 12 hours, 3 stages, 15 DJs and live acts and a guesstimated 20.000 happy loved-up ravers. Transport and afterhour club included.Sounds like fun, no? That's what I thought, too...
So here's what happened.
The festival started at 10 a.m., but none of my friends could really be asked to get there before 1 p.m.. The weather was absolutely brilliant, bright sunshine and a light breeze - what more could you want? Usually the entrance is a bit of a hurdle, but we hardly had to queue at all, and our bags were not taken apart and searched but rather quickly scanned by a bored security girl. Call me strange but I find it a little rude when security people scrutinize every last item in your purse, including tampons...
But obviously they have a point, especially at a festival that caters to a scene that has a bad reputation for loving their drugs. The same reasoning probably inspired the presence of truckloads of cops. Really, THEY WERE EVERYWHERE!
Apart from the security guys who watched the entrance, there were at least one police team in full combat gear (with guns!), uniformed and armed policemen patrolling the place, two or three of them constantly watching the place from above and an unknown number of undercover cops. How do you tell if somebody is a cop without a uniform?

They wear closed-toe shoes for their own security and in case they have to run. They bring expensive shades - most people won't, because they intend to get drunk and chances are you lose/sit on your fancy sunglasses when intoxicated :) They have some sort of bag, bum bag or massive pockets and most of them won't take off their shirts even in the most excruciating heat.
And of course, if somebody just stands around for hours, watching people from an elevated spot and regularly talking into an earpiece, that's a dead give-away. From our little tent I had a good view of one of those guys. He might as well have written POLICE on his forhead. I had nothing illegal to hide but it still made me feel uneasy to know that everybody was being observed.

But the most annoying part is yet to come.
Maybe this procedure is totally normal at Love Family Park, but I found it to be a massive nuissance. So instead of just going to a bar and buying your (overpriced) drinks, you first had to buy tickets worth 10€ each, with which you could go to the bar. There, they would tick off the money used for your drinks and deposit. The crux was, that even the cheapest drinks would cost you 6€ (including 2€ deposit for the cup or bottle), so for getting the next drink you would return to the bar, get your deposit (in cash), take it to the ticket box, buy another drink ticket, and start from the top.
As if that wouldn't be enough of a hassle, the bar staff would sometimes forget, sometimes refuse to give you deposit vouchers, meaning you could bring back your empty cups and bottles, but you wouldn't get your money back. Awesome. I'm sure the bars made a good extra income like that.
By the way, the food stand (yes, there was only one) didn't accept the tickets, just cash. And they handed out different deposit vouchers for their plates, just to make sure you get seriously confused with all those little slips of colorful paper in your wallet.

It wasn't all bad though :)
To give the festival some credit, there were a couple of cool things going on as well; the decorations were nicely done (nothing compared to Fusion Festival, but they tried), they had a massive outdoor shower for cooling yourself down, an Alice truck and obviously some really loud music by really famous DJs.

Also people took pictures of my friends and me as if glittery facepaint and poi would go out of fashion, which of course they won't as long as I'm still around :) If anybody sees one of those pics, please let me know because I didn't take a camera (because intoxicated people tend to lose/sit on those, too :) )

...

Alright, so in that last little part of this post I'm just trying to make myself feel better about the fact that the lion and I spent more than 200€ on a mediocre festival. Darn.

To make it short: I won't go again. It's definitely not worth the money, I could've had a lot more fun hanging out with friends in a park, with beer and a stereo.

Doe Deere on Stage!

2010-07-02T12:00:00.004+02:00

I feel like I'm much too late with this post, because every self-respecting make-up-related blogger already slagged off Doe Deere's Lime Crime products or commented on her business ethics (which appear to be shady at the very least) ... but here's my two cents on it.

For the production of Brave New World I used two of her Magic Dust eyeshadows and two of the lipsticks from the Candyfuture line (Centrifuchsia and Retrofuturist). I also recommended them to the actors of the theatre and friends who all loved the vibrant colors and great pigmentation of the products. I was even going to organise a big order from the online shop for everybody ...

BUT then I did my homework. And I feel like such an idiot now.

Apparently the whole brand is a big scam, repackaging wholesale products and marking up the price by around 400%. They add a gorgeously tacky packaging, which seems to be the only original part of the product. For more informed and less angry reviews, please have a look at these here:

From Lipstick&Lightsabres :
Beneath the glitter , Mineral Mayhem , The Real Slim Shady , plus many more on Anastasia's fantastic blog

From Funny Face:
Lime Crime Make-Up Dilemma (feels like Lillian took the thoughts straight from my mind and blogged them!) and Doh A Deere

From Jessica Allison:
The Match of the Century

From Afrobella:
The Straight Dope, From Doe Deere

... the latter being the most positive unbiased account I could find, usually the reviews were much more negative...

In case you were interested: I find the Lime Crime products to be very expensive, but decent quality. As I said I used them for a stage production and they never failed me. Yes, the "Magic Dust" eyeshadows do go flakey and cakey when used with other products, but with some minor artistic skills I believe you can make them look good. The colour payoff is remarkable, also for the lippies. No slagging off here :)

But of course, you can find all their products cheaper, and at a competitive quality.
Check out these links:

http://www.tkbtrading.com/
That's right. The colours DO look familiar. They're essentially the same colours you see on LimeCrime, just ... there's about 200 other shades too, same quality!!! YAY! And they're 4$/ounce. Think about it, girls.

http://www.barrym.com/
In case you didn't know Barry M. Damn, they rule supreme. Love their variety of products. What else can you say.

http://morganaminerals.com/shop/
Be prepared for some awful web design. Do have a look at their variety of lipsticks. They put LimeCrime to shame.

http://www.sugarpillshop.com/
Cute, somewhat alternative online shop for dangerous colours. Don't know much about the quality, can you help me out there?

AAAAAAAND
http://www.aromaleigh.com/
They're closing their business, which makes me a little sad. They sell good quality make-up in a wide variety of shades (and not just the eyes/lips variety. they have blush! YES!).
Here's the voucher code for the going-out-of-business-sale : adieu35

http://evilangelstore.blogspot.com/
unbelievable make-shift-looking make-up online store. Just look at it and try NOT to want anything. It's darn close to impossible :)

Sooo, dear theatre cast: let's order somewhere else if we're still gonna do this. Mail me. Or just come to Anne's yoga class on saturday and get in touch :)
See everybody there! :)

Last Performance - Woooohooooo !

2010-06-30T13:41:00.014+02:00

Sooo, after 12 nights of madness behind the scenes of the English Theatre, last night was our last staging of Brave New World.

I really enjoyed this performance, as I have most of them, and even though it was exhausting (it's like a second full-time job) and annoying at times (people "misplacing" my make-up in their backpacks...) I will miss the mayhem and creative loopiness of the actors, the tech & backstage crew, the box office girls and the bar staff.

The performances of the last few nights have seen their fair share of improvising and spontaneousness, more often than not puns referring to the fantastic game that the German football team played on Saturday. Of course for the last performance, everybody took it a step further - and I wase part of it! That's right, I had a teeny cameo appearance on stage in the last scene. Make-up artists like applause too, you know :)

In fact I believe that for a perfect theatre experience one should see the opening night and the last performance. On the opening night, the actors will stick to the text and the director's directions (hopefully) so you get to see the piece exactly as it was intended. By the last night however, little changes will be made and obviously the actors act more freely because they are more used to their roles, lines and audiences.

And on the last night, obviously things get a little wacky and crazy. Here's a list of the little changes that were spontaeneously made last night (can you tell I like lists? :) )

two "policemen" turned from stonecold and rough into flirty gays with golden handbags
the "savage" decided to not hide in Dover, as he did the other nights, but in Offenbach instead... if you don't know what Offenbach is like, don't worry, you're not missing out on much. The rivalry between Frankfurt and Offenbach is one of the many things I won't ever really grasp about this strange part of Germany that is Hesse.
in a party scene, two actors started making out wildly in the background until one of them was completely covered in blue (!) lipstick
the tech crew replaced one projection, almost ruining the mood in the final scene because it sent half the actors into giggling fits
cameo appearances by myself and the director's assistant

and then some ... :) if you read this and find I forgot something, tell me about it. I'm absolutely positive that I didn't give everyone credit here, sorry!

So, that's why last nights of stage productions are a lot of fun. Another classic is replacing "fake" drinks with actual alcoholic beverages, but seeing as a lot of "champagne" (water...) was consumed on stage, that would've been really expensive ...

This post is also to thank everybody in the cast for making this a fantastic and fun experience!

You rock, guys!

An Affair with the Theatre

2010-06-22T10:59:00.005+02:00

Did you know that Frankfurt is the home of the largest english-speaking theatre in continental Europe?

I only found out about this after I started helping out there. That's right, I've been appointed the in-house make-up artist for the new play, Brave New World.

My boyfriend is one of the lead actors in the production, hence my involvement. Also, it's sooo much fun! I get to paint a good dozen of actors and actresses, one of them actually gets a bodypainting all over his chest, arms and back - every night of the week!

Of course director Michael Gonszar and the fantastic mistress of costumes Nina Luecker have their ideas as to how the make-up is supposed to look, but I get a lot of artistic freedom with the actual designs. I also like to talk to my "victims" in the make-up chair to make sure they feel comfortable with my work. They get to check their faces halfway through the process, put in their ideas and wishes and so on. This way, everybody tends to be happy with the results - maybe with exception of myself because sometimes I just don't get WHY ON EARTH some of the make-up-madness is neccessary.
WHY does that one androgynous character have a blue face with white lips and massive falsies? (You can see for yourselves, she's in the picture above on the left)
WHY does the "savage" have to be green and red? And I mean green and red all over. I asked the actor about that and he said he plays a ninja turtle, which is really not the case, but he sure looks the part :)

I have to admit I'm quite glad that many of the actors are perfectly able to do their own faces. The others have been very sweet and patient with me, very creative and very much fun. On top of that, I have a lovely "assistant" on some nights, so I actually get to watch some of the play.

Of course I highly recommend going to see the piece :) It's a quirky, colourful yet thoughtfully planned production, with many passionate actors, whose love for their profession radiates from the stage. They take a rather wordy, lenghty play, make it fun and exciting to watch and leave you breathless and with lots of food for thought after the show.

Oh, and it's only 15€ cover, with reduced prices for groups and students. There are still tickets available for next weekend, so hurry and get yours :)

Smack My Bitch Up!

2010-05-30T11:38:00.004+02:00

Last friday the Prodigy concert just simply rocked! WOOHOOOO !!!

But - we were late because for some extremely odd reason there was no support band, just a DJ before the concert, and they started the show almost on time! The Prodigy was more on time than the Germans! Fancy that! :)

Also, the goddamn Jahrhunderthalle is at the end of the world! Ok, so in fact it's just a little more than 10k from our house, but it took over an hour to get there with public transport... another reason I refuse to like Frankfurt with all my heart: even though the city is actually quite small, it takes a good half hour to get anywhere at all, thanks to the public transport, which does run frequently but slowly.
The city actually put up little countdown-signs that tell you in exactly how many minutes your bus/train is supposed to come, but they turned into a big joke. Before they were installed, it would sometimes feel like those two minutes on the schedule were really ten - now you don't get that feeling anymore, you KNOW it ;)

But enough of that! I want to see a full Prodigy concert now, and am keen on going to a festival or two this summer. Fusion Festival is sold out, but that won't stop me from trying :) I'll keep you updated, but now I gotta go and celebrate a birthday!

Gems of Frankfurt

2010-05-17T20:53:00.007+02:00

Yes! That's right, I am posting again.
I found it surprisingly hard to write about Frankfurt, hence the break. It's an awfully expensive city, where everybody on the street seems just that tiny bit more prim and proper and polished, and everything is just that tiny bit more pricey ... so I found myself struggling to keep an eye on the budget as I tried to balance a physically demanding job with a social life on my rare free days.

So now, after half a year of bartending and schlepping trays of beer, I am back to a normal sleeping pattern and an office job, which gives me the time and means to finally explore my new home a little bit.

Over the last weekend, the annual Rowing Festival took place on the river Main and I went to have a sneak peek.
I'm not much of a boat person, or, for that matter, a water person, but as you can see behind the studs on the picture above, there was plenty of entertainment on the land as well. The lion and myself took a stroll down the river and this is a list of what we found:

A little square where kids taught each other how to inline-skate to tacky 90s techno
One hippie girl with pois who got entirely lost in said tacky 90s techno
Loads of stands with meat products in 4765834 varieties...
Apple wine comes in rosé too! And it's delicious. Check out the Maincafé for a pint of the pink loveliness
Frankfurtians actually are too awkward and embarrased to say anything to people who consume drugs in public places. Now _you_ tell me if that's a good or a bad thing...

After our little walk we stumbled into the 36Grad on Schweizer Platz.

You can't tell from the website, but this bar/café/restaurant really is very cute and whimsical, comfortable with big sofas everwhere and very friendly staff. The perfect place for coffee-and-cake-time with the girls or a romantic candle-light dinner. The food we had was very tasty, even if it was not the re-invention of the wheel, as we say in German. But heck, I only paid 8,20€ for a yummy and generously sized dish of pasta (creamy gorgonzola-sauce, sundried tomatoes and a cheese that they claimed was parmesan but that was, in fact, something entirely different).
The bottles of wine start at 12,50€, that is by far the best deal I've seen in a restaurant here!

And then ... came the deserts!
*pause here to contemplate the tastiest desert you've had lately*

*now imagine it better*

And that's what we got! The lion had an interesting tiramisu-style concoction with chocolate cantuccini instead of the lady's fingers that you usually use. Also, the chefs at 36Grad do not shy away from using heavy ingredients and I think that's exactly the right way to go - who wants a skimmed tiramisu anyways? Let's just say, this was perfect as it came...
My own desert was a delectable Crema Catalata (caramelized spanish vanilla pudding!) with fresh mangos. I wanted to slowly relish in the creamy goodness, but it was gone way too soon :D

By the way: If you should ever find yourself in this area of town (Schweitzer Platz) and can't afford posh dinner and homemade cake, check out the little Thai corner shop on Schneckenhofstraße. They do traditional wok dishes without MSGs and their veggie dumplings are a revelation at only 2,40€.

Last Rays of Sunlight

2009-11-10T15:25:00.013+01:00

It's Mid-November already, and I only realized that now. I woke up to a dull grey day and had a hard time lifting up my own mood until I remembered the last photo shoot I did. Photographer Andy Kacze and myself went on a stroll through my old neighborhood in Berlin and captured the last bit of autumn sunshine.

Coat & Top: Zara
Jeans : New Yorker
Awesome yellow heels: 1 und 1
Scarf: Vero Moda
Dress: Who Killed Bambi
Coat: SkunkFunk
Belt and seashell bracelet: Vintage

Dress: Zara
Also, the thing that I'm holding in the second last picture is not what you think it is, but it's my attempt at rolling a cigarette for the curling smoke effect. I think it worked out quite nicely.

Frankfurt, Finally ...

2009-10-30T17:20:00.003+01:00

So I did it! I actually moved away from my favorite city in the entire world, Berlin. Geez. I'm homesick and all, but at the same time I feel that I am just getting started on a very exciting part of my life. Great plans are being conceived as I type, most of them containing some serious party-going or party-throwing.
To me, being the pampered metropolisian that I am, Frankfurt with its tiny population of 664000 seems like a village with a dramatically small number of cool places to go out for drinks and/or dancing. My two objectives right now are to go and find the very well-hidden "underground" scene and to grace this town with an all-new attraction straight from the capital. In order to do the latter I need to know the prospective audience, so I will indulge in Frankfurt's nightlife for research reasons only. Hehe. Right...

The last month I spent finding a new job and moving houses and generally figuring out where's what in this city. Now I'm ready for action again and I can't wait to get going with the aforementioned spectacular party I'm planning - so stay tuned because the O.R.B is where you'll find the news first!

More Drama in Belle's House

2009-09-11T21:22:00.002+02:00

My boiler broke and spilled its murky watery guts all over my bathroom. As long as I have plumbers and construction workers and electricians here, I honestly can't be bothered to blog.

I have a question for you though:

I signed my insurance contract literally the day before the boiler broke down - is that good or bad karma in action?

Somewhat Ghetto, But Very Useful

2009-09-08T21:32:00.003+02:00

Tadaaa !!!
This is the ultimate summer accesoire for your balcony: a table that costs you nothing (you actually get a refund for the crates) it's light and sturdy and, okay, tiny ... ;)

In desperate need for a table I came up with this little piece of sleek design. These beer crates also served as table legs when we had our little barbecue. It's not pretty but much better than buying a tiny table for 50+ bucks!

Cash Jar Update

2009-09-05T17:50:00.003+02:00

Whenever I want/need to save some serious money, this is how I do it: I open a second bank account of which I don't ever have the creditcard on me. I only have one card in my wallet, and that belongs to the account on which my "regular" money sits. Whenever I feel that I have some extra dough on my regular accout, you know, money that I don't need desperately to survive this month, I transfer it to the savings account. The money on that account is untouchable to me, so sometimes I actually forget I still have it at all. That's a good thing, because I just know that I'd spend it straight away if it was all too easy.

At the end of last month I had 200€ "left over". However, I have only transferred half of that money to my savings account, because moving houses and partying before ist going to be somewhat more expensive than usual. You have to be realistic about these things.

Ok, apart from that, I spontaneously decided to spend this weekend in Frankfurt - see y'all on monday and have a great weekend :)

Weekly Shoe - Slightly Belated

2009-09-03T19:30:00.000+02:00

First off, here's what The Shoeper Woman rightfully entitled shoe porn :

Giving you something to drool over as you wonder how to charm your bank manager into giving you another moderate loan of 500€ or so for the incredible Louboutin Feticha. Yes, that's right. Feticha. They're available in red and snake skin (yuk!) too, but the black ones ... *sigh*...

So this week I want to share some shoe-related linky goodness - here are the blogs I follow, more or less:

Sea of Shoes (as if anybody didn't know her by now...)
Shoe Asylum (Yes, we all are shoe addicts!)
A Girl's Guide to Shoes
Shoeminx (She's mean and she's harsh at times ... but I love people who dare to be honest and still make you laugh out loud)
The Shoebunny (with a huge list of links to designers and online shoe shops!)

And I adore the Shoeper Woman and all the other Midas Media blogs. But that's really not so surprising, I guess :)

An Unusual Photoshoot

2009-09-02T15:08:00.012+02:00

Yesterday, it was time for me to find out just where exactly my comfort zone ends and awkwardness and the discomfortzone begin.

I know what you're thinking now - and you're right ;) I had a nude shoot, with the fantastic Jo Schwab. As you can imagine, I was incredibly nervous about it beforehand. What would my boyfriend think? And wouldn't it feel very very wrong to be naked around another man, even though he's a pro and has seen dozens of naked models? How would I feel about presenting my body if I can't hide any flaws under my clothes? On and on I worried, but decided to not chicken out (I considered that for a while) and go through with it.

And guess what? It was so much fun!

But don't get your hopes up, boys, the pictures are for the lion and myself to see, and nobody else ;)

Photo by Ingo Matthes

Here's a few things you may want to consider if you ever think about doing a shoot like this:

Talk to your significant other. If he/she has a serious problem with it, you have three options: You don't do it, and forget about it. Or you do it anyways but that shows serious disrespect for your partner. I don't recommend doing that! Or you take him/her along to the photoshoot. This could be a fun and exciting experience for both of you!

Find a photographer you trust. And even if you'd trust that person with your life, make a contract that specifies exactly where the pictures may be published (if at all), the financial aspect, etc. For more info on what a modelling contract should cover, check modelmayhem's forum or ask people who have experience in the business.

If you bring lingerie for the shoot, don't buy the cheap stuff because "it's just for one picture". You want to take pictures that you can be proud of for a long time and if your outfit is in poor taste, doesn't fit well or doesn't look good for any other reason, you are probably not going to like the picture. Make sure the details are perfect and you feel good about yourself. If that means you have to splurge and buy expensive lingerie because you feel divine in this exact outfit and nothing else, so be it. It's all for the art ;)

Before the shoot, practise posing in front of the mirror. That way you have an idea what a pose is going to look like and how much you show (or not). Work on your facial expression - the boomchickawaawaa lies in the eyes more than anything ;)

On the day of the shoot, take as much time as you need beforehand to do your hair, apply make-up and get dressed. I like to go to the hairdresser just before a shoot, so I can at least trust my hair to be perfect. You can also get your nails and make-up done by professionals - anything goes as long as you feel gorgeous and pampered by the time you meet your photographer!

Talk about the poses and angles that you want to shoot with your photographer. Always keep in mind that if you don't feel comfortable with something, you have to tell him and, if need be, abort the entire shoot. That's always an option!

DON'T drink before or during the shoot. Not even a glass of champagne because you're nervous. It's not going to do your look or posing any good. Really.

If you feel awkward, you can try to imagine you're in an entirely different situation... or you're somebody else. Picture yourself in a role that has nothing to do with you, because in your head, you can be anybody you like - a raunchy burlesque dancer, a naughty schoolgirl, whatever. I'm sure you can come up with more exciting things than that! :)

It took a lot of guts, but I'm happy things went really well and easy yesterday. I realize that nude shoots are not for everybody, but in my case, it was a real confidence booster!

What do you think? Maybe you have some more great advice for delicate shoots? :)

Birthday Bash

2009-08-30T18:19:00.008+02:00

Last night, the girls and I had a reason to party! My girl Fabulosita turned 24 and of course we had to go out on the town. As usual, getting all dolled up in the evening before hitting the clubs was the best part of the night!

The Birthday Princess, rocking the tiara. I still haven't figured out why she refused to wear it in public ... ;)

The bathroom was a mess by the time we were done but that's to be expected.

While getting dressed, swapping shoes (!) and applying make-up, we sipped martini and champagne. Nothing gets you in a better party-mood than sweet, bubbly drinks! I made heart-shaped cherry muffins instead of a cake, because they are lighter and easier to eat while doing something else. I felt that sitting down around a table, using knife and fork and all the rest of it would have killed our gleeful, bubbly mood.

We headed for the Bar 25 first. Of course we knew it would be packed to the max because yesterday was to be the last night it was open. The last night EVER. The Bar is legendary here, so we expected there to be a long queue. Upon arriving at about 1 a.m. we waited for a little over half an hour. Mind you, I'd never wait that long for any other club, but with the circumstances being as they were, nobody dared complain.

And then the unthinkable happened: The doorpicker refused us.
Phew. I still haven't figured out what exactly the problem was. Three girls, all dressed up to the nines and, yes, tipsy, but far from being completly drunk. I daresay the problem was on HER side, meaning the bitchy doorpicker. It's called jealousy. Meow! I was an angry cat.

I have never been refused at any club before and mark my words, it's not going to happen again. At the same time, I find it important to make an elegant exit in a situation like this so we didn't argue (that's not going to make any difference, because doorpickers would undermine their own authority if they ever changed their mind about anybody! All you're going to get for arguing at a door is pitying looks from the other people walking in past you.) So we decided to take a cab to the Cookies, our birthday child's choice.

No queue awaited us there, but the club was jam-packed with hot guys! We had finally arrived in paradise!
Or so we thought - until we realized that we'd accidentally stumbled on a gay party! :) Maybe we shoud've done some more research beforehand, but heck, we'd paid the cover and we weren't going ANYWHERE soon. Right when we arrived we saw the last little bits of a burlesque show, which honestly didn't make much sense to me.

Why would they book girls (gorgeous as they were...) on an event like this? You could tell by the looks on the other partygoers' faces that they weren't quite sure either.

We ran into Zoe Delay, Sheila Wolf and Janka Kroft, who looked spectacular as always. I believe Sheila was involved in the burlesque performances, but you would have to read up on that on her blog.

In any case, we had another round of drinks, danced a little, and had a great time... you gotta make the best out of situations, unexpected as they may be. Never allow people with a negative attitude (like that doorpicker) to drag you down.

The O.R.B Moves On !

2009-08-28T18:39:00.004+02:00

On to Frankfurt, that is. Moving cities is a pretty big deal for me, because I feel so very at home in Berlin. I've been born here, spent my childhood here, and the better part of my "grown-up" life. I have put a lot of work into the appartment I live in right now, and it hurts to leave the place I built for myself, and only for myself.

Not to speak of friends, family ... heck, I'm sure I'll even miss my bitchy frenemies :)

But times change, and I am no longer on my own, which is a great thing too. Myself and the lion are moving in together and I am very VERY excited about that! I have even quit my job to move to Frankfurt as soon as I can. Quitting a job I've been working in for over three years was a bitch, by the way, and one of the reasons I neglected my blog so badly. I have been told that I "throw away my life for a guy" and I realize, that's probably what it would look like to a stranger. But I don't see me quitting my job in favor of a life with my man as a weakness. It's not like I'll be unemployed in Frankfurt and live off the lion's money, but quite the opposite - I'll have to work harder than ever!

I will have to be very strong to do all the things that lie ahead now: Standing up for myself at work for another month (having to work another 4 weeks after quitting can put you in the most awkward positions...) , moving houses, moving cities, do the respective paperwork, organize a HUGE good-bye-bash, get the job I want, not just any job in Frankfurt, help my brother move houses, sell my junk at the fleamarket so I don't have to carry it all the way to Hesse... oh, and did I mention I'm working full-time while I do all the above...?

So you see, I'm not running away from commitments. I just realized that I really want to commit myself to something else. I want to use my energy to turn my life into what I want it to be instead of wasting it on a somewhat tedious job. Also, all the time and energy (not to speak of the money) that myself and my boyfriend "wasted" on sustaining a long-distance-relationship we can now put into creating a life together, maybe even a future together ... but I digress :)

...

Here's what I really wanted to write today: The O.R.B. will be back in action from now, and I promise not to take such long breaks anymore. Unless I have a really damn good reason.

Don't go to the Party...

2009-08-17T22:52:00.006+02:00

... let the Party come to you!

Oh yes. I know that organizing a party is a lot a work and stress. Here's how to simplify things, have almost zero preparations and actually enjoy your own party :)

First of all, think about one thing: how well do you know your neighbors? Well? Not at all? Never even seen them? As far as I was concerned, I didn't know my neighbors well enough - after 2 (two!) years of living in this house, I couldn't even tell if that person I met on the stairs actually lived here or was just a visitor. I wanted to change that situation, and have a party in the little garden I share with my neighbors.
The preparation was so simple, I was amazed it never occurred to me before: All I had to do was hang a poster next to the house door, suggesting a barbecue on a certain date. I attached a pen to the poster so people could comment on the idea and lo and behold - everybody seemed to love it!

I hung it on a glass door, so the pretty backside of the poster was visible too. You gotta know how to attract attention, and a picture of a beautiful woman ALWAYS seems to help :)

On the actual day of our barbecue, all I had to do was set up the grill, a table and chairs. I also made two salads, brought some baguettes and dips. The lion insisted on making burgers and ribs, ah well, I suppose that's what you do on a barbecue - I didn't eat any of that, being a vegetarian and all ... ;)

Then, with only minutes to go til the party was supposed to get started, I had a major panic attac, including the obligatory whining that "nobody's going to show up and I just made such a fool of myself, what a stupid idea to begin with, boo-hoo!" ... you get the picture. Not to worry though, I get a minute of doubt like this before EVERY party I organize.

But of course, my neighbors did turn up. We actually had to set up another table and bring more plates and glasses, because so many of them came! They all brought a little bit of food or drink, so everybody was well fed and watered. The kids played soccer and the babies got to play in the sand, while the grown-ups finally got to know each other. Two guys realized that they had made friends years ago on a camping trip, then lost touch, and have now been living in the same building for three years without ever noticing each other!

I'm not the best of photographers, can you tell?

I was very lucky that one of the guys is a event technician and had all sorts of fancy lights and music equipment, and one girl decorated the garden with a lovely garland! There was one very sweet older couple, too, who brought some amazing wine and lit up the place with flowers and candles!

The guys are giving the camera their smartest looks.

In the end, everybody did a little bit of the work, so organizing the party didn't feel like much of a hassle at all. Try it, you might be amazed by the great people living so close to you! Me and my neighbors partied till 3 in the morning ...

By the way, we decided to install a blackboard in the hallway so we can stay in touch more easily. And all that it took was a simple handwritten poster to get all of that started! Yay!

Free Dinner @Traube, Berlin

2009-08-14T18:32:00.002+02:00

Yesterday, one of my good friends surprised me with a visit at work, and asked me to come and visit him at his workplace in return. Hm, what a strange request, I thought, but not to worry, I'd be there right after I'd finished my shift.

When I turned up at the Traube in the evening, I was in awe - it is a wonderfully luxurious, very chic place where you run into the rich and important ones - mostly politicians and bankers, but apparently people like Bob Geldof eat there, too. Or so I was told by the Maître. Anyways, as soon as I arrived, I was led to my table under the tree in the yard and brought a glass of lovely crémant rosé. Wow. A few minutes later, my friend came out of the kitchen - he had arranged for me to get the VIP-treatment. That included a waitress hovering in the background, waiting to refill my glass or take care of any other wish I might have. You won't believe how silly and important you feel (at the same time) when you stumble into that kind of situation unprepared, like me. I enjoyed every second of it, though :)

I especially enjoyed the dinner I was served by the Chef de Cuisine personally (!). He sat down with me (!!) and told me that he is very new to the restaurant and ever since he started to run the kitchen, he raised the standards of food and drinks steadily. I can only say that the food must have been superb even before he started, and was stunningly delicious yesterday. In fact, it was so good that I had to stop talking because I wanted to concentrate on the party in my tastebuds. That's great praise, believe me.

Now, two facts that make this great evening at the Traube worth a mention on the O.R.B.

The prices are just as mindboggling as the cuisine, so if you're on a tight budget but don't want to miss out: Go there for lunch, the "Business Lunch" is great at only 9,90€. That's still expensive by Berlin standards, but heck, it's worth it.
This sort of surprise is one good reason to ALWAYS look your best. I didn't expect to spend the evening with the rich and famous, but if I may say so, I was dressed impeccably anyways. A bright blue silk wrap dress and matching heels suited the occasion nicely - but I would have felt terribly out-of-place in worn-out jeans and a t-shirt. So make sure you're prepared for any surprise - by looking your best at all times.

Weekly Shoe: The Pimped-Out Pumps

2009-08-12T22:58:00.007+02:00

I promised I'd show you my precious new pumps, and finally, here they are:

The actual shoes I bought for circa 17€ at my local Turkish market (I get a discount for being a regular customer and I don't care if that's cheap! :) ) . Then I invested in 4€ worth of sequins and a 1,50€ container of glittery little beads. They are pale pink with an incredible gold and light blue sheen, depending on the light. The octopuses were 75 c each at the local toy store, and the gold paint is still the same that I used for the brooch and the animals on the jam jars.
Now all you need is a few hours of time, thread, a needle and a thimble.

If you want to recreate a look like this, here's what you do:

Buy pumps with open toes! Peep-toes are a LOT easier to work with! Trust me.
Paint the animals in question, and let them dry. Set with a layer of clear paint.
Put on the shoe, and try out where you want to put the octopus (or whatever else you may want to sit on your shoes), making sure they aren't uncomfy when worn. Glue in place, and take off the shoes again.
Then secure the decoration with a matching thread.
Start applying the sequins and beads around the center. This is the hardest part, so if you start here, you're done with it all the sooner :)
Make small stitches, one per sequin/bead. Be careful not to tangle the thread - it's a nuisance to untie a knot inside a shoe !!!
When finished with one length of thread, tie the knot on the outside of the shoe and hide it under the next sequin you apply. That's much easier than making a knot inside a shoe.
First finish ONE shoe to perfection. Having a prototype that you can copy is easier than starting from scatch - you'll know what I mean by that once you're there :)
Just for your information: I used about twice as many golden sequins as I used pink ones. Otherwise I think they might have turned out too pink. The uneven look is also created on purpose by applying a few of the sequins upside-down.
Now the insides of your shoes are covered in little stitches and pieces of thread (no knots though, hopefully), you can cover them in a thin extra layer of leather or faux leather for more comfort. Ask your local shoemaker or tailor for scraps and leftovers.

Wear with pride. And don't be irritated by the jealous stares you are bound to receive ;)

I can't wait to shoot these and finally have proper pics of the whole outfit! Yay!

I am Sailing ... I am Saaaaiiiliiiing ....

2009-08-11T22:40:00.007+02:00

... or I WAS sailing, rather.
My little trip to Bavaria was a huge success, which is partly due to my home-made jams :) It turned out that the kiwi-banana concoction and the plum chutney suited my hosts' taste very well and I was one happy hedonista! Anyone interested in the recipe for the plum chutney? I'm more than happy to give it away, but I don't want to bore my faithful readers with recipes all the time either :)

But I digress, as usual. Back to the trip, now.
Pictures say so much more than words :

The Alps looked more than stunning in the background!

That paddlesteamer was way too big (and too close to our boat) to fully fit on the picture.

Showing off my not-so-dazzling physique :)
I had to overcome an irrational fear of slimy seaweeds and big fish and actually went swimming in the lake. Once in, I didn't want to come out of the water again! In fact, it was so lovely to swim that I had to be coaxed out of the lake with the promise of coffee and apple pie with whipped cream and vanilla ice-cream :) Needless to say, I was back on the boat in no time at all...

If only I had a little more time and money at my disposal, I'd be on my way back to the Chiemsee right now! The lion and I already promised to go back soon, so I hope we make that happen!

Another Little Gift

2009-08-07T21:16:00.006+02:00

I am very excited about the upcoming weekend, because I'll go sailing (Oooh, the poshness!) and stay at my boyfriend's parents' house right at the lake. To show them my appreciation I decided to bring a little something - and that decision of course meant that again, I had to come up with a cute, personal, useful and generally awesome gifting idea.

Here's what I made:

That's a customized jar of home-made kiwi-banana jam! Home-made jams and chutneys are always great for spontaneous gifts: Just make a few jars at a time, they stay good and edible almost forever, so you have a gift at hand when you need it - or jam for your own toast :)

This jam is a little different however. You don't have to cook it, you just stir all your ingredients together and let it sit in the fridge overnight. That makes it extra-fruity and very simple to make, but it will also go off within a week or so!

Here's the recipe, maybe you like it:

6 kiwis
2 big bananas
1 shot glass of coco liqueur
100 g of preserving sugar
1/2 orange or lime
some grated white chocolate (optional)

Cut the bananas into small pieces, and add the juice of the orange or lime. Peel the kiwis and cut them into small pieces, make sure to get rid of the stringy part in the center of the fruit. Then add the kiwis and the sugar to the bowl and stir for at least 10 minutes with the hand mixer, while slowly pouring in the liqueur. Now you should have a creamy light green jam. If it doesn't seem to thicken enough, slowly add some sugar and stir very carefully. Taste your jam to be sure that it doesn't turn out too sweet!
When done, sprinkle on some white chocolate et voilá!

This tastes incredible on pancakes, by the way, and adds a Caribbean feel to every breakfast table! Don't forget to refrigerate it :)

Now you may have noticed the little extra I added to the jar:

This is a replica of the frog I turned into a brooch. I did it the quick'n'dirty way, and you can SO tell. But sometimes, even I have other things on my mind than painting things golden :)
The little flecks that appear brown on the picture actually are gold sparkles that I added for more drama! I just ran my golden sparkly eyeliner all over it and secured it with clear spary paint.
Then I glued the frog on top of the jar (which is very obviously see-through, so if you make one of these, don't forget to paint the frog's belly! Just sayin' .) and now all I need to do is wrap a pretty bow around my little gift for the lion's parents and I'm ready to go!

Wednesday's New Feature: The Weekly Shoe!

2009-08-05T20:13:00.001+02:00

Girls love shoes, don't they? Going shopping for them, looking at them in online-shops, wearing them of course, revamping them if necessary. I am one especially bad case of shoe-addiction, and strangely proud of it. My collection holds more than 50 pairs, and that's just the high heels.

People ask me why I would do that to myself, walking around in high heels all day at work and put on a different pair of heels that's just as skyscraping when I go out in the evening. It's pretty simple, really: High heels make your legs look longer and more slender, give you a very feminine walk and posture, make your behind look fabulous in an instant and give your body a nice little workout as you wear them. That improved look, and especially the improved posture, make you feel and look more confident. Confidence in your look, your walk and your attitude is absolutely sexy and desirable, much more than a low neckline or a short skirt.
I won't deny that you can easily over-do it, and thereby cause long-term damage to your feet. Just look at this x-ray (Picture by Helmut Newton, high-heeled boot by Karl Lagerfeld).

So please, boys and girls, wear heels, but not ALL the time. Make a point of stretching your calves often, to prevent your sinews from shortening - wearing flipflops has the same effect, by the way.

Apart from the health concerns, I have to say a few words about my style concerns...
First and foremost, there is no shame in practicing to walk in new shoes at home. Everybody does it, or at least should! You may want to practice the actual walking as well as a more or less elegant standing position. Don't feel silly about that - just imagine you're at a party and somebody snaps a picture. How do you want to look on that picture? That's a good pose right there :)

Second, don't bang your heels on the ground like a jungle drum. Of course you can't avoid the clicking noise that heels make, and sometime they just ARE loud. Try to keep the noise as moderate as possible though. Just take smaller steps et voilá :) If that doesn't do the trick, practice on a wooden floor - if you don't want to leave heel marks in the wood, you have to walk carefully! It may also help to shift your weight a little more to the ball of the foot.

This is just the beginning of my new feature, The Weekly Shoe!
Every week, I will post a shoe-related artice right here, showing off my revamped pumps, exploring the workplace of an old-fashioned shoemaker, going style-hunting with my cam for outstanding footwear and anything else that I may come up with! I'm open to suggestions, as always.

A Truly Manly Birthday Gift

2009-08-03T20:40:00.007+02:00

I wish I could claim the credit for this, but I can't. This was originally my lion's idea, and I'm just stealing it :)

About a week ago, I found myself absolutely surprised by the fact that, yes, another year has passed and it's my brother's birthday again. Oh darn. Birthdays tend to surprise me anyways, especially my own ones - just when I've settled in at one age, say 22, and I've grown comfortable with it, all of a frickin sudden, another year has passed and I have to deal with growing older yet again!
The stressful thing about other peoples' birthdays is the pressure of finding the perfect gift. Of course you want to get the birthday child something special and personal, at the same time it should be useful and look cool. I find that nearly impossible, but I try my best. Those gifts usually take some time for thought and getting it, or making it.
So with my brother's birthday only one day away, that wasn't going to happen. Instead I decided to heed the lion's advice (which I don't often do) and made him a voucher for A BEER-BREWING COURSE!

Now, that's a pretty damn cool gift, if you ask me: He and one of his buddys (or I!) get to make their own beer, drink beer as they make it ;) and after four weeks, they can try the beer they made!

In order to arrange for one course like that, you can turn to agencies, like MyDays or Jochen Schweizer but keep in mind, they take a commission, that you can save easily. Just call the brewery! I turned to the amazing Brewbaker, a cozy little pub where they still make their own beer! And, without any bargaining, they named a price ten bucks below the one that the agencies wanted. I don't care if that sounds cheap, but that easily translates to a day's worth of food for myself, and I'd rather save it if it's that easy ;)

But the next birthday in my family is looming already, and I need another thoughtful, cool and fun gift. I find it very hard to get presents for men, and I know I'm not alone with that problem. So I would really appreciate if you guys would share your best ideas for proper boys' gifts!

Fleamarket Treasures

2009-08-02T17:32:00.007+02:00

Yesterday I went to the fleamaket in Mauerpark to reserve a stand. I have a whole closet full of stuff I don't need and don't want- books, clothes, interior decorations, fabrics and so many things I already forgot about! So it won't hurt too much to sell all those random items :) I'm looking forward to it, not because I might make a little money, but because the chilled-out atmosphere in the park and on the market is just amazing. It feels like something between a playground for grown-ups and a beach party. I realize that's pretty much the same, but you get the idea!

But, being the spontaneous shopper I am, I couldn't resist to sneak a peek at the other stands ... and ended up spending a little more money than i'd planned. BUT I'm also proud owner of two new tops, a tacky gold purse, a little surprise for the lion and a few bits and pieces, like rhinestones, homemade liquorice, you name it.

You can't really tell on the pictures, but these fleamarket finds are seriously rad! And they match my secret project, my pimped-out pumps, that I want to wear next week-end. I will travel down to Bavaria, and go sailing with my boyfriend - of course I want an outfit that matches the occasion. So the dress has handy pockets and little ships printed all over it, for example :) You can see them a little better in this picture here:

I'll probably show off my outfits here when I'm back, so stay tuned! Especially for those shoes, I promise you'd hate to miss them ;)

Have a great week, everybody!

An Update on the Cash Jar

2009-07-31T18:25:00.003+02:00

It's the last day of the month, and I can proudly say that for the first time (as long as this blog exists) I have managed to save some serious money for my great travel plans!

To be honest, I already threw in some of next months paycheck. It's just an amazing feeling to be getting closer to my goal! I'm so sure I can actually do this now (and I've had my share of doubts!) - YAY! Tomorrow I'll celebrate in style and go out - I can't wait! :)

Free Virtual Hugs&Muffins for everybody!

Muffin for my Twitter Followers by Royabelle on Polyvore.com

(You get one if you follow me on twitter! Promise! :) )

Sneak Peek

2009-07-30T20:02:00.002+02:00

It's like a tradition for me to go to one certain movie theatre with my friends, when they're in town. For years, that cinema had the same feature on mondays, 11 p.m., the Sneak Peek. You get in for half the money, and you get to see a movie that officially doesn't start in theatres until the next thursday. Awesome!
The catch is that you don't know which movie you are going to see. That way, I already ended up in horror movies, soppy lovestories, terrible cartoons and about everything in between. The worst by far was "Waiting for Angelina", by the way, I saw that last year. Oh my, the boredom. But in those movies, the audience simply takes over.
Just to give you an idea what that's like, imagine this: An old-fashioned cinema that still seems to dream of it's grandeur back in the days. The faded velvet seats are crowded with scruffy teenagers and young adults - almost everybody is under 25, holding a beer, the usual suspects for a pub rather than a cinema. And when the movie is crap, the commenting sometimes is louder and so much more fun than the actual movie.

I'm sorry I digress :)

So, this week I watched "The Horsemen", starring Dennis Quaid and Ziyi Zhang. Boy, was I scared. It's rather unappetizing, but here's the trailer for the not-so-faint-at-heart amongst you. Don't let the trailer irritate you though, it's actually not a bad movie. Dennis Quaid is the grumpy detective, Aidan Breslin, who has the worst of relationships with his sons because he can't deal with the loss of his beloved wife. When an extremely gruesome series of murders commences in the city, Breslin finds that all the evidence directs at his own family. From huge red writings on the walls at the crime scenes, Breslin deduces in a painstakingly slow scene, that the first Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are in town and they take their toll, so to speak.
If you're going to watch this movie, don't read the rest of this!

It's just a real shame that about halfway through the movie you can't stop thinking of it as "Revenge of the Emo Kids!" ... I guess they have a point, those kids had pretty crappy lives, but the measures they take seem very drastic. It's a well-made, entertaining though extremely bloody movie, so if you feel you can handle it, go and watch it.

I have to admit, I hid behind my jacket half of the time. I'm a scaredy cat :)

How to Fly for Free

2009-07-27T21:25:00.002+02:00

Oh, I got your attention now, don't I? :)

Alright, so I exaggerated a little bit to keep you guys interested. Here's a little trick to get seriously cheap plane tickets on a proper plane, that's not covered in ads inside and out (I'm looking at you, Ryanair!) or overbooked.
I always think it's quite a hassle to get those "cheap" tickets that you have to book 78 months prior to the actual flight, and that only go from/to the middle of nowhere, like Frankfurt/Hahn. Ever been to Hahn? No? Good for you, because it's almost two hours away from Frankfurt on an overpriced bus.
So how do you fly in style, spontaneously, and don't spend the better part of your savings on the ticket?

Very simple. Ask a flight attendant in your circle of friends to take you along as they go. It's not much of an effort for them, and saves you so much money! I just saved over 100€ when I took that flight to Frankfurt last saturday. I had the most pleasant flight, chatting away to my stewardess friend as we each had one of those tiny airplane beers. Also, my friend didn't mind, actually she was quite delighted to have somebody to talk to during the (admittedly short) flight.

So do ask around. Nobody is going to be offended, if you ask politely to be taken along. You get to see some more of the world that way and you don't want to miss out on that, do you? :)

Why go to the gym ...?

2009-07-22T22:18:00.004+02:00

... if you can have a fun workout for free AND without being in the same un-airconditioned room with 20 other sweaty people?

Staying in shape is not about hitting the hippest gym in town where skinny models break their behinds as they try to lose another half a pound. It's more about being healthy and looking fit, not thin. As I don't believe in gyms, but in a shapely figure, I had to find other ways of working out.
Here are a few, maybe you can incorporate them in your daily routine, too:

1) If there are stairs to climb, climb them!

Escalators are only allowed if you have more than 3 storeys to ascent. That's a great workout for your legs! Make sure to walk very upright, not leaning forward, that'll get the muscles in your bottom and tummy going!

2) Take the bike to work/school/everywhere!

My bike is one of my most prized posessions. I go to work on it, and almost everywhere else. Even if you only need 20 minutes to work, that amounts to 40 minutes of work-out for your legs and back every day!
I understand that people don't want to go to their job on a bike because you arrive all sweaty and gross. Recently, I solved that problem by depositing basic toiletries at work, but of course not everybody has the room to do that.

3) Walk like a Pageant Queen! In Heels!

Walking around in heels all day is an extremely exhausting thing to do, most men will never appreciate that :) I will not call myself an expert on the subject, but I do have some experience. On a normal day at work, I stand and walk for about 9 hours and I love my heels too much to not wear them.
For starters, wear tights or stockings, otherwise the shoes are going to give you blisters, no matter how comfortable they are when you first put them on. Again, make sure to walk upright. Get into the Pageant Queen Posture (PQP) : Hold your chin up high, shoulders back (but relaxed!), make your back long and straight, and suck in your tummy a little bit. Uh, that's not comfy. Now, try to tense the muscles in your buttocks. Still not comfy - but that's really the whole point. Consciously trying to throw yourself into the PQP will probably give you sore muscles in your thighs, tummy and bum. But it looks good while you're at it and even better when those muscles get in shape over time.
When you try this at work, bring flats, too. Surviving an entire day in high heels is not for the faint-of-heart.

4) Got a park nearby? Use it!

I'm very lucky to live within walking distance of Tiergarten, a huge park in the heart of Berlin. I go jogging there (Get yourself some proper running shoes if you go jogging. It makes such a difference!) and sometimes, I just hang out, play frisbee with friends, or play with my pois. Going out and playing something, anything really, from soccer to hit-the-pot with your friends is probably the best and most fun workout you can have. I promise, it won't even feel like a workout.

Oh, and please share your free workout tips with me :) It would be very much appreciated!

Pimp my Balcony!

2009-07-22T18:19:00.009+02:00

Having a little refuge, something that belongs to you and nobody else, is a great luxury. To me, it's my balcony. I might not have the best of views (my neighbors ^^) but I love sitting out there and read, think, have an after-work-glass-of-wine or my sunday breakfast.

But I neglected my balcony this year, and by mid-june it looked somethings like this :

Not so pretty, and definitely not the right place to be spending relaxing afternoon hours on. It actually looked like this, I did not mess it up more for effect.
So I went to buy some flowers at my local florist, and got a little discount because I bought so many plants. Also, that gave my the satisfying feeling of supporting small local businesses. Try it, it's a good feeling ;)

These beauties will even come back next year. Isn't that one amazing colour?

The hibiskus I got for my birthday. It has three huge pink blossoms by now and by the looks of it, there's going to be more of them!

Star of Bethlehem and lobelia make a great colour combo. Who said you can't have flowers that clash? :) The pink hibiskus sits right next to them...

Of course, you can get edible plants too. They are not quite as pretty usually, but having them also means having free organic food all autumn - rad! I have a tiny chili tree that's more like a chili bonsai, but has great super-hot chilis, some herbs (all legal ;) ) and tomatoes. I wanted to get more, but ran out of room for plants. Instead of giving up, I got this wrought-iron shelf and now have more space than plants. I'm sure I can solve that problem soon!

Growing your plants from the seeds and being able to enjoy the results as a dinner is probably the most gratifying thing you can do on a balcony that won't cause your neighbors give you cross looks :)

I cleaned up some more and planted new flowers since I took the pictures and will update you soon with a few tricks to make balcony-fit furniture out of almost nothing. Now go outside and enjoy the sun!

Concerning Brands

2009-07-22T14:54:00.007+02:00

Today I want to share some common sense with you. Maybe you are going to read this article, nod, and wonder why on earth I had to write down something so obvious. In that case, I'm sorry for wasting your time, because you already have what it takes to be a fabulous budget hedonist! :)
Maybe not though. Find out!

I have been marveling at the concept of brands for a long time. Just because, say, a pair of jeans has a certain name printed on the inside (!) it's more expensive. The only claim the company makes to justify the price is the qualities described in the respective commercials - and more often than not it's a "lifestyle" rather than actual characteristics of a product, for example the sturdiness of you new jeans or the taste of the joghurt you are supposed to buy at the supermarket.
My favourite example for this phenomenon is perfume ads. Watch any old perfume ad on youtube, and afterwards you'll know exactly what kind of style the brand's art director wants you to live - but do you know what the perfume actually smells like? Even have an idea? Nope. Usually not.
So let's first of all try to ignore the suggestions of commercials. Do you really and honestly care if celebrities show their faces in combination with some sort of product? Does it improve the product? No.
I claim that consciously ignoring ads when going shopping makes you happier. It takes away the pressure. The other day I went out to buy a pair of grey skinny jeans, and I could've gotten those for 150€ I'd seen on that ad, that had a fancy brand name on it. I went for the cheaper ones, and now have exactly the jeans I wanted for 20 bucks, without the brand name. What is a brand name good for, anyways? Impress your friends?! If they can be impressed by the money you spend on things, think again if they are really good friends and therefore people you WANT to impress.

However, I'm not against spending money (and lots of it) in general. Sometimes you see something in a shop window that you need to have this second or else you won't be happy for the rest of the week. That's ok. Or you really want to order the most expensive dish they serve at the restaurant. That's ok, too. Just make sure to listen to what YOU really want, not anybody else.
Trust you own taste, that's as simple as it is.
And if you really want something and it's not ridiculously overpriced, go for it.

Just like I really, really wanted to have this fun and colourful beverage instead of the bland table water when I went to the café yesterday. It was more expensive, but it made me happy that moment.

Figure out what you spend your money on. How much do you care for the brands you buy? Does it matter what company puts their name on your baked beans? No. Does it matter to you to get a certain brand of joghurt? Yes, because your mom always bought that kind? Then get it. Otherweise go for the no-name version and you'll find out it's probably just as tasty :)
Finding out your own priorities takes a while, but is well worth it.

What happened to ...

2009-07-19T21:23:00.002+02:00

... the Cash Jar?

I know I promised to keep you guys up-to-date about my savings and I tried very hard to save all that money to put a new piece of candy in the jar. However, I'm standing in my own way in this case by being my forgetful self... I locked myself out of my apartment the other day and calling the lock and key service actually cost me 211€. Ouch.
The money that was supposed to go to my Australia-savings now went to the lock&key-guy who took about 3 minutes to open my door. I'm grumpy about it, but I learned my lesson about forgetfulness.

I hope everybody had a great week-end so far! :)

Photo Shoot Results!

2009-07-17T11:00:00.009+02:00

TADAAA ! Results of my shoot with Ilja Hendel!

Remember, I was supposed to look younger for that shoot. I think I managed - these might not be the most exciting pictures that have ever been taken of me, but some of them are quite cute. If you keep in mind that one of them might be used as a book cover, they're even better ;)

It was a cold, rainy and very windy day, hence the mess on my head. The photographer, the two other girls and myself stopped by a café to warm up in mid-shoot. With the permission of the coffeemama behind the counter we just kept taking pictures inside, getting weird looks from the other customers. I see why, too - we didn't look glamourous or even above average, so why would that pro photographer be buzzing around, taking pictures of us from every angle...? Ah well, the price of fame ... ;)There were geese in the park ! And fluffy baby rabbits! Seriously!
In the background you get a glimpse of Luisa, and those jeans belong to Josefin. I honestly don't HAVE better pictures of the two yet. Apparently Ilja is going to photoshop a few more photos and send them over in august. I can't wait!

Here's one last pic that made me laugh out loud.
Hell yeah. No bunny rabbits or geese were harmed in this shoot.
For more photos, click this!

An Apple A Day...

2009-07-14T09:42:00.003+02:00

... is a pretty boring diet. There are better ways to stay healthy. Who said, that just because you have to spend your money carefully, you have to buy the mundane and bland stuff? In fact, you get all kinds of exotic fruit at the discounter, too.I tried out fresh lychees for the first time. They really aren't my thing, but I believe in trying things before I judge them :) Then there are a couple of physalis (79 cents !), a gold kiwi fruit, flat peaches and more little bits and pieces you can't see in the picture.

Spoil yourself with some fresh fruit that might be a little out of the ordinary. It's healthy and tasty, in fact it might be better than candy. Arrange the fruit nicely to give it a sophisticated touch - let out your inner Martha Stuart :) However don't buy more than you actually eat! You don't want mouldy fruit in your kitchen ...

Now isn't that so much better than a bunch of ordinary apples ? Enjoy ! :)

Small-Scale Hedonism

2009-07-13T21:33:00.003+02:00

Having to live on a low budget sometimes is a very tedious affair. You start to envy those folks who don't seem to work hard (or at all) and have money to burn. But here's a little bit of wisdom I read in Teresa de la Parra's excellent novel "Iphigenia: Diary of a Young Lady Who Wrote Because She was Bored".

The theory is, that very rich people don't actually enjoy the expensive things they have, the good food and the hip interiors and all that - because they can have it all the time, and it seems normal, boring. They can't be excited by anything, because they have seen and had it all. And the worst part is, that they don't even realize that they suffer from boredom, the finest food and drinks may be flavorless to them but they hardly notice.
Think about it - your appartment right now might not seem very impressive to you, but even if there's nothing fancy about it, millions of people around the world would consider it pure luxury.

So here's my trick to get rid of those pointless pangs of jealousy of richer people:
Don't waste money on expensive luxuries or status symbols that don't mean anything to you personally. Why imitate vain people who don't even have enough of a taste of their own to get dressed without a stylist? Spend your money wisely, that is, on things that you really enjoy. Make a point of appreciating what you have. Share it with your friends.

Applying the above to the real world sometimes is hard. But I really believe that the key to being a happy budget hedonista is following your own style (because you cannot allow yourself to waste money on copying somebody else's and wouldn't be happy with it anyways) and really appreciating the glorious things that already surround you.

Lazing on a Monday Afternoon

2009-07-11T20:40:00.004+02:00

That's hedonism, baby. Yeah.

Last week, myself and the lion had a little time on our hands before we were supposed to catch a ride that would take us from Berlin to Frankfurt. We indulged in donuts and huge coffees for breakfast and figured that three hours would be enough to visit the famous Berlin Zoo. Now visiting the zoo is a thing that families, tourists and tourist families do. But who said that locals aren't allow to enjoy the beautiful park and the amazing animals? :)

At the cash box I realized that I forgot the coupons that we got when we went on top of the TV tower. I pointed that out to the very friendly lady at the cash desk and - lo and behold - she actually believed me and gave us the discounts anyways! Yay!
By the way, I read this article on Creepy Queen Mag yesterday, and I agree: there's no shame in coupons! They saved us 6 bucks, you can translate that to "free breakfast". Yay again!

The animals at the zoo seemed to be putting on a real show just for us, it was incredible! The elephants were bathing and playing, the nandus displayed their plumes, the brown bears stood up on their hind legs for the camera. We found out that the Canadian wolves have a doggy door to the bears' enclosure so that they could go over, but the bears couldn't get into the wolves' bawn. The penguins came close enough to pet them ( We didn't though. It seemed wrong to just go and touch a wild animal. They have some mean beaks, too. )

But all of that couldn't stop me from nagging my boyfriend to go and see the lions. To see them passed out like this was pure glee to me :)

Technically, we could have just reached out and stroked that soft, fluffy fur on the lion's belly. But the thought of teeth and claws made us think twice... and in the end, the sign that read "Warning! Lion may pee through the grate at visitors!" made us change our minds. You really don't want lion pee on you when you're about to get in a car with well-meaning strangers for the next five hours. Then again, you probably don't EVER want lion pee on you. Excuse my ickyness :)

In the end, three hours weren't near enough to see all of the beautiful zoo. We resolved to go and see the zoo of every city that we travel to. I'm just afraid that in other zoos, the animals will have smaller enclosures and I won't feel anything but pity for them. I hope to prove myself wrong ...

And when was the last time you went to a zoo? :)

Budget Glam - The Frog Edition

2009-07-10T09:24:00.005+02:00

The other day, I found this incredible brooch in a shop window:

Oh my... How could I not fall in love with this super-ugly, white-painted, glitter-adorned, over-priced pug?! But obviously, I can't just go and spend so much money on a brooch that I might wear once or twice and then hide in my jewel box. So I decided that what these kids at the store can do, I can do, too. And I went shopping for a plastic pug.
But, I was bewildered to find out, the plastic miniature pugs at my local toystore were sold out! A little confused (who on earth buys plastic miniature pugs ?!) I settled for a plastic frog. In the same store I purchased gold and red paint, a little brush and a bag of pins.

And the rest was rather easy! First I painted the belly of the frog and let it dry. Then I applied two thin layers of colour on the upper side of my frog, making sure I don't smear over the structure of the frog's skin. It didn't even take very long to dry. I had to bend the pin a little bit so it would sit flat on the frog's little tummy. I used my gem glue to attach the pin. That glue survived just about everything so far, pulling and tossing the brooch, just not the washing mashine. But heck, I just glued the pin on the frog again and that was it.
I wear my little frog as often as I can and already bought more brooch-material.

The turtle will be sparkly and decadent when I'm done with it. For the crayfish I have to go and buy silver paint. Oh yes, I'm serious. The sealion is not going to become a brooch, it's too heavy and bulky. And that weird green shape at the bottom of the picture is a seahorse... I already got started on painting it gold, but will add some serious glam with gems :)

Now, regarding the budget...

Original Pug Brooch : 85 €

Plastic frog : 1,80 €
Gold paint (enough for 20 brooches!) : 2,59 €
Brush : 1,50 €
Pin: 0,25 €

Total : 6,14 €

And I get to use the paint and the brush again, of course. The sea animals I got even cheaper than the frog, they were 75 c each!
Getting a little creative about things like acessories is easy and saves money, and you have the priceless feeling of wearing something unique. Who knows, you might even start a mini-trend and be THE local fashionista all of a sudden :)

What Matters Most ...

2009-07-09T11:34:00.010+02:00

... at a festival: the concerts and the party of course! :)

That's the Hangar Stage. The name sort of makes sense, as it used to be an actual hangar on a soviet aerodrome and there were hangars all over the place, all decorated and rebuilt as stages or dancefloors. Some of my favourite decorations :
Part of "Neuland", a random clearing in the trees that surrounded the camping area, which had been decorated to the max to look like a weird scene from "Pirates of the Caribbean Abducted Alice from Wonderland". I swear I saw the Mad Hatter too. They also had a glitter stand there, where you could get your face all glittered up and decide afterwards how much you like it and how much you want to pay.Some random decoration and the Willow Dome, an area for jazz concerts, hanging out in the relative peace and quiet and the massage tents. Yes, you heard me. Massage stands! Halleluja! Of course I was lucky enough to have my own masseur (the lion) but I loved the stands anyway.
Moonwalk to Mekka! Obviously myself and the lion had to go and watch this!!! So many people showed up, about 200 (!) did the actual Moonwalk around the Tower Stage, and hundreds more watched it and cheered! The vibes were incredible, but I have no pictures to show for it. Damn.
The organizers of the festival encouraged spontaneous outbursts of creativity, so we ran into these two amazing musicians who took "drum&base" very literally. We also saw a group of 12 incredibly talented drummers (more than half of which were girls, by the way) and they really got a big crowd dancing and partying on the spur of the moment. I was impressed! :)

So in the end, we walked from stage to stage, staying whereever we liked, enjoying the all-vegetarian catering and the diverse styles of music, talked to friendly strangers and danced our tushies off :)

Sunday morning came way too soon. I look half dead here, but that's a good thing because it means I had a blast before :)
Now I can't wait to go to Fusion next year and I'll make sure to pack a bunch of friends! Camping is even more fun if you have your buddies there with you!

Sports and Recreation at Fusion Festival

2009-07-08T09:10:00.007+02:00

I love trying out new things. Really. And at Fusion Festival I had the great opportunity to try lots of fun new sports and artistry, like climbing up those long red cloth things (I'd appreciate if anybody could tell me what they are really called :) ). It was supposed to look something like this:

I tried. I really did. But it's a LOT harder than the instructor made it look. I managed to get one knot right, and that was about it. It was fun though and I'd give it another shot anytime!
Apart from that, my boyfriend showed me how to juggle, I molested just about everybody with pois because I forgot to bring my own, I tried out slack-rope walking which is SO hard to do when you get started, that I got a little frustrated and so much more. And then I found my new obsession, fairywings. They work just like pois, but look even better. I spent about an hour at the stand, trying out the small and the HUGE ones. The big fairywings were a little more complicated to handle because they get tangled easily but I had the time of my life. Oh, and I realize that I look rather grumpy and clumsy on the picture and that's exactly why I'm not so happy with most candid shots of me :)

These are the small fairywings, by the way. I want the big ones, that you can see in the background here. So as soon as I got back from the festival, I did some research and figured that 40+ euros are not in the Budget for silly toys. Of course I'm not going to give up that easily - I'll make my own fairywings, with fabric that I bought for some other project that I never finished (shame on me...). They will be very hippie, very girly and hopefully a lot of fun. Can't wait to get started, really :)

Of course I didn't play and juggle all through the festival (although I wouldn't have minded that so much). The most important thing was the music, obviously, and the party and the great crowd. I'll tell you all about that later today, including the reason why I don't get to add any candy to the Cash Jar this month.

Have a great day :)

A Little Planning Goes a Long Way

2009-07-07T09:43:00.006+02:00

I am probably not the right person to preach about how "planning things" will reduce stress, save money and all the rest of it. It's true though, and before the Fusion Festival (June, 25 to 29) I put my planning skills to the test. With only a week to go and still no tickets, no tent and no clue as to where exactly the festival is, I thought I was facing quite a challenge.

First, I got myself and my boyfriend tickets for a bus that would take us to the festival. A lot of luck was involved, because the original tickets had been sold out or reserved but I managed to get my paws on two that hadn't been paid for yet. However, I paid a little more than necessary because I got my tickets so late, which annoyed me a lot. Planning could have easily saved me 20€ and a lot of phone calls there. Next year, I'll learn from my mistake and book the damn ticket early. The same happened with the actual festival ticket. Booking it early could have saved me and the lion 20 bucks each. That might not seem like a lot of money - but it's 8 beers at the festival and we were pretty broke to begin with :)

But as we got on the bus friday morning, we regretted nothing. The people were very sweet and excitement about the upcoming weekend was in the air. The lion and I had a few lukewarm beers, chatting away happily with the others or (in my case) dozing off as I watched the tiny villages go by. When we arrived there was a massive queue of cars waiting, but the bus simply went past them and we could enter the festival without a second of waiting or standing in line. I absolutely recommend taking a bus to festivals, because it's comfy and air-conditioned, you get to meet other festival-goers, police is less likely to stop you (it's a hassle, even if you have nothing illegal on you!) and you get to enter the festival without waiting around as you still carry your heavy festival gear.

Speaking of festival gear: I was so lucky that my parents still had a tent and sleeping bags. Before buying new stuff, ask your friends and family if they can help you out. They might even be glad to get rid of that old stuff that's been taking up space in the cellar/attic :)
Here's our glorious tent that we actually set up in no time at all (I was very proud of us, yay :) )It was packed when we arrived, as you can see ... we hardly found a place to camp!
More stories of the fantastic Fusion Festival coming up later, now it's time to go back to the real world :)

It's been a while...

2009-07-03T12:24:00.002+02:00

... but now I finally have enough time to tell you all the new little stories. Let's start where we left off, the theatre.
I absolutely loved the performance, and I was very impressed by the actors. "Waiting for Godot" is so very abstract that it seems almost impossible to empathize with the characters, while at the same time they are, of course, very human and you might even recognzie yourself to a certain point. The four (and a half) actors however made the performance look almost easy, and you may call me biased just because my boyfriend was up there on stage too :) but I hardly remembered I was in an amateur theatre at all.
The lovely interior probably helped, it didn't have the vaguely dull off-theatre-feeling to it that I've seen in Berlin.I'll admit it was small, but that made the after-show-party all the more comfy and fun. As I was being introduced to everybody it dawned on me that people were actually looking forward to meeting me beause they'd all heard of me from my boyfriend. I felt like such a VIP, even though this whole party was not about me, obvously, but the cast and director of "Godot" :)
We left rather early, around 1:30 a.m., after the champagne, wodka sour and the delicious buffet had been depleted. I only broke two or three glasses during the entire night and got a handful of very sweet compliments for my emerald green pumps. I think I can call that a success :)

So, what now?
Do you remember the last time that a friend (or family member etc) performed anything on a stage? I'm sure everybody knows somebody who is in a band, a amateur theatre group, does fire shows, catwalks or something else on a stage. So why don't you just go and cheer them on? I'm absolutely sure your friend is going to appreciate the support - and you probably get in for free, reserved seats waiting for you. How VIP is that ? :)

Have a great week-end, everybody !

Holidays in a Land Far Far Away

2009-06-22T15:17:00.002+02:00

Well, kind of. I just arrived in Frankfurt/Main and no, Hesse does NOT qualify as far away, I know that :)
Instead of the train, which I usually take, I opted for the cheaper version, that is having somebody take me along in their car. I've heard all the horror stories of the terrible drivers and vaguely creepy people you meet when finding a ride on the internet, but www.mitfahrgelegenheit.de has so far been a fairly safe car pool. And I saved some serious money here, instead of paying 130€ for a stinky, crowded train (last time I had to sit on the floor, next to the restrooms! Gross!) I now pay 50€, including the VIP-feeling of having your own driver and the luxury of stops whenever I kindly ask for them.
Alright folks, it's been a long drive anyways and I need a shower now. Then I'll get ready for the evening - tonight is the last performance of "Waiting for Godot" at the English Theatre! That's one of my reasons to come to Frankfurt today and I'm really looking forward to it!
I'll tell you all about the play and the obligatory after-show-party soon :)

Have a fantastic week, everybody!

Fête de la Musique, pt. ll

2009-06-22T01:15:00.005+02:00

Yes. I know. It's barely later than my last post. But I promise, I HAVE been out on the town. But first, the timing was bad and it started to rain literally the second me and my friend, the fabulous Fabulosita, left the house. Then, our timing was bad again and we found nothing but closed doors and more rain at the Sandsation. We decided to head over to a place that was 100% sure to be open AND had a roof. The Bassy Cowboy Club seemed a great idea at the time.

We were right. Two awesome bands and a couple of beers later, however, we decided to be REASONABLE. Did I ever mention that I dislike that word? Well, I do not like it. At all.
We went home anyways, too sober to ignore the fact that we have to get up early tomorrow. This picture here suggests something else.And here's for all of you who didn't believe that 10€ are enough for a fun night out - I only spent 5! Ha! Mind you, it wasn't the wildest night ever. But still, I think I made my point.
I'll try having a crazy party on a budget again, so make sure to come back :) I promise, it's going to be a lot wilder next time!

Good night everybody! Keep spreading the Glam! :)

Fête de la Musique!

2009-06-21T19:26:00.007+02:00

It's Fête de la Musique today! Switch off the computer and party, everybody! As this amazing free open-air concert is held in 340 cities worldwide, at least ONE is sure to be near you!
Find your Fête.

After last year's fête turned into an all-night-party including the obligatory watching of the sunrise at the club of the visionaries, I couldn't wait for the 21st of June this year. Berlin has 76 stages this time, most of which are open-air, all of which are free. The Fête de la Nuit later on is bound to be crowded as hell, but ridiculously cheap. The latter tends to heighten spirits tremendously, guaranteeing a wild night :)

I intend on spending not more than 10€ tonight. I won those last night, playing poker with the boys.

So you think 10 bucks are not going to last me all night? We'll find out. Because if it does work, I believe I can officially call myself budget hedonist.
I'll give you all the juicy details tomorrow! Now get up and rock the Fête!

The Sweetest Coffee in a Long While

2009-06-20T17:17:00.005+02:00

Today I went to the hairdresser to finally get those roots bleached. That is, I TRIED to go to the hairdresser - there was a queue of about 20 people waiting already when I arrived. I took a number and went for a little stroll, head up in the clouds and took a while to notice that I'd wandered into a part of my neighborhood that I've avoided so far. Uh-Oh. On second glance, however, the area was just as nice and clean and green as my street and I started wondering, why on earth I'd never been there. I even found the most adorable thrift/vintage interior store ever! Of course I forgot my camera, but I'll go again and take pictures. The owner of the store was absolutely darling, too. When it started to rain and I had to go from window-shopping to inside of the store, he made me a coffee (free!) and even played his guitar and his balalaika for me. At least I think it was a balalaika. I'll find out when I go back.

That little half an hour of sitting on a pale pink 1920s velvet armchair, sipping hot coffee and listening to my personal concert was probably the most relaxing thing I've done in a long while.

And the moral of the story? Be nice to people. Smile at them for no reason at all. They will do amazing things for you, some small, some big, just because. Return the favor.
(I'm making muffins right now to bring one over to the fleamarket tomorrow where I know that said shop owner will be :) )

Oh, and then it took like 3 hours to get my roots done. Seriously. I'm not going to hairdressers who don't make appontments anymore. Duh.

The best way to earn money

2009-06-19T12:17:00.006+02:00

Yesterday I got an email from a photographer - boy, was I excited when I realized, he's actually offering to PAY me for my modelling. It's not a first, but still happens very rarely. And it's getting even better - the picture of me and two other models might even end up on the cover of a book! Plus, I get some extra cash in that case - how awesome is that?!

While I was preparing for the shoot I had a hard time picking my outfit, because I needed to look younger. I'm young enough, but I needed to look like a teenager. So I took off the killer heels and the curve-a-licious dress and went for something a little more "teenage-y".
After a few changes I decided to wear stripey shorts, a colorful t-shirt and my beloved Vans.

I even braided my hair, which made me realize how seriously I need to bleach my roots, and used only a hint of make-up. Nah, that's a lie. Of course I used half a ton of make-up for a flawless complexion, but I tried to make it look as "natural" as possible. Light pink gloss on the lips, no eyeliner, the works.

The other girls and I had a fun time, meandering through the city, looking like best friends on a shopping spree while our photographer, always on the hunt for good candid shots, was all over us like a paparazzi.

And here's today's tip for glamming up the routine:

Arrange for a photo shoot with a friend who can handle a camera/photoshop reasonably well. Wear something that's been sitting in your wardrobe unworn for ages, waiting for the perfect occasion. Put on too much make-up (that is acually going to be neccessary, because make-up tends to magically disappear on pictures!).Maybe you have a friend who loves to do make-up and you can get her/his help?
Now take a good look at how "real" models pose and look, practice in front of a mirror in the whole outfit. Wear some insanely high heels. Feeling confident and gorgeous yet? Good, then take it to the streets and have your photo shoot in the nearest park or where-ever you find the right background for the amazing YOU. And don't let people who stare intimidate you - they're probably just jealous :)

If you enjoyed your little photo shoot, why don't you use the pictures you just took to upload them on modelmayhem or (for Germany/Switzerland/Austria) Model-Kartei? That way, you have a realistic chance to actually work with semi-professional and professional make-up artists, photographers and studios either for very little money, on a tfp-arrangement (time for pictures) or you might even get paid for your work.

Is there a better and more glamourous way to earn money than by simply looking fabulous and allowing somebody to take your picture? I don't think so :)

And just by the way: That's me on Model-Kartei.Enjoy!

Welcome to our exciting Journey!

2009-06-18T16:39:00.008+02:00

Sit back, relax, take a sip of that Martini while I answer a few questions that might arise:

What is this place anyway?

Just like I explained in that "About me"-bit, this blog is all about being your glamourous, glittery, extravagant self without spending every last penny on it. Because, let's face it, being fashionable and living large is REALLY. EFFIN. EXPENSIVE.
So now let's find out if and how it is possible to enjoy all the beautiful things life has to offer in a big city - fabulous food, exclusive entertainment, traveling to exotic destinations, perfect parties and those gotta-have-'em-now-shoes to go with your outrageous outfit - all on a moderate budget.

Indulge by Royabelle featuring Christian Louboutin shoes

And how is that supposed to work?

There will be a lot of remodelling and crafting, of course. Many sequins and rhinestones will be stitched and glued to many a garment. Cheap restaurants will be visited, looking for hidden gems. Bouncers will be charmed ;) ... no, mum, I'm kidding. Honestly.
I'll basically give away my secret quick&easy ways to glam-ming up your appartment, as well as your nights out on the town and your everyday style. However, I DON'T want to preach and I really don't want this to be a monologue, so every little comment or email is greatly appreciated.
Last but certainly not least, I'll tell stories from my life - sometimes not-so-glamourous, but always good fun.

What's the Cash Jar for?

For every month that I reach my goal of saving 200+€, I will add a piece of candy to the jar so you guys can keep track of my proceedings. It's also a motivation for myself to stay focused on my main goal: traveling to the other end of the world with my best friend :)

So are you ready to get started?

Great! Let's go!
Spread the Glam, share it with your friends!