Fashion Fun Parc Güell: Sandro Cotton Tunic & Python Sandals with Pull & Bear Bikini Top at Park Güell & Casa Museu Gaudi

September 2017 in Barcelona, España

HOLA Barcelona! Greetings, Antonio Gaudí! Surely Jenny and I are super fans of architecture and interior design, therefore, during our tour de Spain, no doubt that La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Casa Batlló and Casa Milà are definitely on our must-visit-list. While the advices from travel bloggers and guide books that recommend to book the tickets in advance in order to escape the queue, therefore, the combo tickets of La Sagrada Familia plus Gaudí House Museum are our top choice, especially we can access Park Güell after visiting House Museum on the day after La Sagrada Familia! 

The Gaudí House Museum (Catalan: Casa Museu Gaudí), located within the Park Güell, houses a collection of furniture and objects, was the residence of Antoni Gaudí from 1906 to the end of 1925. Designed by architect Francesc Berenguer i Mestres, built by contractor Josep Casanovas i Pardo and signed by Gaudí himself, was built between 1903 and 1905. Nowadays, except the basement is not operated to the public, while the ground and first floors are dedicated to the collection of furniture, sculptures, paintings, drawings and other objects of Gaudí. The second floor houses the Enric Casanelles Library, which can be accessed with prior permission.

Barcelona in September is dehydrated hot, in order to adjust room temperature, Pull & Bear 100% light blue stripe bikini top with freestyle of string at front, gives its funky look with American Apparel 100% polyester high waist leggings. Sandro100% cotton Rubis dress with open-buttoned, it can be dressed as a long tunic, the 92cm length transforms the funky look more of feminine French flow. 

As for the accessories, Chloé ivory white round-frame acetate sunglasses Miu Miu Madras calfskin sac are easy to carry around, and I always love to put on shoulder an extra cotton tote bag to have a bottle of mineral water, an umbrella and some snack with me. Sandro Paris python tied-up sandals, purchased at winter sale from theoutnet.com, provide the comfort to have full day park tour, its half-open design make my feet breathe while avoid the risk of collision at walk. The triple hues of outfit in Barcelona are ivory white (Chloé sunglasses and Sandro tunic), light blue (Pull & Bear bikini top) and shining black (American Apparel leggings and Miu Miu sac). 

TOP TIP 1: Always carry an open-buttoned tonic during the travelling, it is an instant cover while visiting religious location

TOP TIP2: Minimalize less than 4 hues of outfits during travelling, loud coulours may summon unnecessary approaching

#Barcelona #Gaudí #Pull&Bear #Sandro #MiuMiu 

Special Thanks: Jenny

Accessories Accede: Le Vernis, Un Livre & Byzantine D’oreilles de Coco Welcome The New Home

This is the second week that we move in our new flat. A quantity amount of hardboard boxes are awaited, a pile of books and magazines stand by, several pieces of jewelry spread around at corners of wardrobe; I am exhausted now and then but still, I am happily busy rearranging my favourite mini items for their organized household.

It is bizarre but true, that we always rediscover the forgotten goods while packing them, or precisely, unpacking them. A lovely illustrated book by Megan Hess, about fashion icon Coco Chanel, wrapped with milky white silky paper, bound around by the silver-logo ribbon, and finally attached a silver pistil camellia flower, is a generous gift from a retail owner. While I always believe that new home owns new deco, as well my styles can be yet chic and fresh, thereupon, Chanel Le Vernis Pink Rubber #542, Vibrato #665 and Fortissimo #681, the pinkish and le bleu are the perfect match to mix and play, on my toes, to celebrate the ownership of our new home.

Pink Rubber #542 is Chanel holiday limited edition in 2016, which is an edgy interpretation of classic polish, formulated with certain powders to leave nails a shine-free, matte finish. Unlike the pale effect of Ballerina #167, Pink Rubber #542 can contrast more of the feminine touch together with either neon navy feel of Vibrato #665, or twilight metallic hue from Fortissimo #681. In single coat they are all perfectly opaque, and the consistency and formula are no doubt exquisite, and for the toenails, wearing Chanel Le Vernis can sustain for over 3 weeks, almost without any minor tip wear.

The strongest passion on my jewelry collection, is not relying on bracelet, not necklace, nor even ring, but boucle d’oreilles, as known as earrings. At first I hold doubt if I would still wear dangling style while spot this Chanel glass pearl pair, since I don’t bother the glamorous bling to enhance my rather minimalistic daily outfit, but this craftsmanship with burgundy metal and iconic double interlock C logo, I was allured by its Byzantine era touch (burgundy is more of visual amaze than the navy blue version) and the size of pearl drop is not too round, not overwhelm, not exaggerating, therefore, together with le Vernis, un livre de Coco Chanel, I just nail them all, to welcome my exciting mind of staying at new home.

Accessories Accede: Swedish Sweeties is Deco Domination

Q&A On Silja Symphony

Do you collect local handcraft souvenir?

Indeed, especially if the craftsmanship is exquisite, the size is rather mini and the price is not too outrageous. For examples, I love Russian doll from St. Petersburg (by courtesy of parents), rooster stand-up made in Portugal, and hooray, Swedish Dala mini horse!

How do you search the information of any other local souvenir?

Before travelling, no matter if it is a weekend holiday or a grand tour, I always purchase a paperback travel guide to develop the mood, at the same time acquire the basic knowledge of the language. This reading is my pre-souvenir before on the road, which providing souvenir recommendations from the editors/authors. When the departure date is approaching, I search some random travel bloggers’ posts and make my own conclusion. Notice that if some bloggers post very similar choices to each others’, meaning that probably they travel with the tour group and passively shop at cooperation vendors, because not everyone is devotedly crazy about collecting Starbucks city coffee cups.

✔Chanel Le Vernis long wear #516 Marinière is my new bluish collection of nail polish. I adore Chanel cosmetics collection so much, that the richness of the colour and the easy brush application take the great part of my admiration, of course the black-and-white-plus-gold packaging always capture my intensive attention.

✔Swedish Dala Horse is a traditional carved, painted wooden horse statuette originating in Swedish province Dalarna. It was mostly used as a toy for children, or a pastime hobby during the dark winter season; now it has become a symbol of Sweden since 1716, a beloved souvenir to attract visitors around the world. The wood from which carved into Dala horse is from the pine forest around Lake Silijan, through hand carving, priming, smoothing, polishing, sanding, painting and varnishing, no two Dala horse are exactly alike. My choice of 7cm height horse is 125 Krona from a lovely boutique, the mini 4cm one is 60 Krona found unexpectedly at a small Kiosk where I also choose the postcards. They like parent and child side by side, approach to somewhere out there together.

✔BYREDO, abbreviated from ‘By Redolence’, founded in 2006 by Ben Gorham, a native Swede with Indian and Canadian descends, graduated from Stockholm Art School. A chance meeting with perfumer Pierre Wulff that makes Gorham into the universe of fragrance, with the world renowned perfumers Olivia Giacobetti and Jerome Epinette, Byredo’s scented candles and perfumes using simple composition of the highest quality raw materials, have been developed with an understated approach. At NK department store, I choose Burning Rose (70g) fragranced candle and Gypsy Water hand cream (30ml). The packaging of Byredo reaches up to a luxurious experience: A paper cover carved with arte nouveau pattern, after the removal, the white cardboard box printed the big letter ‘B’ atop. The candle glass is in matte iron black, and gives a fresh sniff already without kindling it up.

TIP 1: Choose the Dala horse with rich painting colours, try your bargain luck at some mini Kiosk.

TIP 2: Purchase the cosmetics/skincare on board (cruise) since it’s duty free!

On the Road: Hej, Igen Stockholm!

Stockholm, Sweden 

July 2017

‘Hej igen Stockholm!’ Hello Again Stockholm! This time without Silja jackpot tickets, the family reunion trip takes us to revisit Sweden during the high season.

Silja Serenade departures at Helsinki Olympia Terminal on Friday at 17:00, we have to be on board no later before the gate closing. The weather is amazingly sunny, so going up to the upper deck to view the seaside view is the must-do. In 2015, my hubby and I travelled to Stockholm by taking Silja Symphony due to the mysterious jackpot tickets (I can not reckon how I got the chance, through magazine subscription or lucky draw?), the late October chilliness did not allow the opportunity to enjoy the sunshines during the embarking. Summer does not linger longer term in the Nordic territories, and the great landscape of Helsinki provides yet another chance to cherish the best moment.

After a great buffet breakfast, On Saturday 10 o’clock, we arrive at Stockholm. Six of us take metro to Gamla Stan, we have a brief morning coffee time and we take a rather touristic route to Stortorget, the old town square. Along the crook passages, we discover more interesting souvenir shops with various kinds of wooden Dala horses (Dalahast), the size range can be width 3 cm to 50 cm. I choose the medium poppy red, and when I select postcards at Kiosk I pick another mini one.

The second visit at Stockholm, we are more of familiar with its history of involving: After the Ice Age, a large number of people had been living in the present-day Stockholm area. At the intersection of the Baltic Sea, Stockholm’s core, also known as Gamla Stan was first built from about 1000 CE by Vikings. They had a positive trade impact on the area because of the trade routes they created.

Gamla Stan, was built on the central island next to Helgeandsholmen from the mid 13th century onward. The city originally rose to prominence as a result of the Baltic trade of the Hanseatic League. Stockholm developed strong economic and cultural linkages with Hamburg, Gdańsk, and Riga during this time. The old town is always the most interesting, the baroque doors, the pebble roads, the tiny houses, the Royal Palace, the lovely boutiques, the unique coffee houses, that compose the exciting feels of discovering.

After Gamla Stan, it takes 15 minutes walk to NK Department store (Nordiska Kompaniet, the literally Nordic Company), and also try our afternoon tea at Espresso House in new city centre. I still check at ACNE if there is anything for my shopping lust, unfortunately the most popular grey cardigan is sold out. The retails changes a lot at women’s wear section, still, Isabel Marant, CK underwear or Sandro give me good time to kill.

When time is about to return to Silja Serenade, we pass by Bibloteksgatan and find Marc by Marc Jacobs turn into an luxury mini outlet. Even though the selections of designers’ brands are quite thrilling, such as Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs, Isabel Marant or Cholé, still there is a weird, or so-called nostalgic melancholy, that less than 21 months the retailing market swiftly changes in Stockholm. Once my all time favourite Marc by Marc Jacobs is gone, chain coffee store Espresso House is spreading every corner of the city, more of foreign owners run the monotone souvenir shops in Gamla Stan. It is as if you revisit a newly met mate, you would like to reward the best moment, and suddenly realize the mate rapidly converts another personnel. Perhaps the mate is moving forward for her own best, but, for that short second you find it slightly lost, before you shake the hands with each other.

Special Thanks: PH 
FURTHER READING: ON THE ROAD: STOCKHOLM 48-HOUR TRIP 2015

Accessories Accede: Greek Gifts, Goody Goods!

Q&A after shopping at Aeroporto Di Atene, Greece

What’s your souvenir purchase routine?

I am always into local organic skin products while discovering a new region, while on the road, carrying around liquids, creams or lotions consumes extra efforts, therefore, I always save at the last minutes at the airport before departures, it’s easy going and duty free!

How do you discover new skin care products? Do you always do the trial test?

Before on the road, I would take references from some travel/beauty bloggers’ articles, then I visit the brands’ official websites and finalize my shopping list. While travelling, I do some trial tests at store and take some samples and flyers if possible, at the airport duty free, I have already known what I need, so I grab, I pay and then I am fully satisfied.

✔APIVITA, an organic skincare brand from Greece, its formulations include natural ingredients ranging from 85-100%, excluding the use of silicones, parabens, mineral oil, propylene glycol, polycyclic musks, nitromusks or phthalates. I love travel size since the rather smaller portion has no worries on expired dates, and the mini bottles always give me the feelings of on the road. Travel kit for Rejuvenation contains 75 ml jasmine shower gel, 75 ml moisturizing body milk, 75 ml shine & revitalizing citrus honey shampoo, 75 ml olive lavender cleanser face & eye, 30 g jasmine mini soap and 20 ml propolis & tea tree intimate area cleansing gel. Plus the plastic zip bag, 18 EUR at airport duty free!

✔APIVITA Hippophae TC &laurel Tonic shampoo helps strengthen and revitakize hair roots, and protect from external aggressors, also silicone free, 89% natural ingredients, 16,90 EUR at airport duty free.

✔APIVITA 8 ml grape and pomegranate facial masks are easy to tear and apply. 1,5 EUR for two!

✔Greece is one of the major producers of olive production in EU. At the neighbourhood of Acropolis, there are tons of souvenir stores selling olive soaps with either decorative magnet or devil eye. I chose the magnet with owls and Parthenon temples, 2 EUR each, perfect for the souvenir for myself and family.

✔MIA MATIA mini reading is all Greek to me. I used to collect fashion magazine in various languages as possible, unfortunately I find them difficult to restore after one-time browsing; consequently, hoarding mini versions of illustrated books or literature booklets is becoming my upgrade shopping fun while on the road.

✔Taking public transportation has been my favorite way to discover a new territory. 9 EUR for 5-day transit, Athens Metro tickets remains a rather vintage paper version, the design is clean cut and the colour reminding me the Aegean Sea, since the dates are indicated on the ticket so it’s one of the best non-reproduced souvenirs to keep.

✔FUJIFILM INSTAX MINI 25 is my outstanding tool to represent the memoir. Indeed it’s a bit extra heavier to carry around with me, still, I enjoy the every moment I find, I zoom and I shoot, and for the post-production, it’s highly fun to mix and match the photos with the cute stickers to enhance ‘that moments’ more appreciated. And hey, INSTAX MINI is the best way to practice the photography skills since there are limited functions to adjust while the shot is taken.

✔CHANEL Chevron caviar leather cardholder has the most amazing yellowish colour I have ever seen! As being a super fan, nearly the expert of SLG (small leather goods), in my opinion, Chanel cardholders has wider mouths to easily insert in and out of multiple amounts of ID/credit cards. The art of packaging of Chanel also outstands than any other French Houses as delicate sake.