Lately in black and white

Lately I haven't had any energy to do much more then to work, eat, sleep and repeat. It sounds quite sad (and maybe it is) but I have a few nice things to look forward to which makes it easier. First thing coming up is Paris – me and P are going there at the end of the month for a couple of days and I'm thrilled since I haven't been there in years. For those of you who doesn't know I lived there for a few months when I was in my early twenties, assisting different photographers. It's definitely one of my favorite cities. Second thing to look forward to is the start of my second ceramics course, and the third but equally great thing is happening in the end of October when two of my besties are coming to visit <3

Pictures from top to bottom: first one is me in backlight on our roof on a particularly sunny autumn day. Second is a sort of mood board thingie I got the other day, originally a trellis I painted black. Third is a rail of hooks we got to keep me from throwing all my clothes on the floor (yes, I'm a messy and terrible person). Forth and last is just me in a suit (my new favorite thing to wear). 

Breakfast, lunch, a secret, a car and a restaurant

Yesterday I woke up late before a breakfast of a little bit of this and that I found in the fridge. My stomach isn't back to normal just yet so I'm trying to eat healthy and plant based. Strawberries, blueberries, avocado, sugarsnaps, an egg and two small pieces of sourdough bread with cream cheese. After breakfast I took a long well deserved shower.

Around lunch I headed out to Black Cat, a very nice and unpretentious vegan café in our neighborhood. I had an avocado sandwich while working on something that's gonna happen later this week. Wish me luck on that cause I'll need it.

I spent a good few hours at Black Cat before going grocery shopping and heading back home to cook (seems like my days are mostly about food) for Peter. I made sea bass in foil parcels with veggies and a ginger basil sauce, but forgot to take any photos. After dinner we took a long walk in the rain and passed this cute car. 

We also walked passed this place that might not look it from the outside, but the inside looks amazing. Simple with great wooden floors, wooden tables and stools. Definitely trying this out soon, it's a Japanese restaurant called Uchi.

I'm off work today as well so I'll check in later. Happy Monday!

Acid

I hope you had a better weekend then mine. Parts of it were great, but most of the time I had the worst stomach cramps and heartburn. I get this thing where my stomach produce to much acid if I'm stressed – or if my body is stressed. Sometimes those two doesn't seem to relate to each another.

Anyway, Peter's best friend and his girlfriend were visiting from Sweden which was really fkn bad timing. They wanted to enjoy the weather and have maximum fun in the few days they were here and I couldn't even enjoy going out for dinner. And you know when you end up feeling bad, like it's your fault that you're sick. All you want to do is to be able to take care of your guests but you can't and you feel like shit. 

The picture above is from Thursday night on my way to meet them, before I knew what was ahead of me. Wearing my old sunnies from Monki.

Men not allowed beyond this point

Today started off with menstrual cramps from absolute hell. I dragged myself around the flat in my leopard sweatpants for a while, feeling so very sorry for myself. Then I got my shit together and took the overground to Hampstead Heath and ladies pond, aka heaven on earth. 

If you happen to be a woman and you're in London on a sunny day – go there. It was truly an amazing experience. Me and my friend Sannah swam for a good 15 minutes (with baby ducks!), before we had a topless picnic and talked about life and 100 things to do before you die, for hours. Excellent Sunday.

When we got our rings

Yesterday me and P were off work, fair enough since we're both working today. We woke up pretty hangover after The Strongrooms annual free bar event in Shoreditch the day before, but decided to go to pick up some clothes at my job. I got this almost fluorescent dress in a 60's fabric, probably sewn later then that though cause the stitching looks newer.

I also got this crazy race team t-shirt and (not pictured) a pair of Victoria Secret leopard printed sweatpants, a striped denim maxi dress, a pair of Wrangler's stonewashed mum jeans and an oversize sweater with "DARE" written all over the chest. I've decided to stop buying new things which in a weird way got me super inspired when it comes to shopping. Second hand is so much fun. 

After our little shopping spree we walked down to Ivy's for sandwiches and coffee and Sanpellegrino blood orange.

After lunch we took the bus down to Haggerston and Charlotte Day at Ivy Nixon to get our rings that finally was ready for pickup! I truly recommend her for any jewellery, especially bespoke. 

Look at this ring perfection! We wanted something minimal and modern and I think she captured that pretty spot on. They're identical in everything except size which apparently is pretty unusual.

Then we walked home by the canal. Someone's been putting these massive but truly great posters up around Hackney lately, making ordinary walls unexpectedly beautiful.

Love this.

Then we walked through London Fields where the poppies were in bloom.

And passed Hackney Town Hall where there was confetti on the ground from a previous wedding.

From 8 am to 8 pm a Sunday in July

8 am. I wake up but stay in bed, reading. Peter is snoring like a baby beside me and I admire the color combination of our bed linen.

I'm currently reading a thriller called 'Sharp objects' (or 'Vassa föremål', cause it's in Swedish) by Gillian Flynn. So far I don't like it very much, but it might just be the translation that annoys me.

9 am. By now Peter's awake and in a hurry for work. We're having breakfast that might not look it, but tastes good – ginger juice, lemon tea, mango yoghurt and vegan ham sandwich.

While P is all stressed I'm taking my time, enjoying my day off.

10 am. After breakfast I'm doing my weekly face cleaning routine – cleanse, scrub, mask. When the mask is drying up I do the dishes which hasn't been done for a couple of days. I really hate doing dishes and can't wait to have a dishwasher one day. 

11 am. I take a shower and get dressed. I rarely wear makeup on days off since I always wear makeup to work. It feels nice to let the face breath now and then, especially if you've got skin as mine that's always been a bit of struggle (oily one day, dry the other and super sensitive in between).

Then I cut off the seam on my Levi's jeans, never getting bored of the raw edges look apparently.

12 am. I'm taking the bus to Dalston junction to change for another bus to take me elsewhere. Wearing my newly cutoff jeans, a white linen shirt from Gina Tricot, old Birkenstock's and a straw bag from Beyond Retro.

When I jump off the bus this is what I see. But no, I'm not spending my Sunday in St Pauls Cathedral.

1 pm. I'm getting hungry and decide to have lunch on my own at Pain de Quotidien. Pea and feta frittata.

2 pm. After lunch I walk over the Millenium bridge to Tate Modern.

My plan to see both the Mona Hatoum and the Georgia O'Keefe exhibitions fails when the price is around £15 for each exhibition and there is no combined tickets.

I decide to go for the Mona Hatoum exhibition since all the tourists seem to be there for O'Keefe. Plus Hatoum is much cooler. I manage to snap some photos before an angry guard tells me not to. 

3 pm. I've seen the whole exhibition and found my favorite piece – this photograph called "Van Gogh's back".

4 pm. On my way home I do some grocery shopping since all the shops close at 5 on Sundays. I treat myself to some sunflowers and realize this is the second reference to Van Gogh today. 

5 pm. I have a Pimm's while pinning things to my Pinterest and waiting for P to come home from work.

6 pm. I start preparing dinner. We have this rule that the person that's home from work first (or if you're off work) is the one who cooks. So this day it's my turn and I decide on prawn tacos with a nectarine and avocado salsa.

7 pm. Dinner's ready ---> time to eat.

8 pm. On Sundays P works at this coffee slash bike shop and once in a while he brings home leftovers like raspberry and apple tarts. 

Now I'm so full I struggle to move. I guess I'll spend the rest of this day watching reruns of Girls in bed and making plans for the upcoming week. How else would you spend a Sunday night, really?

Hello from the rooftop

This morning I had my coffee on our roof again. I love the cool morning air in contrast to the  already burning sun and that the traffic and the people on the street below still feel a bit drowsy. 

The tree that's much taller then our roof (and we live on third floor) is unbelievably green and lush at the moment. 

Which you can't say about my largest plant who got a last chance on the roof. And didn't take it.

Sun still so low it's casting long shadows. 

Now I'm off to work, looking forward to my day off tomorrow and hope the weather stays the same. 

As you might have noticed I'm trying out this blogging with my phone thing now. How do you like it? For me it feels like a newfound freedom but I'm still not sure about the picture quality. Anyway, have a nice day ppl!

Mojito ice pops

This Saturdays mission was to find some picnic chairs or deck chairs for out roof, but after walking around to all possible shops in Hackney and Dalston we gave up and went to Hackney Downs Studio's market and had beers and strawberry mojito ice pops. Also, Peter was gonna learn me how to skate but I happened to be an impossible case. Two fails but still a great day since London was boiling and we all felt; finally the summer has arrived!

South London adventures

Yesterday both me and P were off work and since it's very unusual that we're off the same day we decided to get our lazy asses out of bed and actually do something. So we took the overground down south to Forest Hill.

I'm one of those people that gets all horrible when hungry so first we went for some second breakfast at a place called Canvas & Cream. 

Fresh orange juice, flat whites and (not pictured) eggs royale.

When I was full of salmon, sour dough and hollandaise we walked up the hill to Horniman museum and gardens.

Waving his lil' hand bag. Sorry, man bag.

One of a thousand close ups on pretty flowers. 

When the clouds got darker we went indoors to look at the Natural History collection.

Hi guys!

Still laughing at this one. 

Posing in my Beyonce sweater.

Then we took the train back to Dalston, bought some over priced groceries at Harvest and walked home again. And then we spent the rest of the evening by the kitchen table with one computer each and cold glasses of wine. Aka how to spend a Wednesday off in London.