saturday song

the xx feat. florence welsh, you've got the love.

oh, how i love this song. and oh the memories, they bring a smile to face every single time i hear this song. 

saturday song

maximo park, books from boxes.

my second family, aka my former flat share in cologne, is celebrating today. birthdays, a baby, someone leaving and someone coming … and it might just be the last celebration of this sort. so i will be there. i can't wait to surprise them.

london

i've enjoyed a wonderful week in london. off of work, visiting my parents, enjoying fall's sunny and rainy days and being in britain. it felt so good to sleep in and just live to the day. although i couldn't quite keep myself from checking my emails at least once a day. i am such an addict …
but i also got around to do some cultural program. we visited windsor castle, which was quite interesting actually, although i was disappointed that the queen wasn't there that sunday afternoon. and we also went to saatchi gallery to see some contemporary art. by the way it's amazing, in london most museums are admission free. i especially liked the installation by richard wilson, the paper installations and these children's portraits.

one afternoon my mom took me for a tea time date at the mansion. it was such great fun. you usually go to a hotel bar or parlor in the afternoon time. they ask to make a the tea choice from the menu and then you are served all sorts of goodies; sandwiches, chocolate, cake but always scones with clotted cream and marmalade. i love it.

 

i also had coffee with my cousins, went to see the commitments, did a little shopping and binged on some tv shows. did i already mention how much i love fall? i love fall. and i'm actually looking forward to winter.

sunday song

cat power, wonder wall.

a long weekend

last weekend was a long one, thanks to our national holiday on thursday. i completely indulged in a weekend on my own. i slept in and let one day go by with only reading my book, cooking, reading again ... i am back to another book by paul auster, moon palace, which my brother gave me on my wedding day. i love this book not only for the story being told, but also for the story my brother connected to it. his inscription says a book about life, new york and the search for happiness [...] oh!
i went to yoga class several times, strolled around the city and visited a couple of coffee shops i wanted to try (one and two) and a great bookstore in mitte, where i purchased an issue of kinfolk magazine. i was wanting to get one for a while now. the current topic 'the art of weekend' just got me. it's something that's been on my mind for a while. how can i get the most of my time off of work? bring things in balance even if the amount of time spent on work vs. the amount of time that is left to myself seems completely out of proportion ...
i guess the conclusion i've come upon for now is to find an answer to this each and every time there is a day off or an evening to spend or a weekend to hit the road ... or just the couch.

sunday song

florence and the machine, no light no light

we think alone

ever so often i stumble upon miranda july. i read her book no one belongs here more than you. twice actually. first in german a couple of years ago. and then i missed miranda's stories and felt like reading some more and asked for a book of her's for my birthday. my brother gave me this book and of course i read it, only realizing why the stories felt so familiar with the very last story.

and then there's learning to love you more. a collection of tasks to learn and find about the people and things around us. and about your self. it's sweet and it really makes you or well, me at least, want to be researcher and spend more time investigating. photograph a scar and write about it, record your own guided meditation, take a picture of strangers holding hands, give advice to yourself in the past, make an encouraging banner ... i think i love it so much because it has all these real stories in store for us. those of strangers and at the same time those that are our own.

i signed up to we think alone a couple of weeks ago. every week now i receive an email, or better a collection of ten emails dedicated to one topic. you get to peek into someone else's life, it feels special reading a personal thing like an email that's not meant for you. this week i received 'a sad email'. so emational, delicate and lovely. six more weeks to go. you can still sign up.