Vacations are necessary, even if the destination is only 300 kilometers away. It's how people keep sane when they feel trapped at work or can't look at themselves because they hit the gym only once the whole week.

I'm sorry to admit I am that person but acceptance is the first step, right?

Oli and I took a trip out to Hamburg this weekend. Wandering around, I found what may be the Dean and Deluca equivalent (okay, more like the hipster daughter of Dean and Deluca). In case you don't know, Dean and Deluca is a pricey little gourmet food emporium in New York. You can get nice baked goods, coffee, cheeses, as well as plenty of food gifts to take home to your ma and pa. Mutterland is kind of like that, except with more kitsch and cute chalkboard drawings on the wall.







I'm kicking myself a bit for not grabbing one of the fisherman mugs on the bottom shelf. I have a soft spot for mugs and this would've made my morning green tea taste extra nautical.



After wandering around for a bit, Oli found a few bins with Pfeffi's and went completely bananas. Even a woman nearby overheard his excitement and they gabbed about the delicious Pfeffi mint candies of their childhood.



Oli said they are GDR candy and he didn't think it was being produced anymore. But lo and behold, a company in Leipzig seems to be bringing back the retro sweets! They're shaped like PEZ (now that's my childhood candy) but taste like a refreshing breath mint. I also grabbed the lemon flavor for good measure.

If you're ever in Hamburg and feel like grabbing a few foodie gifts for yourself or loved ones, make sure to check out Mutterland!

Mutterland GmbH
Ernst-Merck-Straße 9-11
20099 Hamburg

Mutterland in Hamburg

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Hello guys! Sorry I've been so inactive on the blog. I am well aware I missed the Share it Saturday last Saturday. I've been feeling rubbish lately because I have painful dry skin on my face right now. It's not a lot but it's around my mouth and it burns when I try to treat it with creams and oils. I guess I'll have to make a trip to the doctor but I'm lacking health insurance so I'm a bit blue right now.

Okay but enough sad news and onto some food pics from last week/this week:


I don't know if you know this but I am all about the curry. I don't care if it's a strange interpretation of curry. If it ends in "curry", chances are it can't be that bad. Here I made some curried rice with tofu, zucchini, and onions. Super simple and yummy.

Then last Friday, Oli invited his friends over for burgers and movie night.



The next day he made more with leftover ingredients, including a mini-B.


Oli loves fast food (pizza, burgers, fries, döner kebab, you name it) and I'm always telling him he's fattening me up. So as a joke, he made a big burger for himself and a tiny burger (sandwiched between two baguette pieces) for me! Haha, I laughed it was so cute.

Then today I met up with my friend Lara and we went to Transit Restaurant in Mitte.




I wasn't feeling too hungry so I got just one of their little plates (usually you get a bunch with people and share) and a "Against Cold" tea. The tea was yummy (ginger, lemon, and honey never fails), and the squid salad was also very good! It was a daily special so not sure if you can get it if you decide to go, but I've heard the papaya salad is also top notch. The prices are average for Berlin and the waitresses are all really dolled up too (not because they have to I think but they had full-on makeup and false eyelashes, which is quite rare to see in Berlin since everyone is so bare all the time). Anyway, I recommend it and I would go again for sure!
Finally, a small purchase at Primark.


I don't shop at Primark so often but for lounge things like this, I go crazy! I have a pair of pink slip-ons but since it's getting colder, I wanted something that would cover my ankles. These are perfect because of the cushion on the bottom and the fuzzy lining, plus I love anything flannel.
So that's about it for today. Hope you enjoyed reading and have a nice Wednesday!

Transit Restaurant and Primark Booties

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Hello party people, how are you today?

I'm catching up on America's Next Top Model Cycle 20. I don't watch every season but once in a while I tune into one and keep up with it. I'm not too crazy about the contestants on this cycle . . . as always there's a lot of unnecessary drama and people that get emotional way too easily. So in the case of this season, I don't really care who wins. I'm mainly in it for the fashion!

Speaking of fashion, I did take a trip out to Humana to see if anything could be added to my wardrobe. Humana is a huge thrift/second hand chain here in Berlin. There's usually one in every or most neighborhoods. The biggest one I know is at Frankfurter Tor so I took a train out to good ol' Friedrichshain to check out the selection.

Here is my morning snack!


Alpro is a company that produces plant based "dairy" products. This one is a blood orange flavored soy yogurt. They are really tasty and perfect as a snack.

I also pulled out the blue eyeshadow.

Thrift Shopping and Hefeklöße

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Hey guys, what's shakin'?

A few days ago, a question popped into my head: Are there Purikura machines in Berlin? For those of you who don't know, Purikura are sticker pictures that you can take, decorate, print, and swap with friends. I did a bit of research (this means I googled "Purikura in Berlin") and found out that J-Store in Charlottenburg had one!

Before heading down there, we sat down for a lovely meal.


I think due to the weather change, I've been making a lot more soup than normal. Also, an easy Caprese Sandwich! Remember to rub the insides with Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper. Makes it super tasty and Olive Oil is most beneficial when cold as opposed to heated.
I wanted to look cute for the photos so here is my outfit.


I got the hat at a fashion show I assisted (You can read up on that on my old fashion blog here)

Purikura in Berlin and Meal Snaps!

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When people visit Berlin, Mauer Park is always on their list of places to see, and for a good reason; Mauer Park has a famous Flea Market every Sunday. From special artisan goods to tofu burgers to old Polaroid cameras, this place has everything and a bag of chips. If you're not looking to buy anything, that works too--just sit on a stone step and listen to some ridiculous karaoke for a good chunk of your afternoon.

Oli and I realized that although we've separately gone to Mauer Park on several occasions, we never went together. So since his band practice was cancelled, we decided to go!

The Trip to Mauer Park

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Happy Belated New Years Everyone!

I know it's been a while since I posted. I've been going through a lot of stressful things, mainly with my living situation and employment. It's been so bad, and I feel awful that my dear friends from NY who came to stay with me in Berlin had to witness all the crazy. But what's done is done and it's time to move on. I know I'm going to be in a better situation soon, and I can't let negative energy bring me down!

Anyway, onto a few small updates.

1. The Most Recent Me
Here's me at Primark yesterday. I tried on two things, eventually not getting anything (the clothes I'm wearing here are all my own though). I like the idea of Primark, but alas, I never quite find items I'm willing to spend money on, because the quality is not where I'd like it to be. Cute things and maybe good for basics, but I think I'm more of a random thrift kind of girl.

2. The Most Recent Meal(s)
My Life in a Nutshell. Cakes, snacks, eggs, and salads. Oh, and if you're wondering what that brown mess is in that last pic, it's some warm Muesli (recipe coming up)

3. The Most Recent Trip
I went to Prague again, this time with my friends Kevin and Kyra from NY! It was a bit colder this time around because Winter was really showing his face, but somehow Prague seemed just as beautiful as ever. Here's a few snapshots of the wonderful city!

That's just a bit of how my New Year has been so far. How is everybody else's 2013 coming out?

Long Time, No Chat

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Berlin is an interesting place. The rent's cheap, the food's cheap (well, unless you're looking for some natural Peanut Butter or Baby Spinach . . . and don't get me started on pureed pumpkin), and apart from finding a job being incredibly hard for a good ole American lass like me, it's quite the knock-out place to be.

Take this picture (above) for example. I probably paid around $15 for all of this deliciousness (and there's meat too). Same goes for the items below:

Minus the Zimt (cinnamon) and jar of PB, it's all organic and cost me around $17.

One of my mother's first emails to me after I moved to Berlin was her worrying about my eating. My response were these two pictures, and a "Don't worry, I'm eating like a King!" She was convinced of course, because who would think I was starving after seeing that?

Thank you Berlin, for loving my stomach.

Food Haul ft. Berlin

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