HAMBURG ON TOUR IN LONDON

Last weekend, the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane was made a lot more fun and colourful because..

I was there!

Haha but more importantly, I was there to attend Hamburg On Tour, which was in its second year running in London. Hamburg On Tour is a FREE festival showcasing local products from Hamburg including food, drinks, music.. and even a few Hamburgers loitering around.

(Wondering about Hamburgers and Hamburg? My last post explains it.)

It felt especially nice for me to be there after having visited Hamburg for the first time earlier in August! I felt like I knew everything about the city, although obviously I didn't.

But in my mind I felt proud for knowing, for example, that inflatable arm floats were invented in Hamburg.

STREET ART & SAILORS

I don't know how many exactly were flown in for the event, but there were a good number of big sailor figurines - a symbol of Hamburg as a port city and its maritime history - scattered around and outside the Truman Brewery, stretching out to Dray Walk too!

The sailors all had their own names - as seen on their hats! In the photo above I am flanked by Jan and Simon. They had extra-small hips and extra-large feet.

There was also a fun yellow mural specially commissioned to advertise the free festival, and signs on the ground to direct people to it.

HANGING OUT IN THE SUN

We were so so lucky with the weather! The sun shone bright and proud on both the Saturday and Sunday when the event took place. Either that or it simply loves Hamburg ;)

 The festival extended into a little open space at the back where people could lounge around or enjoy a game of foosball or VR cycling. I tried the cycling and it didn't work out well - the seat was too high/my legs were too short. Also, when it was my turn the sensor was misplaced so I ended up cycling sideways through the 'countryside' the whole way!

I also tried the free currywurst samples being given out at the bar and that worked out better.

FREE FOOD & THINGS

I think a lot of people were attracted by the free food being served at Hamburg On Tour. I was one of them.

They served three different 'main meal' options and there was also the most refreshingly delicious dessert of red fruits/jam in a cup topped with smooth vanilla cream. That was my favourite.

There was labskaus (second photo), which is a traditional dish from Hamburg consisting of a beetroot mash, pickles, onions, herring, and bits of beef. Oh and an egg. I loved everything about this dish except the herring, which was cooked! I think herring tastes better raw.

Around the venue there was also free coffee. This obviously attracted a lot of coffee addicts. I was not one of them. Coffee makes me feel sick. There were regular gin and beer tastings throughout the day, samples of high-quality chocolate, and.. organic tea/juices.

Since I also do not drink tea and am not a fan of chocolate, the gin was my favourite free thing to taste. It was very good gin!

There was also a cute Hamburg merchandise table, where you could take something home in exchange for a donation in an amount of your choice. 

LIVE MUSIC & THE BEATLES

Of COURSE, the festival had to have a Beatles feature. The Beatles having had their crucial beginnings in Hamburg was clearly something that the city was very proud of.

Stefanie Hempel has been running her infamous Beatles Tour in Hamburg for something like decades?? I can't remember exactly, but it must have been something like 17 years! A true Beatles enthusiast.

She entertained us with a few live performances of a variety of Beatles classics throughout the day. My favourite part was when they moved the couch out onto the street to sing for the crowds outside. 

So much fun!

^This was the best photo I got of Willy Man.. an over-enthusiastic stranger who kept jumping in to join the hip hop dance performance group (from Hamburg) doing their thing on the street!

 

HAMBURG ON TOUR IN COLOUR

Being able to experience the event with fellow blogger Janet Newenham made it all the more fun! I'd been wanting to meet her for a while and it was a lucky coincidence that we were covering the same event.

It was nice to see so many people so excited about one not-so-little city. I thought it was a great event that gave people a glimpse of Hamburg lifestyle.. and not just because of the free food.

I loved the art they put on the walls outside.. made using coloured tape!

If you're curious about what's fun in Hamburg.. click on the post below :)

Related Post

• Best Restaurants in Lahore For First-Time Visitors

*This post was created in collaboration with Hamburg On Tour

The post Hamburg On Tour in London 2018 appeared first on SMALLCRAZY.

The app I talk about is the new Ribena Doodle Your World app – it lets you add still or animated doodles (made out of fruits and other Ribena characters) to your photos or videos.

Did you grow up with Ribena? Because I did. Ribena was a big part of my childhood. I loved seeing those cartoon blackcurrants (happy purple round things) talking on TV. Our kitchen always had a big glass bottle of Ribena syrup. Mixed with water and ice, it was the best thing to have on a hot day. Since it is hot every day in Malaysia (where I grew up), it was the best drink to have every day.

I haven’t actually had any Ribena for a while and I’m so happy to see it reappear in my world again, this time in digital form/as an app. It brings back so many memories and I’ve had such a fun time creating these Ribenary photos.. which were, of course, taken in my two preferred green havens in Porto (on hot days, no less):

JARDIM BOTÂNICO / BOTANICAL GARDEN

The Botanical Garden is located just slightly out of the city centre and it is a little bit of paradise. It’s not huge. In fact it’s probably one of the smallest botanical gardens I’ve ever been to. But that’s great because I can see every part of it in a short time.

The way it’s laid out is on par with many other things in Portugal that don’t make sense. There are some random wild and unmanicured areas. Suddenly there is a big red house. Then a mini bamboo forest. Near some fallen tree trunks. Next to a beautiful row of hydrangeas. Somewhere there is what looks like a cactus farm. A giant hedge.

Like my Ribenary creations? Don’t worry – there’s more!

Here are some photos of the Botanical Garden taken last year:

Some of my friends were impressed that I dyed my hair to match the hydrangeas, but the truth is that I did not even know that those flowers were called hydrangeas before the photo was taken and I couldn’t care less about them.

I did, however, care to take advantage of the happy coincidence (by making Ricardo snap multiple of me and the hydrangeas in the same position).

I added the little Ribena rabbit there because its nose matches my hair.

Since Ricardo always looks so boring and me already fruity (inside and out), I decided to award him three Doodles and me none.

“What’s the time?”

RIBENA O’Clock

But alas! For Ribena O’Clock to occur in Portugal two conditions must be met:
– Availability of Ribena in stores
– A good understanding of the concept of time & timekeeping

Only one of these has any probability of happening.

^Top left: Tiles! / Top right: Flowers! / Bottom: Me with eyes closed, probably walking into banister.

There were a lot of bees around the yellow flowers. Ricardo hates bees. He either screams like a girl or shouts profanities at the poor bees. Therefore I really enjoyed us being around those yellow flowers.

Porto isn’t as green as London. You won’t be spoilt for choice when looking for a large grassy area to play or picnic in, that’s for sure. But it does have a few little gems, especially if you venture out a little. Which brings me to my next favourite:

PARQUE DE SÃO ROQUE

This park ROCKS.

There is an abandoned old yellow house decorated with peeling paint and faded tiles, to greet you when you first enter.

Do you like my exploding pineapple, funky pigeon, and grumpy fox (the one playing golf)?

As health & safety is less of an issue here, there are bit of building debris and shards of glass you can step on (and enjoy their crunchy sounds) if you go to the right spots around the house. Tip: one such spot is on the balcony by the stairs.

THIS PARK HAS A HEDGE MAZE.

This park has a hedge maze. That’s awesome!

It’s slightly short but still fun. I’m not so tall anyway. And if I wear my fox mask I’m as blind as not-a-bat-but-almost. That’s fun too!

The other parts of the park include some fairytale-like features and also open spaces for families or groups to have picnics etc.

Another bonus is the existence of stray cats on the grounds. Since I don’t have a cat of my own to touch, I resort to touching whatever cats I can find in the public domain.

PS I really like that I’m pointing at a GIANT FLAMINGO!

^My pink boat shoes are by Quvel

We were taking a series of ten photos of us. Ricardo got bored halfway and decided to pick up a loose tile to show me. I’m rolling my eyes under my sunglasses.

I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did creating it!

PARK INFO:

Jardim Botânico do Porto
Rua do Campo Alegre 1191
4150-173 Porto
Portugal
>> Map

Parque de São Roque
R. São Roque da Lameira 2040
4350-307 Porto
Portugal
>> Map

RIBENA APP:

Add colourful, animated characters and objects to your photos and videos using augmented reality!
Click here to download 🙂

This post has been supported by Ribena® but all thoughts and doodles are my own.
Images used in this post are not actual app production.

The post Two Green Spaces I Love in Porto appeared first on SMALLCRAZY.

Since I relocated to Portugal, I have been lazy. Or lazier.

It’s mostly because being here serves as downtime from travelling. When I was in London I’d suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out) as there were so many things happening – so much to be curious about and so much to.. eat! I’d end up exhausted a lot.. but happy and full, haha.

Here in Porto I’ve had the opportunity to really just be a slob. I’ve realised that I like staying in too! I mean, life is slow here. I get the opportunity to just BE. No big-city things to lure me out! I live a very relaxed home life.. on the sofa.

Luckily for me, I actually love the sofa in our apartment. It’s not the most trendy looking and it certainly wouldn’t be called  a quirky nor cool piece of furniture; in fact it’s not even colourful at all – it’s boring flat navy blue – but it’s comfy and home to many fond (and not-so-fond) memories of my time in Porto. The best one being..

IT’S WHERE I FELL IN LOVE WITH RICARDO

This may or may not be old news to you, but Ricardo and I met via trusty ol’ Tinder a couple of summers back when I was spending a month in Porto with my friend Emma. I came here a lot before I moved over (it’s really a lot more fun as a tourist).

Anyway, when we met he appeared with a big beard. I didn’t and don’t like beards. Hence, we stayed just-friends. And when I returned on my regular pilgrimage a few months later, Ricardo kindly offered me a place to stay in his apartment (now mine!!! 😆 ok ours..). Oh hey just realised that I spent my first night at this apartment on the aforementioned sofa!

Back to the story though. So we spent a nice few days together. Getting closer and stuff. We had wine. He made bland soup (why do Europeans like to blend their soup into baby food?). We sunbathed on the terrace. We went swimming at the beach in winter weather. He talked about bicycles a lot. I zoned out a lot.

On the day that I was leaving, the button on my pants (or trousers; whatever) fell off. As I retrieved it from the floor, I was mentally resigning to the fact that I would never wear those pants again. It was the end. The button was gone – what could I do?? What DOES one do with buttonless pants? Do not answer this question.

The next thing I knew, Ricardo, 21st-century domestic superhero, whips out his FULL SIZED SEWING KIT (the big plastic box kind with lots of multi-sized compartments containing a variety of sewing things) and saves my pants from a lifetime of uselessness in my Pile of Broken Clothes. He even picked out the matching thread colour.

It may sound like a menial task, but there sat a fully grown man on the sofa, repairing my pants with a needle and thread that came from his own cupboard. I watched over his shoulder like a child being impressed by some basic thing.

I mean.. he was a man who could sew (and cook)! Isn’t that rare in today’s society?? I thought so anyway. I couldn’t help but reach out to hug him in appreciation.. and affection. It was in that moment that I decided I would try to look past the beard.

Luckily for me, Ricardo shaved it off completely not long after and he has kept it off to this day. Phew! It’s really a lot easier for me to get close to someone without having to think about tackling a jungle of wiry hair.

I don’t have any photos of that special moment (I was too busy hugging). I have some other ones of us jazzing up our boring but beloved sofa. The sofa which has been the centrepiece of our home and relationship since I started living here more permanently  🙂

He’s so happy he’s found his playmate! That’s what I like to think..
Reality: I made him sit there and hold my plane.

We don’t own a TV (I haven’t owned one myself since 2011) and so we find other ways to entertain ourselves! I prefer that the primary purpose of sitting on the sofa not be to look at a screen.

You know what’s funny? I had the exact same sofa seven years ago at my flat in London when I lived with my ex-boyfriend (in a world with IKEA..). Except that sofa-time there was always hand-in-hand with TV-time. It was boring and terrible and frustrating.

The frame on the wall behind us displays a vintage map of Malaysia (just the peninsular area) – my home country. Around it is my travel hoop. It’s foldable. I don’t use it much. I just like to look at it. But sometimes I take it out, because it’s nice to look at with a different background.

If I had the rest of my toys and props and travel souvenirs brought over from my London emporium (read: self storage container).. that wall would be SUFFOCATED!

Not only can he sew – he can also cut perfect watermelon slices.

The sofa really is the only place we have in our living room to relax. We mostly sit there after lunch to enjoy an ice-cream or some fruit together. Sweet things taste sweeter when there is someone else ingesting the sweet things with you. They say it is the taste of love..  😯

Sometimes we cuddle and nap a little. Other times, we have deep conversations about life. Like about how chickens have sex and whether insects can close their eyes (no they can’t – they don’t have eyelids).

With blankets it is easy to hide the fact that no pants (like trousers, not knickers) are being worn

Sometimes we pretend to do work on our laptops. Mostly it is me pretending and Ricardo actually doing something productive. He’s a lot more motivated than I am.

Sometimes he makes me feel better by watching mindless YouTube videos out loud so that I am aware that he, too, is wasting time. Usually it is the sound of a Brazilian guy speaking very enthusiastically in a most irritating way about something mysterious, because my Portuguese is terrible.

Him: Have you pressed the shutter yet?
Me: Stay there and keep looking at me.

Sometimes, we fight. In fact, we fought on this sofa moments before this picture was taken. Something about not pressing the shutter quickly enough..

If we fight in the bedroom, one of us usually comes to the sofa for refuge. If that person is me, Ricardo likes to follow suit and try to get me to ‘talk about it’. But if that person is him, I usually prefer to enjoy my newfound peace and extra bed space.

Unless he appeases me with a foot massage..

Isn’t this what boyfriends are for?

In short: I love our sofa. It’s BIG and spacious and I love hanging out on it. I love hanging out on it most with a glass of wine and Ricardo on it. The sofa makes our home feel like home. 

If I had a cat it would be even better. But I’m not allowed to have a cat.. (travel problems!) so I have Chestnut – that smiley little brown thing in all the photos. He doesn’t need to be fed and he sits still for the camera.

What do you love about your sofa?

This post is in conjunction with DFS but all thoughts are my own.
Visit their website to find out more about their great range of DFS Sofas

The post Why I Love My Sofa (When I’m Not Travelling)! appeared first on SMALLCRAZY.

Jumper: Pull & Bear // Skirt: Zara

I visited Paris for the fourth time in December. My little sister, who was still under the legal drinking age in the US, was flying over to share a few bottles of wine with me. I was so excited. I hadn’t seen her for almost two years. We were meeting at Le Marais early on a Sunday morning. Except we got the dates wrong and she was only to arrive on Monday.

Meaning, I got on that EXTREMELY EARLY (6am) flight FOR NOTHING! I blame everything on my sister of course (no but really it was her fault).

I was in town by 9am. By this time, I was already feeling glad that I’d arranged my accommodation via Cobblestone Paris – I had the mobile number for David, who was my ‘personal English-speaking greeter’ (haha) and who was making a special effort to ensure I could access the apartment early. You know that feeling of being taken care of? When you can relax in the security that someone’s there just to make sure you get to your destination smoothly and safely? IT IS A VERY GOOD FEELING.

I passed (read:wasted) some time drinking expensive hot chocolate (I had just come from Portugal, so if it cost more than €2, it’s expensive) at a cafe across the street, which name I still giggle at when I say it in my mind (Cafe Le Spicy). I was SO GLAD when David came and rescued me – I was about to drop dead from sleep deprivation ..and watery hot chocolate.

One of those corner units on the left was where I stayed.

According to David, apartments with a wraparound corner balcony were highly sought after in Paris.

Once in the building, I ticked off a new life experience:
I rode in the tiniest lift in the world. It must’ve been something like 75x75cm! Amazing!!

The exhaustion I was feeling dissipated as soon as I stepped inside and saw just how beautiful the apartment was:

No, the flowers aren’t real, haha!

The living room had the high ceilings that I LOVE, and a generous helping of those tall French windows that I LOVE.

I WAS IN LOVE.

Chestnut, my pet fox, came to Paris too. It was his first time.

Charming chandelier.

Guidebooks galore.

More faux flora.

HIGH SPEED WIFI.

HEATERS IN ALL ROOMS.

Life was good!

Oh, the apartment also comes with a landline that you’re free to use make calls to any country in the world except one (was it Nicaragua? I forgot).

Even though David shared a good list of local recommendations with me, shamefully I barely remembered anything.. French names are really difficult to remember if you can’t visualise them!

I suppose I didn’t work my brain too hard because I knew that David was so communicative by text and I could ask him again at any time.. (which I did).

There was also comprehensive Apartment Guidebook with more than you’d need to know. This includes instructions for the dishwasher, laundry, etc, and most importantly, information about WHERE TO EAT.

It even has a page about Parisian social etiquette – Parisians are not RUDE. They are FORMAL. 😀

Looks like I was set for a great few days in Paris. No stress!

PATISSERIE STOHRER // RUE MONTORGUIEL

Rue Montorgueil – one of David’s ‘local recommendations’ – is a lively pedestrian street – one of Paris’ permanent market streets – occupied by a diverse selection of restaurants, patisseries, cafes, cheese & wine shops, fishmongers & butchers, and even a few bars and bistros. Only a short walk from our apartment, we wandered here on one of our lazy days.

The aim was to visit La Maison Stohrer, “La plus ancienne pâtisserie de Paris”.
Meaning.. ‘The oldest pastry shop in Paris”.

It was apparently so popular that even the Queen herself had made a visit – as you can see from the postcards on display, they’re not too modest to hide any evidence of this.

I was visually impressed by the savoury ‘cakes’ in the front window, with the crab shells and foie gras and smoked salmon, but couldn’t bring myself to sample any. I wanted something sweet. Plus, David raved about a certain rum cake that I absolutely must try, so it was that one item I walked out of the shop with. But stupidly, I didn’t eat it immediately and all the sticky rum juice later spilled out onto mine and my sister’s things. Lesson: Eat delicious things IMMEDIATELY.

Amazing jazz & swing band!

The best part was running into this swing band performing in a corner, made up of four old friends. I loved them so much I bought their CD! CD? Who still uses CDs?? Haha.

HÔTEL DE VILLE

Hôtel De Ville, home of the Paris City Hall, was also around the corner from the apartment. The square had turned into a vibrant meeting point during the holiday season, with a beautiful carousel and a number of street performers looking to bring some joy to adults and children alike (and then get their money).

I didn’t ride the carousel nor did I try to catch the bubbles – I think being in Paris made me feel like I had to be a bit more… FORMAL?!
So I just stood rigidly taking photos while my hands turned numb from the cold. I enjoyed it.

LE MOULIN ROUGE

This wasn’t anywhere near Le Marais but I had such a fun time that I wanted to share!

You may or may not already be familiar, but there is a huge drain cover opposite the Moulin Rouge building that creates a sort of vertical wind tunnel on the street (?? What do you call those things??). Loads of people were on it, mostly throwing their scarves in the air while their friends photographed them.

Lucky me, I had a skirt, and who knew it could be such fun to try to keep your skirt down in public? 😀

COBBLESTONE PARIS

Just can’t get enough of these windows..

I really couldn’t recommend Cobblestone enough if you’re looking for an apartment to rent in Paris and would prefer a stress-free, hassle-free experience. They’ve been in the business since 2004 – long before the age of Airbnb – and so they know what they’re doing. They currently offer 26 centrally located, beautifully furnished, fully serviced apartments that will definitely make you feel like you’re living the Parisian dream!

The apartment featured in this post is La Charme Du Marais.
If you use the code SMCRZY, you’ll get 10% off your booking 🙂

My favourite things about the apartment:

• Wraparound balcony
• Many many tall French windows with sash curtains – isn’t it also your dream to open the doors to look out at life from the terrace?
• Wifi with super fast internet speeds
• Complimentary bottle of wine and chocolate
• It was warm in winter

Not-so-favourite things (hey gotta keep it real):

• The pillows were rather hard
• Small bathroom

*My stay with Cobblestone Paris was complimentary. All opinions are my own and are always honest!

The post The Best Apartment in Paris! appeared first on SMALLCRAZY.

I also did not know that Lausanne had such delicious buildings with perfectly symmetrical and colourful shutters – that is so my jam.

LOOK AT THESE HAPPY GREEN SHUTTERS

The buildings sure looked like they were made of biscuits! And what about these peach flavoured window eyelids above..

I think I spent most of my time during the walking tour of the city taking multiple pictures of the same things – windows and walls. I was mostly distracted so admittedly I didn’t really digest (or listen to) a lot of the information shared by our guide Hilary (luckily this wasn’t like school and so I wasn’t told off), but I heard her mention that the people of Lausanne apparently have very lean and muscular legs since the city is built on a small mountain and there is a lot of uphill walking involved.

However, since it was not summer, there was a lack of visual aids to verify this fact and I started looking at people’s pants/whatever leg coverers they had on and imagining what might’ve been under the fabric. Yummy Swiss legs?

CAFÉ DE GRANCY

I didn’t eat any yummy Swiss legs.

Our first meal in Lausanne was at this restaurant, which was cosy and warm and there were famous people’s names etched into the back of the wooden chairs.

Top: Deer ravioli with mushrooms and truffle oil and parmesan // AMAZING. WENT TO HEAVEN.
Right: Beef tartare // AMAZING. DIED 2 TIMES.
Left: Some kind of local fish (name forgotten!) with mushrooms and a potato mash thingy // This was Mehreen’s lunch I just took a pic of it.

When you eat well you’re on track to having a fantastic day, so I was glad we started our weekend here!

SWISS CHOCOLATE..

Milk chocolate was invented in Switzerland. I did not know that. But now I do! Thanks to an afternoon at Chocolaterie Durig, who let us make our own animal-shaped chocolates as part of a small workshop.

Mine is that funny-looking thing on the right. It’s supposed to be a penguin. I got chocolate all over my hands.

We also got to taste SO MUCH (other, professionally/properly made) chocolate. There was chocolate infused with this and infused with that; by the end of it I really had consumed more chocolate than I had in the last year! I’m one of those weird people who isn’t in love with chocolate, but I did taste some nice things that day (some fancy dark chocolate infused with something fancy).

Anyhow, I gave my chocolates (including the penguin) away to my friends.

LAUSANNE MARKET

We managed to catch the market, which takes over the city’s pedestrian streets, on Saturday afternoon. It also takes place every Wednesday.

Markets are one of my favourite things to see (rather than museums or art galleries) in any new place I visit – there are so many delicious colours, sounds, and smells to take in. It’s really a sensory playground.

I did not make any purchases at Lausanne market. Lausanne is expensive! But luckily, smelling the smells and seeing the colours is free 🙂

LOOK AT THOSE SHROOMS. Jeanne bought some. She let me smell her mushrooms.

LAVAUX VINEYARDS

Just from reading the name, I was convinced that this was going to be a beautiful place. Well that and I also read that it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

I didn’t really quite equate Switzerland to vineyards or wine but it turns out they do have good vineyards and good wine.

Lavaux was the highlight of my weekend! Big thanks to our host David for not thinking ahead about how we’d get from our wine-tasting venue to the port where we had to catch a the ride back to Lausanne – and I mean that in the most UNsacrastic way. Weaving in and out of those rows of grape plants was so much fun, especially in a rush going downhill ..with the risk of missing some form of transport (I’m good at that)!

I must say that this was the most.. prosperous vineyards I have ever seen. Every plant was FULL of perfect-looking grapes, which I of course picked and ate (just a few..). They were happy grapes (juicy and sweet). If I had it my way I’d be carrying IKEA bags full of those grapes back to my house.

^Jeanne, Mehreen (I’m sorry your eyes were caught off-guard), and Mel

Boring news for you – we didn’t miss the boat!

THE UNMISSED BOAT RIDE

Lausanne is about a 20 minute cruise from Lavaux, on Lake Geneva. For the reverse journey we went by train.

Also, look at me trying to take a photo of myself using the app connected to my camera. Who knew trying to do that AND look at the camera at the same time would be so challenging? …

PINTE BESSON

I had THE BEST CHEESE FONDUE OF MY LIFE at this restaurant. This statement still stands regardless of the fact that my sample size is under ten.

It was melted cheese with cognac and mushrooms! Nobody could resist. The pots were WIPED CLEAN. The cheese was hot and bubbling and when you lifted your fork it stretched into long gooey lines – even the act of preparing the little blob of cheesy delight was a fun activity. IT WAS SO GOOD.

Oh yeah and Pinte Besson is the oldest restaurant in Lausanne, having opened in 1780. It has wonky walls and the ceiling looked uneven. That made me happy.

WHAT I WORE

Sweater – Zara | Leggings – Topshop | Boots – you’re not interested

Thanks Anouska for snapping these photos!

WHERE TO STAY

I saved the best part for last – The Royal Savoy Lausanne. It’s new (ish.. it opened in June 2015).

Everyone raved about THE BED. It was definitely one of the best beds I’ve slept in.. ever!

On the Saturday night we had all these plans to stay out and experience ‘the nightlife’, but at the end of dinner that evening I thought, “I can go out and party any time I want, but it’s not every day that I get to sleep in a five-star luxury hotel room”.

So that was that. No party. For anyone. We all went back to our snow white clouds and wished we didn’t have an early start on Sunday. I guess Mehreen wished it the most, because she woke up an hour late the next day! Haha

*Thank you to Lausanne Tourism for organising the experience. All thoughts are genuinely mine. Fortunately and unfortunately!

The post How to Spend a Weekend in Lausanne appeared first on SMALLCRAZY.

Because it is freakin’ hot and it’s a fully exposed walk from the carpark all the way to the viewpoint, with only one small shaded area (a little hut) towards the end.

Joyce and I borrowed the umbrella from our Airbnb host in Page. We did contemplate the idea for a good few minutes and it went something like:

“Hmm do we REALLY need it?”

“It’ll help so much not to be in the direct sunlight.. it’s 43 degrees out there”

“But then it’s mostly just a flat walk how hard can it be”

“But think of how much TORTUROUS it could be! Remember Angel’s Landing??”

“We might look stupid.. who hikes with an umbrella”

“Ok who cares if we look stupid”

In the end we thought it was better just to have it – after all the only thing we had to do was chuck it into our car.

When we arrived at the Horseshoe Bend parking lot, opened the doors and felt the weight of the hot air on our faces, we immediately knew that bringing the umbrella was A GOOD IDEA.

We took turns holding it. Turned out to be quite the arm workout in those temperatures.

Along the way we of course passed loads of other people, fully exposed to the sun and mostly sweating and dying.. looking at us with envy. Oh how they wished they had an umbrella! I can’t say that we didn’t feel just a BIT smug.

Looking back I don’t know how we would’ve survived without our umbrella. It totally saved us from a lot of suffering and allowed us to spend a bit more time dangling our legs over the edge and taking photos. The rocks were super rough, though, and made holes in the skin of our thighs/bums.

We later bumped into a park ranger, who eagerly came over to talk to us and stayed more than a couple of minutes, enjoying our umbrella shade. Haha!

There was a boat going by at one point, and we caught sight of tiny people looking like crawling insects down there.

We LOVED Horseshoe Bend. It was a spectacular view. It somehow reminded me of the Great Valley in one of my favourite childhood animated movies, ‘The Land Before Time‘. Definitely one of the highlights of our Arizona/Utah road trip.

So if you happen to go during the summer season – BRING AN UMBRELLA! You won’t regret it 😉

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Joyce and I had the opportunity to do a road trip through Utah and Arizona in June after attending Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas – and all we had to pay for was car hire (a convertible of course). We do lead such charmed lives; it all still seems surreal!

One of the highlights of the trip was our visit to Antelope Canyon during our stay in Page (I LOVED Page by the way), which I’d never really even heard about until I did some research on what to see in Arizona (although I knew I had seen pictures of it before). So of course I wasn’t aware that you had to choose between UPPER Antelope Canyon and LOWER Antelope Canyon, and argh it was so hard to decide..

I learnt that Upper was where the most dramatic photos are captured – these were the ones you would’ve seen on the web when searching for ‘Antelope Canyon’.. or in National Geographic magazines. But the downside was that because it’s so popular it’s always full of people. It’s also rather more expensive. Lower Antelope Canyon was less popular and slightly less accessible than Upper (only because you’d have to climb down some steep ladders to get down into the canyon at the beginning).

After some careful consideration, we decided on Lower because we had some grand plans for what kind of photos we wanted to take down there (you’ll see..) and we much preferred to have a bit more space instead of get stuck in a crowd. Plus the money we’ll save could go to more food 🙂

As of June 2015, when we visited, there seemed to be only two obviously visible operators running tours to Lower Antelope Canyon. We chose Ken’s Tours. There was no need to book even though it was peak season (another reason we preferred Lower to Upper).

It cost $28 per person including the mandatory Navajo Park Permit of $8. By the way, you’re not allowed to enter on your own, so you’d have to sign up for one of these guided tours.

We went for a 10.50am tour. If you’ve looked online, you’ll know that there’s a huge discussion/debate about what is the best time to go for the ‘best light’. We weren’t super fussed but I learnt that between 10am and 2pm is meant to be ‘ideal’, although the tour guides will tell you that it’s beautiful no matter what time of day it is (not untrue!).

We had about 20 or so people in our group, which to me was not small, so imagine what being at Upper Antelope Canyon would’ve been like! Anyway, once we descended into the ground, our eyes enjoyed a big feast. It was stunning..

Top: Mileti Swimwear | Sandals: Saltwater

Our guide, Buddy, explained how the canyons were formed and pointed out some interesting angles and perspectives for photography.

We tried to wear our animal masks (courtesy of Joyce) as often as we could.. possibly annoying some of the group but I’m pretty sure amusing most of them! We even flapped around and made chicken sounds. We thought.. everyone’s gonna have the SAME PICTURE, so why  not make ours a bit different?

I love our photos and I love the idea of us prancing around in rubber animal masks and floral headbands in a beautiful, well-known tourist attraction (not a novel situation though – examples here and here).

The tour lasted less than 1.5 hours from start to finish, which means we were in the canyon for about 45 minutes, I think. I do wish we could’ve stayed longer for more pictures, but there were always other tour groups coming up behind us and so our stops were time-limited. I did always feel hurried despite Buddy being super accommodating and patient with us (he really was great).

Overall, I LOVED Antelope Canyon and if you’re ever driving through Arizona and stopping by Page, definitely spare a couple of hours to visit.

More info about the tour here.

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Top – Bangkok | Skirt – Zara | Shoes – Topshop

Jumper – Bershka | Pink Dress – Monki | Trench – Banana Republic | Shoes – New Balance

Top – Malaysia | Skirt – Topshop | Cardi – Urban Outfitters | Backpack – Marc by Marc Jacobs

Pinafore Dress – Glamourous | Tee – Zara | Shoes – NB

Long Cardi – Cotton On | Tee – Zara | Shorts – F21 

Green Dress – Glamourous | Trench – Banana Republic 

Dress – Vintage (my mom’s) | Cardi – Next | Shoes – Converse

Dress – Zara | Jacket – Topshop | Shoes – Topshop

I just love this pic of Calan and I outside my Airbnb apartment at Venice Beach, so here it is:

You might have noticed some items repeating.. well, holiday wardrobe problems! Haha.
Our funky shades were bought on Venice Boardwalk that same day.. I LOVE BRIGHT NEON COLOURS as you know.. 🙂

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To end this post I’d like to share my favourite emerging trends as illustrated by Farfetch – the first one being my favourite as you’ll almost never see me in high heels these days. I LOVE my sneakers and flat shoes.. mostly because I never know where I’m gonna end up and I want to always be ready for a good dance!

*click to enlarge*

^I like the sound of these ‘mini bags’. I’m thinking I can get a few in fruit shapes and be a walking fruit salad.

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It didn’t rain! It (the weather forecast person) said it would but it didn’t.. for that reason alone I was happy.

Coat – ASOS // Circle Scarf – American Apparel // Vintage Leggings // Shoes – c/o Valentino

Do you like how I’ve matched my clothes to my shoes?

Haircut by Pimps & Pinups

These will be perfect for riding my skateboard in the summer!

And yes those are marks on my skin from when I was wearing socks earlier.. haha

It’s been so long since I published an outfit post full of.. myself.. that it almost feels strange.

And here’s me without the coat.

Jumper – Zara

Yellow jumper.. literally..

AN EVERYDAY IN LONDON

I realise that I almost never write about my everyday life in London – the more routine stuff that happens between my travels. So let me tell you about today!

But wait, LAST NIGHT! I had the most awesome dream.. magic! I was riding a motorbike at night with my sister cruising down a curved countryside road and then suddenly.. MARS was visible in the sky. A big, browny-orange ball in the sky. Then lots of other planets started appearing. Before long, I could see what seemed like the whole universe and a million stars above.. It was crazy! 

I have the luxury of waking up naturally i.e. without an alarm. I’m normally awake at about 8.30 or 9.00 in the morning. I LOVE sleeping with all the blinds/curtains open, do you?

After a bit of lazing around, I play a happy song (really, what else do I listen to?) on my iPod and I get up to dance. I continue dancing in the shower. Then I lounge around the flat naked.. To me it’s a huge joy to be able to take my leisurely time feeding myself and getting dressed and ready for the day.

This particular Monday I decided I wouldn’t go to the office. I ran some errands in West London. Made a stop back home in Central. Then back on the tube to East London. Traversing the city using public transport can be really tiring! I switched to walking , did some shopping, ate cookie and ice-cream, and eventually ended up back at home.

I’d had a long day so I relax by watching a couple of TED talks, catching up with Lumosity, and eating a whole bag of Jack Link’s Jalapeño beef jerky that I’d got from a friend. I then have a quick nap, die a little doing some chores, and get some work done on my laptop (as my job is flexible I get to work at my own time). On this particular night I haven’t got any social plans (phew!).

I also replaced my bedding with fresh stuff and added a top sheet (do you use one?), because the current love of my life, Ricardo, will be visiting 🙂

Now you must be like, “Yeah I prefer the travel stories..”

Yep, ME TOO!

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Sitting in a beautifully sunny garden in Milan right now.. and about to tell you a story about an afternoon spent in Bordeaux during one of the last days of 2013, in the winter!

My best friend from home, Joyce, had come to France spend the Christmas period with her partner Clem, whose family lives in Bordeaux. I joined in for one week.

^This is my favourite photo of the city that I’d taken during the trip.

Bright circle lights hanging over the streets illuminate the city at night.. it felt magical!

^The fleuve

Coat – Isabel Marant x H&M

Jumper – Vintage

Skirt & Bag – Topshop

Boots – Urban Outfitters

And I’m wearing a pink Buff on my head.. :p

I just liked the look of these naked, leafless trees. And then ME! In hindsight I should’ve worn something more along the lines of.. neon yellow.

^Me, Joyce, Clem.

It was SO GOOD to see these two again! It’s always a funny/fun/crazy time think it’s cos we’re all so mad..

We took one day out of the week that we spent together to go out and have a wander around Bordeaux. Started with lunch at some brasserie which name I sadly don’t remember – but it was nothing super special so I thought it unnecessary.. haha

^Joyce’s steak tartare

^Stuffed eggs and oysters

THE TREE BRANCH

So, after lunch, when we went out to where all the naked trees were…. I found this tree branch with bright orange leaves still attached, lying lonely on the ground. Naturally, I befriended it and invited it to join us on our city stroll.

I introduced it to Joyce. She was receptive.

Unfortunately, Clem refused to be friends with an inanimate object. I had to chase him down so many streets with the branch, pestering him.

“SAY HELLO to the branch!!!”

Clem said he was embarrassed to be seen with us.

Eventually, with a LOT of annoying behaviour by Joyce and I, Clem relented and ACTUALLY SAID HELLO TO MY TREE BRANCH!!! HA ha hahahha

I pushed it by trying to make him say more, but I think that was his limit.. but it’s ok, we got the whole thing on video.. 🙂

*******

It was a rather grey gloomy day that afternoon. But the sunshine was in US!

We went to a couple of beautiful toy stores and I bought myself a plush.. banana. What else, right?

Saw this cool art installation near the church:

At first I thought WOW what a cool tunnel thingy.. that’s somewhat like a ball..

We went inside and took some photos

BUT THEN AT NIGHT!

Isn’t it so cool! I hope to have something similar in my own garden. Umm someday.

^Joyce brought her Carebear out.

And here’s a little behind-the-scenes shot:

>

HAHA!

^I thought there was a certain beauty in the monotonous colour palette that was seen in Bordeaux that day. Quiet, peaceful, and a little bit mysterious! A perfect setting for someone like me to come prancing about with a brightly dressed tree branch..

And oh yeah, I also learnt that you can buy a model of Picasso’s nose. My favourite is the watermelon one – seen on the bottom row, far right.

I like the idea of having a colourful Picasso’s nose in my handbag or pocket. That way I can pull it out at random times.

“Hey, look what I have here, a NOSE”

It’s a good way to meet people, I think.

While I can’t say that I ‘fell in love’ with Bordeaux – like I do with many places I go to – I did have a lot more fun than I anticipated! The people were fairly friendly.. there was even a night when we ended up at some random dude’s flat to share a few drinks.. but that’s a story for another day.

The city itself was also more vibrant than I imagined. Admittedly I didn’t spend too much time exploring it since most of the week was spent with Clem in the suburbs with his family and friends.

Wanna go to Bordeaux? Check Monarch for cheap flights from London! They’ve got a concise little guide to the city too.. !

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