Little Things I Love About England...

...Primark. I think I am not supposed to admit that — you know with all the terribly cheap (child labor?), terribly made (fall apart in just days) clothes knocked-off of legitimate designers. But the thing is, there is a time and place for such things. Maybe? For a very long time now I have been obsessed with chunky heel, dark blue shoes: first it was these, then there was these — which I actually tried on last time I was in London, but even though they are so much less expensive than the Miu Mius, I still just couldn't bring myself to spend a couple hundred on a pair of six inch heels that, unlike Hanelli, I won't be able to wear on a daily basis...or ever, really. More recently, the idea of these fantasy shoes being done in velvet came into the picture, first with these and then with these. Yet again, Dries van Noten? I don't think so. And the Topshop pair, again cheaper, but these are boots made of velvet, not really a practical choice for wet New York winters. 

So it seemed my blue shoe dreams were just not going to come true. Until yesterday that is, when I popped into Primark to buy a cheap pair of gloves and a scarf (PS. I'm in England and it's cold) and okay, maybe take a quick look around, and there they were: chunky, blue, velvet and cheap. As much as I want to own quality well-made goods that will last a lifetime, they don't have to to be my six inch velvet heels (who can tell in velvet anyway?) that may only leave the apartment on my feet two or three times in their lifetime. 18 pounds (yup) is just fine for them, and I think I feel almost as excited...

And just for fun, and scale and to show how these shoes will probably be worn most of the time, here's the whole model shot of me in them in my pajamas. Look how tall I am! So any ideas where I can wear my new favorite shoes with proper clothes?

Little Things I Love (Miss) About Berlin...

...the living room bars. A friend who I lived with for a second in Berlin, who also lives in New York again, is coming over tonight and I've been trying to figure out of what we should do. This got me thinking about Berlin again and something I particularly miss about my old home. Both NYC and Berlin have more bars than one city could possibly need, but the atmosphere inside of these establishments couldn't be more different. American bars have, well, a bar, bar stools, and maybe some tables, a TV, and they usually smell like stale beer and other things depending on their level on the dive-y scale. Berlin bars are more like living rooms or old attics where your grandma is storing all her unwanted furniture from her living room. They are full of couches and ashtrays and old lady lamps, and you can sit in them for hours without really feeling like you are wasting away at a bar. And I certainly did a lot of that with my friend, and she doesn't even drink. The cozy hangouts serve coffee, tea and club mate (when is it coming to the States?) and it isn't weird if that is what you want — everyone isn't just there to get drunk and hit on each other. I do miss that. The pic above is from one of my favorites, Luzia, and here are some of the others I hung out in as well.

Little Things I Love...

...about my job: discovering things I would have never seen and will never have, like these amazing $985 Maison Martin Margiela booties. 

Farewell to a Puzzler...

Two things I love: little old ladies and the New York Magazine crossword puzzle. So when I read this article in appreciation of the adorable Maura Jacobson, who is retiring after 31 years as the NY mag puzzle writer, it melted my heart a little. She has been creating these amazing crosswords (which are the perfect level of challenging and fun) since before I was born. And in the past three-decades, until last year when she went down to every other week, she never missed a single issue. I am glad to be back on track myself of not missing a week of doing the crossword and hope Miss Jacobson's predecessor realizes the incredibly tough act she has to follow. I mean, look at that photo!

Little Things I Love About Berlin...

...Frischer Minztee. As the countdown to my European departure gets closer and closer I think it is time once again to start celebrating the Little Things I Love about Berlin. It wasn't until I came to Germany that I saw and tasted one of these yummy concoctions. Fresh mint, hot water and honey makes the most simple, delicious and refreshing tea I have ever had — and they serve it everywhere.

One of my favorite places to enjoy the steaming goodness is sitting on the dock at Badeschiff looking out at the water after an evening dip. Oh I am getting sad just writing this, well at least fresh mint tea is certainly something that is not too hard to recreate stateside, minus that pool in the river that is. 

Viking Biking and a Little Thing I Love About Paris

One of the things I love more than anything is riding my bike, and up until recently I have been doing just that to get to and from work every day. It is a bit of a ride, but it wakes me up in the morning, keeps me active and in shape, and makes me feel good about myself. But lately since the temps have dropped so low, I have lost a bit of my motivation. And with that has come guilt (especially with all the holiday eating), because there are certainly a lot of bikes still on the road, and in some of the coldest European countries people ride all year round. Do you see these pics from Copenhagen Cycle Chic? Viking biking is what they call it. Pretty amazing huh? Has definitely given me some motivation to ride to work tomorrow with the between -3°C and    -11°C weather. Eeek.

I know, I know, I should stop writing about exercising in winter. So how about this: speaking of biking, one of the little things I loved about Paris was seeing all the bicycles around, and I am not talking about those silver rent-a-bikes. Similar to the way Parisians dress (awwe-mazing), there seemed to be a bike chicness protocol that everyone adhered to. All the bikes I saw were vintage or vintage-inspired and black, no joke, never anything else. I loved seeing them all parked next to each other at the racks, waiting for their well-dressed owners to unlock them and ride off with a baguette in the basket... Here are a couple examples via the Sartorialist and Yanidel's Street Photography in Paris blog. Cute, right?

  

Spotted

Look who I just found over on Facehunter: my friend Mitchell, who also happens to be one of the little things I love about New York. Hmmm, maybe this is a sign that it is time to move back.... 

Little Things I Love About Berlin...

...watching Woody Allen movies. I know it's a bit weird to name films that usually take place in NYC as a good quality about Berlin. But I really never started watching the old ones until I moved here. My boyfriend has always had a thing for Woody (an obvious reason we should move to NYC one day) and I have certainly developed a thing for dressing like a certain Woody muse, so it was only a matter of time...

Watching them makes me feel so at peace, I know that sounds dramatic and strange, but somehow I find comfort in the so real stories and dialogue. I can watch them back to back to back, as I did last weekend. It's like I am hanging out with a bunch of stylish, quirky, intelligent and hilarious New Yorkers from a better time for a few hours — when in fact I am just laying in an old grandpa recliner in my sweatpants eating greasy street food. I love it. 


So far we have watched Annie Hall, Deconstructing Harry, Manhattan and Crimes and Misdemeanors, Whatever Works and Vicki Christina Barcelona (for the second time). My mom sent me a list of her favorite Woody Allen films, now it is your turn. I mean, I have to get through the dreaded German winter somehow. So what Woody films do you love?

Little Things I Love About New York...

....Wearing really tall shoes. Here I am with my friend Bryn (she is allowed to wear flats because she is from LA and very tall herself ;) wearing the vintage sandals (from Etsy) I wore all summer a couple years ago. Their five inches never made me stand out or look overdressed, in fact not wearing them was what made me feel out of place. 

But here in Berlin, if I hobbled into one of our bars in sky-high shoes, it wouldn't be me yapping in English, that made me seem like an outsider. Berlin is a lot more casual than NYC, which is refreshing at times, but I can't help but miss all those shoes getting dusty in my makeshift closet. It's not to say people aren't stylish here, but really, who wants to walk in heels on cobblestones? 

Little Things I Love About New York...

...Berlin has balconies, but NYC has stoops — and nothing beats a stoop. Timeless inventions those seats.

NEW YORK CITY — Hanging out on a stoop in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Summer 1967.

NEW YORK CITY — Sitting on a stoop in the East Village, Fall 1984.

NEW YORK CITY — Erin, Megan M and Becca taking a break on a stoop in the Lower East Side, Spring 2008.

NEW YORK CITY — Megan and Megan chilling on a stoop in the Lower East Side, Summer 2008.

Little Things I Love About Berlin...

...these little nooks in my fifth floor walk up apt.

Berlin Weekend Roundup (Little things I love)

Last week I told you that one of the little things I love about Berlin is that it stays light out so late—well I just discovered that the day begins much earlier too. On Friday night (Sat morning) Karsten and I found ourselves out a little later than we anticipated (but still not later than bar closing time in NYC) and our walk home was already completely in daylight. With the streets being empty-ish, I of course had to take advantage of the opportunity and stage a little photo shoot (bag and shoes both thrifted in Berlin) in front of all the Turkish wedding dress stores in my Neukölln neighborhood. There are tons of them around every corner—yet another little thing I love about Berlin. Aren't they amazing? Such tacky goodness. The rest of the weekend took a more relaxing tone with a lot of lounging and World Cup watching.

It all went something like this: Indian food, second half of Uruguay v. France outside, walk through the park, Club Mate (my new energy go-to drink), drinks on Skalitzer Straße with Anne, Konrad Tönz, Neukölln wedding inspiration, late night kebabs, sleeping in, name game, Kreuzberg flea market with Erin, talk with our new vendor friend Charlie, new impractical (but cool) bag, milchkaffee by the water, USA v. England downstairs, Weeds, Sunday house cleaning, Vietnamese salad, Germany v. Australia downstairs, celebration in the streets, long overdue phone conversation with Sarah. 

Little Things I Love About Berlin...

...It stays light out until 10 pm. This photo was taken on our balcony at a time in the evening when America would already be in the dark. I guess this makes up for those winters, maybe.

Also, the sun always begins to shine a little brighter at 6 o'clock for an hour or so. It's strange but so nice, and great for the few Berliners who have regular jobs to still get some day in after work.

Little Things I Love About Berlin...

...the lush green, the leaves outside my fifth story window, and the tree-lined street where I took my first German class with three Spaniards, two Aussies, a man from Italy and a girl from Poland.

Little Things I Love About Berlin...

The lakes. This city is surrounded by my favorite bodies of water. I can't wait to take a dip.

Photo from Flickr.

Little Things I Love About New York...

People watching on Bedford Ave. during those hot summer months, ideally with a Tasty Delight in hand. What I wouldn't give to be doing that right now. I don't know if there is a better place in the world to laugh at and be jealous of some serious hipster fashion. Williamsburg you will be missed.

Photo by Mr. Newton.

Little Things I Love About New York...

Mitchell.

He's so fab I can barely keep my eyes open.

Little Things I Love About New York...

Fort Greene the morning after a snowstorm. 

               

               

               

Took these photos walking back from a sleep-over at Sunny's this morning. It was surprisingly quite lovely to be out on the streets at such an early hour instead of going straight from my bed to my computer as I usually do.

Little Things I Love About New York

Flower stands in front of bodegas and the fragrant aroma that overpowers all other less sweet city smells as you walk past.

Photo from WhereDidUGetThat.