can you measure your bond with your country? {letters to each other}

my dearest natasha,

not living in the country i was born, i often ponder on what is it really that unites me with my country, with my nation, & in a wider perspective, how can i measure this bond?

well, the other day, i got my (or at least one possible) answer. i was invited by my sweet mother-in-law to join her for a ballet/modern dance performance; a kind of last minute invitation, where i knew nothing of what I was about to see & experience!

& then, a few minutes before the lights went off, i browsed the program, checked briefly the dance parts and skimmed down the list of the talented performers. & there he was… a greek-name-dancer… instantly i felt so proud & close to him, with the anxiety of getting ready to watch one of your good friends performing... & of course,  i wanted to stand up & say to everybody in the small theater: this is Stefanos, he comes from Greece!

Royal Theater of Copenhagen 2013. Dansk Danseteater. Love Songs. Choreographer: Tim Rushton. Photo: Bjarke Ørsted

Royal Theater of Copenhagen 2013. Dansk Danseteater. Love Songs. Choreographer: Tim Rushton. Photo: Bjarke Ørsted

Copenhagen Summer Dance 2016. Dansk Danseteater. Naked Feeling. Choreographer: Stefanos Bizas. Photo: Søren Meisner

{needless to say that the performance, "Don't Leave Me Alone", by the dansk danseteater was just breathtaking, like the ones you do not want to end!} 

what do you think? 

love, C.-

p.s.: you can read about the talented Stefanos Bizas here & you can read about the perfromance he choreographed here ! 

indulge in skiing fashion ~ Cordova

today winter olympic games 2018 opened, so we thought we should indulge in some delicious skiing fashion!

first stop, Cordova! their mission:

"at Cordova, we believe that life is about seeking paramount beauty and adventure. our craft is designing tailored ski and après ski apparel for women who boldly seek altitude, delight in the thrill of the descent and relish in mountain leisure without sacrificing style and glamour. our designs are reflections of the women who wear them - inspired, timeless, confident and alluring."

ballet beautiful

have you heard of Mary Helen Bowers?

she personally trained Natalie Portman for her Award winning role in Black Swan. Mary Helen joined the New York City Ballet at the age of 16. after spending 10 years dancing with NYCB, she founded Ballet Beautiful. if you are into ballet like me, you will fall in love with these Ballet Beautiful trainings. as I am not in New York, I can choose either the online Custom Workout subscription or the streaming videos. or, if you prefer something more traditional, you can always buy one of the DVDs.

take a look!

aren't you hooked yet?

cph fw aw 2018 ~ street style

..and here are our favourites:

all pictures courtesy of copenhagenfashionweek

a slightly different chicken soup

yesterday my husband woke up feeling a little bit under the weather... a small headache, a running nose & a sore throat were all there. i pulled up my sleeves & used all my magic tricks to help him have a quick recovery! orange & pomegranate juice for breakfast, vitamin C tablets, ginger tea with extra lemon & honey & a chicken soup for lunch.

i wasn't sure whether I wanted to cook the more or less traditional greek recipe... like this one:

so, I kept looking for an alternative one at my favourite's Greek TV-chef (Akis Petretzikis) amazing webpage. and, here is what I discovered:

{spicy chicken & cherry tomato soup}

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it was so easy to make & so delicious at the same time! needless to say that my mission was accomplished, as my husband feels so much better today!!!

“the book” series~ how difficult can it be?

well, a lot!

do you remember that me and sofia we are planning a book each? and actually i want to write just a children’s story… for which everybody recommends the 32 pages rule, which means, the book has to be all and all 32 pages. and actually if you are thinking of writing a picture book, which means that the pictures will tell parts of the story, then you actually need only 5 full pages of “manuscript” ~ ha, easy you will think, right?

no!

being very organized,i started with laying out my pages, and dividing the story i have in my head in 7 sections, and deciding what needs to happen in each section, and if each section takes 4 pages, then what needs to happen in each page, ~ ha, easy you will think, right?

2no!

cause having an idea of telling a story is much more high-level than actually writing the story! let me explain to you: having an idea for a story is like having an architecture drawing of your whole house; actually writing down the story, is deciding in exact centimeters on which wall of the bathroom the electricity plugs will be placed!!!

there are so many options, for each little part of my story: from the choice of characters (was it her mom or her aunt?), personality (gentle or outspoken), day-time (noon or afternoon), places (the park or the playground)…and this is only about the story!

think also about the audience.. is it for pre-school or kindergarden-ers? or maybe 7-year-old ones? all very close to each other, but yet so different in terms of what books they like! should the book be a funny one, or a meaningful one…

ahhh…so many questions in my head, so many decisions to make!

well, one thing is for sure! If you are one of those who thought that writing a book would be relaxing and you would to get away from all the every day decisions… well, start knitting!

speaking of books, check this amazing bookstore "El Ateneo Grand Splendid" in Barrio Norte neighborhood, in Buenos Aires, Argentina! the bookstore is built inside an almost 100 year old theater!

Image credits: Violinha

lethargic Sundays

is it just me or do we usually spend January weekends at home? the festive season is over & I feel that we all need some time to stay still & relax... not that many get-togethers, no drinks with friends, no late dinners... just cosy outfits, slippers, sitting comfortable on the sofa, watching series... & why not, trying face masks!

I spent a couple of days at the beginning of December is Seoul & couldn't help but notice the amazing, glowing skin of all the Korean girls around me. what is their secret? face masks!!! apparently, they use one per day, that's why you can easily get them in packages of 20. & they are so affordable!

{by Innis Free}

{by The Face Shop}

{by Tony Moly}

{by Skin Food}

and the color of the year is...

ultra violet {18-3838}

confused? well, you might have heard before that pantone decides every year "the color of the year". in their own words:

"the Color of the Year is one moment in time that provides strategic direction for the world of trend and design. In fact, Color of the Year is a culmination of the Pantone Color Institute’s year round work forecasting trends and developing color palettes for our clients."

and for 2018 the chosen color is:

and of course the color comes with each own relative description:

"The Pantone Color of the Year 2018, PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet, is a dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade. It communicates originality, ingenuity, and the visionary thinking we are seeking to create a meaningful direction for our future. Complex and contemplative, Ultra Violet suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now. The vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own.

Enigmatic purples have also long been symbolic of counterculture, unconventionality, and artistic brilliance. Musical icons Prince, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix brought shades of Ultra Violet to the forefront of western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality. Nuanced and full of emotion, the depth of PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet symbolizes experimentation and non-conformity, spurring individuals to imagine their unique mark on the world, and push boundaries through creative outlets.

Historically, there has been a mystical or spiritual quality attached to Ultra Violet. The color is often associated with mindfulness practices, which offer a higher ground to those seeking refuge from today’s over-stimulated world. The use of purple-toned lighting in meditation spaces and other gathering places energizes the communities that gather there and inspire connection."

and if you are sitting thinking... what was really the color for the year that just past, have a look on the most recent years {excitemelove's favorite: 2016!!}

just because it is unbelievably cute!

some people say it is the smallest hotel in the world, since it has literally only one room! that we cannot confirm, but we can assure you that it is one for the cutest hotels!

next time you are in copenhagen, just book a "hotel" to yourselves!

enjoy!

flashback to Christmas

Christmas was almost a month ago but it was only this morning that I found the time to start undecorating our apartment! I guess it's never too late, right? I always feel some kind of melancholy when the festive season is over, so, I try to delay the process of removing the Christmas ornaments as long as possible, but, this year I have to admit I overdid it!

while wrapping all this delicate stuff and putting it back to its boxes and up to the attic to be ready for next year, I spent a couple of minutes looking at the Christmas deco I bought this year. we somehow turned this into our family tradition; every year we buy something new that adds up to our Christmas collection. here is this year's "discovery"...

together with the Three Kings bearing gifts, I discovered Patience Brewster! what an amazing collection! all these unique figures.... I fell in love with the "12 days of Christmas" figures! I sing along while uploading the photos below...

{two turtle doves}

{six geese a laying}

{eight maids a milking}

{ten pipers piping}

{eleven ladies dancing}