Fashion inspiration from Ted Baker

It is not very easy to find high-end quality British fashion in Berlin. There are many local labels, and the sport and casual trends abund, but sometimes I am more interested to find some extraordinary outfits whose main quality is the modest appearance, and the quality and stylish adornments.

Ted Baker is one of my favourite brands in this respect. Although I can find everything I want online and order it to my Berlin apartment, there is a certain feeling of the texture and a visual encounter that I always miss when it comes to online shopping for clothes or shoes. At the KaDeWe store in the Western side of Berlin, there is a Ted Baker store, where I was able to browse the latest collections and find inspiration for my next black dress. 

The combination between beautiful big butterflies around the collar makes the dress an elegant and stylish outfit, without being too sophisticated. With a long sleeves t-shirt or silk shirt, light blue, it makes a perfect match for the coming holidays. It is elegant all round the day and can be embelished with some simple pearl earrings or bracelet. A big black bag can be also purchased from the same store, so no need to go too far away. It goes with flats or high heels, depends of the mood and the time of the day. For me, it is that kind of dress that you insist to wear it again and again because it is comfy, elegant and makes an elegant statement about yourself.

Rosenthal beauty

I grew up with Rosenthal porcelain ware that decorated our family table for various occasions, but somehow, as a teenager, I resented something I used to call outrageous luxury. However, as a fully grown up woman, I returned to the old memories and cherished there with more respect than I used to as a confused teen. 

Thus, I adopted many of my family household customs, especially of using special glassware for various occasions. The Berlin Rosenthal store, that I visit regularly to check for inspiration, succeedes every time to brought childhood memories back to life. And to give me some new ideas too. How may refuse a travel-themed table service? Not the traveler me, anyway?

The Ku'damm store presents various temporary exhibitions with works produced for the company by various ceramic and porcelain artists from Germany and abroad. 

Besides modernist bold designs, there is always something simple left in the collections. For instance, the nature-inspired patterns which I particularly love at a serious cuppa.

The Ku'damm store is designed with taste and reflects at a great extent the over 125 years of tradition of the company, the market leader in Germany in the segment of glass-ceramics.

Simplicity of lines of materials are often the result of hard work and long experiments in order to achieve the perfect shapes and finest compositions of materials.

 Rosenthal is part of the eating and living experience of many European families nowadays.

The colourful touch of some new items on the market reflects the need to catch up with the times, while keeping the highest standards. Just think how many middle-class women used to have Rosenthal part of their dowry and you will understand the relevance of this brand for the everyday life in Europe.

The headquarters are based in Selb, close to the Czech border, but have stores in big cities across the world and Germany, uch as Munich or New York.

From pieces of furniture to fine dishwares, some of them produced for high-end brands such as Versace, Rosenthal remains a European brand whose history is part of our histories as Europeans as well. 

Flowers delivery for Berliners

My friends love flowers and many of them receive regularly beautiful bouquets every week, from as far as from Austria. But it seems that in the last two years, flowers delivery services entered the Berlin and German market in general too. For instance, Bloomon, who operates for around 2 years already.

I discovered the company during the tour of the Home and Garden show the last week. Before asking them what they are doing, the beautiful appearance of the bouquet, natural, seasonal flowers, caught my eyes. Those beautiful bouquets can be delivered at home once or regularly, accompanied with the bowls. The prices for flowers start from 23 EUR.

The website - in German - is very well done, with a lot of information about how to order. You need to choose the size of the bouquet, the delivery, indicate the address and pay. The rest is the duty of the company. It seems very simple.

If your language skills do not help, you can understand a lot just watching the graphic images. As for now, the company operates also in other big German cities, such as Hamburg and Düsseldorf.

Interior design inspiration in Berlin: dopo_domani_due

The second store in Berlin of Dopo Domani Minotti brand, situated on Kantstrasse 147, it gathers in a relatively small space many stylish pieces of furniture, from long lunch wooden tables to embroided cushions and retro vases or picknick boxes. 

The colour of the season is pastel, with sweet matches of furniture and home decorations creating the feeling of relaxation and well-being. Plate mirrors on the wall amplifies the space and bring more light into the space. If you are looking for some small items to change the home ambiance, here may be the best place to start your research.

The furniture is simple, with modern shapes that suits both the small or the big spaces. The distinction is given by the poteries and different colourful decorations. One single item can be enough to positively change your space.

Golden or metallic details in general give a note of elegance and strength, to balance the raw fragility of the wood. The furniture is generally not pretentious and takes a minimal space. 

Some home accessories have very interesting, mechanical details, very avangardistic.

The lightning solutions are not very spectacular, but suited to the modern rooms, not always big. If the play with lights is done smartly, the result is a completely different space feeling.

The prices are accessible to medium, from around 40 Eur. for some ceramics and more than 1,000 Euro for tables or bigger pieces of furniture.

Glassware is especially distinguished, in a style that reminds the products made in the Czech Republic.

The customer service is almost non-existent, the kind of store where you are left on your own for 10 minutes or more and no one really notice you. Some new products have been delivered in big carton boxes and were spread near the shop so this can be a good excuse for the lack of attention for customers. Maybe.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed the store and I left with a good and fresh feeling. Call it healthy colours therapy...

5 shopping ideas for your bathroom from Butlers

In the hurry to take care of the other rooms of the house, the baby's room especially, it seems I forget that the bathroom needs some attention and some design touch too. Maybe it is too small for our needs now and needs a completely redesign. Getting ready for the moment when we will finally enjoy the pleasure of the bathroom of our dreams, I did some ideas hunting at the Butlers store in Friedrichstrasse, Berlin and went out with some nice and affordable inspiration.

Baskets for laundry - These items were supposed for kitchen, but with a bit of humour, you can use them for bathroom too. They are available in different sizes - 31x37x21, 27x34x20, 35x42x23 cm - and prices - 9.95 EUR, 7.95 EUR, 12.95 EUR. I loved the colour combination, that brings creativity in any corner of the house they are placed.

White towels - There are never enough towels, especially when the guests season just started. These ones are big - 50x100 cm - and the flowers adornments gives a touch of elegance. Available for 6.95 EUR.

Bath carpet - Maybe the colour is not as joyous, but it is very practical if you love to jump out of the shower on some warm carpet. It is big enough to cover a big area where you can leave some of your clothes too. Available for 14.95 EUR.

Bath inserts - are just cool. 100% rubber, you fix it on your bath and put your tired feet on it. Available in different colours, it helps you to relax after a crazy day of running around the city. The price is 12.95.

Shower curtains. I undersestimated the role of the shower curtain until mine got broken. Until everything was fixed, I 'enjoyed' the water going out on the floor and the humidity and unpleasant view of pools of water all over the place. Available in beige and white - I suggest beige, just in case you want to have one of the baskets - of 220 cm, it is machine lavable, water repellent, with rings to fix and weighted hem. The purchase price - 25 EUR. 

What about you, what are your must-have for your bathroom?

5 Street Outfits from Forever 21

Forget that some ugly weather forecasts were telling something of a high probability of snow in Berlin. Forget also about given age or some shyness that if you enter the Forever 21 shop, for instance, everyone will look with strange eyes as you are far beyond the 21 thing. It is just a matter of prejudice and this blog does not care about such wrong attitudes. While waiting for the real summer and many outdoor activities, I hunted five street outfits from Forever 21.

Spring blouse - 24 EUR. It gives you a hippy free air. It goes with everything, from skirts to denim, Converse or boots. Boots because it is fancy not because you have to, ok...?

Indian fringe jacket - 63 EUR. Discover your hidden Indian soul with this light jacket. I will match it with a long flowery skirt or some middle denim. Suits very well the cold springs or the Indian summer. Why not a cowboy hat too?

Green long sleeve shirt - 28 EUR. For the long hikings when you still want to feel in a good fashion shape, this military influenced shirt is a match. The number of combintions it goes with is impressive so you just need to add it to the wardrobe and start thinking. You can also wear it in any season so it is a long-term investment too.

Black bag - 29 EUR. I have a steady and deep relationship with my bags. They have to be comfy, easy to wear and with enough space for a purse, big book, makeup necessities etc. etc. This bag is almost close to my bag soulmate, except that maybe the handle is too short. It goes with various outfits and suits different occasions and moments of the day.

Cotton black dress - 24 EUR. Wear it for a beach walk in the evening, or for visitig the local weekly market. Or for some casual garden reading. It is very simple and can get more life thanks to some colourful accessorizes. Comfy sport shoes and a denim jacket will make you feel like Forever 21. 

5 top items on your shopping list from Rituals

With more time spending at home that I used to after the birth of the baby, I focused more than usually in the last months on creating a special family ambiance. A couple of days ago, I went to Rituals for a short overview and left with five purchases. 

Honey touch - 15.50 EUR. A combination between Himalaya salt and Indian rose, it brings a velvet skin and the perfect balance between body and soul.

Ginkgo's Secret - 10 EUR. Just because I cannot resist a hand cream. For my tired and water affected hands, the ginko and ginseng mixture is the right answer. It is recommended as a night treatment.

Sweet sunrise - prices my differ...around 18 EUR. I live i an old house and especially when I cannot keep the window open for too long I need various air refreshners. Sweet sunrise bring the smell of fresh sweet oranges into small and big spaces. It lasts for around 2 weeks and fill-ups are also available.

Happy mist perfume - 16.50 EUR. The novelty of this perfume is that it is designed both for the body and the bed. It has a fresh smell, with flowers essences, alcohol-free and suits sensitive skin. 

Elixir d'Orient - The prices may differ, but goes around 20 EUR. A beautiful combination of Oriental essences, among which the Persian pepper is giving the personality of this very special and obsessive perfume. It is recommended especially for the late evenings and matching a velvet black or purple dress. The rest is just a work of imagination...

5 casual outfits from H&M

With the real summer and the warm season about to start, more and more outfits are needed. For me, as a very - maybe too - active mom, having a diverse wardrobe ready to change and match for different occasions, is a priority. As pregnancy and birth did not changed too much my size, I feel free to use old stuff, but it is never enough and new items are more than welcomed. The everyday look is always easy to adapt and change and right now it is the right moment for an update.

During my latest trip to a H&M store in Berlin, my eyes and purse were caught up by these 5 casual outfits:

Flower midi blouse, available for 14.99 EUR. In the picture there is the XS size features, but all other size options are available. The predominant dark colours makes it less joyous, but if you match it with a yellow or pink or light blue skirt, you can obtain some blooming colours effect.

Scarfs, scarfs, scarfs - on sale! Prices between 3-10 EUR. I never have enough of scarfs and my collection is updated permanently. These ones are good for any occasion, part of the day or season, as a scarf or head covering. 

Square shirt with long sleeves, 24.99 EUR. I am not too much into working-casual, western style, but this shirt is made of quality material and gives you a youngish, school-girl like took. 

For keeping up with the sport style, this long sleeve midi T-shirt is made of a very thin material. Avaiable for 9.99 is also produced in the XS version. It goes well in the late spring or mid-summer, accompanied by some gray shoes or some denim skirt.

In case you are looking for a bit of casual sophistication, this red skirt, with the cotton lace and the different sizes of layers is my recommendation. Available for 14.99 EUR - sales season, it can be the piece of resistance of an outfit which also includes denim skirt, white or blue or black skirt. A skirt with some flower imprint is a good idea too. 

What about you, what are your spring casual outfits?

6 Products to spoil your baby from BabyKorb Berlin

I become a big fan of the BabyKorb store after the baby was born, and not only because it is situated very close from me and when passing-by I just stop frequently by for some inspiration. In fact, love the quality of the products and some well designed corners, although the prices are mostly high-end. It is also a one-stop store, where you can find everything you need for your baby, from small milk bottles to beds and prams, which will save you a lot of precious time. 

The customer service is also careful with many employees roaming around and ready to help.

As yesterday I visited again this cave of treasures, I selected up 6 gorgeous categories of products that would recommend to check on the friendly payment counter.

Toys from Sterntaler - This over 6-decade old German brand offers a large range of baby toys, stuffed animals, some of them singing or to be used as puppets. As usual in the case of the German toys, they always teach you some new skill, which I find a good idea. The prices range from 12.99 to 16-17 EUR.

Sleeping bags - A must-have item in the first year of baby life, considered important in preventing SIDS, but also that gives a chance of keeping the baby covered well during the night, especially when she reached the age of moving over and over around the bed. The choice is very high end, with elegant shapes and materials, for summer - fine white mouseline from Nouk for 45.99 EUR - and autumn or winter. Prices vary highly from 16.99 half-body from Belly Button, to 59.99 EUR. Basic Jersey, or 69.99 Anni cool.

Honolulu outfits from Dutch company BabyFace - I am in love with the boyish design and the quality cotton used, exactly the kind that suits my adventurer little boy. The prices are affordable too: 12.99, 17.99 EUR.

Design clothing from KANZ - These are the kind of products for environmental concerned parents. In addition to the joyful design, the products have been tested for harmful substances too. Their collection looks very cute for the summer, with prices around 24 EUR.

Heimess wooden toys - Just another serious German company selling educative wooden toys. Nice and safe colours, attractive shapes made to develop the intelligence and the spirit of observation. In the case of many, the quality was tested and certified by specialized German institutions. Affordable prices too, between 5-7 Euro.

Music boxes by the French creative minds from DJECO - My baby loves music and we purchased a couple of musical toys. These music boxes are not considered toys, which I agree as they should be rather included in the category of small pieces of art. Cute and delicate figures rolling over and over again, available for just 19 EUR.

Bags with personality from Sonia Rykiel

I love very much Sonia Rykiel, especially her elegant dresses. I have yet to check the children collection and some of the accessories, but there are not too many options in Berlin after the Ku'damm shop was closed couple of years back. As it is always something new to explore by this interesting fashion designer, this time, I had a look at the latest bags models. Most of them suit the busy yet chic modern woman, that needs a big but well organised space to carry her things. Business woman or reporter - there is a special reporter bag suited to carry a small notebook and recording machine - you have to respect yourself and send a clear statement to the men's world.

Most of the bags are made of fine leather, except some denim bags, that were not available at the store I visited. The straps and sequins one, not available either, suit the special evening after-work outings, but most bags are well suited for any moment of the day. I particularly loved the mustard yellow ones because of the strong statement of independence.

The small eyelets tote bag is probably the kind of bag I am usually carrying, with enough space for a book, notebook, pen, big ID holder and some  items for the kiddo too. Although available in red too, my favourite is black because it suits any outfit or season. 

The prices are high, starting from around 350 Euro. 

The bags are available at the bags section, ground level inside Galeries Lafayette, Berlin.