November 27, 2013

Finding Focus


With this post I'm going to say Thank You so far and Good-Bye for a two-week break from blogging and surfing through the world wide web. This is the time of year that I really have to focus on my studies at college since exams are coming up :) So, I'll be back around the 10th Dec. and be sure to check back then ;) There is so much more to come, cannot wait to play with the keys again and let my mind flourish.

In the meantime: read and dream a bit with Dreams by OFF Color, it's such a nice magazine full of dreamers, believers and thinkers ♥

So how do we find focus?
Take a step back. Back away from the browser and the phone, and give yourself a moment’s space to think.
What do you really want to do right now? What’s most important? What kind of person do you want to be?
Maybe you have 5 things you want to do. Pick one. Subtract.

Read on here if you want to find focus by Zenhabits.

See you guys back in December ♥

Love, Minh

Birthday Weekend ♥

Just wanted to give you guys a small impression of my birthday weekend :) Everything started on saturday when I was preparing for family and some friends, I've baked a bunch of cookies and also tried myself at baking a Vegan Banana Chocolate Cake - post is coming up ;-). Then, I've had a lovely dinner with the family and received some mail from England and Berlin :) Sunday morning, I met up with other friends for a nice breakfast with delicious food and got loads of tea for winter and study time ♥ Once again: Thank you so so much for all lovely wishes, words, gifts and time you've spent with me. Friends, You are the best :) xoxo 

And wuuhuuu, I cannot wait for the skydive next year ♥

November 25, 2013

All black everything


The other morning when I had to prepare myself for Uni again, I was thinking: All black everything :) So, this was super easy for me and I really like mixing and matching different fabrics of black clothes. I combined some leather with cotton and added a bit of gold. My favorite Zara pants with the flower pattern (love the details: pattern and zippers ♥) went with a grey-black sweater from Vero Moda; the leather-arm blazer from H&M, which I just bought, worked well as a second layer and since I were at school, I had my fake-leather UO backpack with me. The shoes are some old ones from Goertz and the accessories are from friends :) How do you like this black outfit?

November 22, 2013

Food Friday: Chocolate x Chia x Peanutbutter Cookies ♥


Inspired by this super-fast and super-easy recipe of 'a teeming mind', I just had to try these Chocolate-Chia-Seed Cookies! I adjusted it to my preferences and the ingredients I've got at hand, so this turned out as some super-chocolaty Chocolate-Chia-Seed Cookies with a Peanutbutter swirl!!! :) I really like this recipe because you can have four big cookies right away, try it and let me know how you like it ;-)


Ingredients for 4 bigger cookies:

- 4 tablespoons whole spelt flour
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons raw Chia seeds
- half a teaspoon baking powder
- 4 to 5 tbspoons honey (instead of agave syrup)
- a handful of almonds
- 3 tbspoons coconut oil
- 1 tspoon cinnamon
- 4 tbspoons soymilk 
- some creamy peanutbutter

Mix all ingredients together (except of the peanut butter) until you've got a nice dough, put four equal parts on the baking sheet and swirl some peanut butter on top of the doughs. I hope you know what I mean =D Well, look at the pictures ;-)

Bake at 200°C (395°F) for about 10-15min. and then you'll have some delicious chocolate-cookies with a peanut-twist :) Perfect for christmas-time, so have fun baking and enjoy ♥

November 21, 2013

21st Birthday Wishlist ♥


Well, another year is over and in two days I'm turning 21 :) I'm having a smile on my face right now because thinking about this year, it turned out really good.. so far ;-) There's a nice German proverb to it: Don't praise the day before nightfall! But we'll stay optimistic, right?

When I first came back to Germany in September 2012, I had a reversed culture shock since I wasn't used to everything anymore =D I had to adjust myself to German seriousness, but also to Vietnamese conventional lifestyle again (parents ;)), but that wasn't enough: friends and family had to get used to me and my new lifestyle now, less partying, more exercising, stuff like that, a lot has changed and if you want to know more, read on here. Unistress came along the way and the past winter was really about 'adapting' to my 'old' life again, but trying to stay the 'new' ME. Throughout this year I've met interesting people, some became friends, some I had to let go, and I think that anyone gets into thinking whenever another whole year passes. 
Time is flying so fast, right? 

This year, I'm not having big 'material wishes' compare to the last birthdays or rather: if material wishes like a pro-camera, a smartphone (yep, haven't one! yet! =D), I buy them myself ;-) This list here is really about things I need or would like to have for comfort.

Since I'm running around with my green metal bottle with hot tea inside, and it's actually not doing its work, I am looking for a NEW Thermos Bottle :) Simply plain, nothing special, just to have more than a cup on the go and to keep my tea hot for more than half an hour! Talking about staying warm, I'm also back in running and going to get myself a nice pair of Running Shoes, as well as a Running Headband. Super cold outside, but if you have the gear, move your butt I'm saying ;-)


How hard is it to NOT find a grey hoodie? Just scrolled through shopping-sites, impossible!!! I really like hoodies, but don't own as many because I can be picky with those. For my 18th birthday I've got a really nice grey one and am still wearing it. Now, three years later I'm seeking for a different color than grey =D Oh boy, but this selection is not better because it's all black: really fell in love with that super-cute and stylish Panda Sweater (always wanted a panda-sweater ♥) and the Black Hoodie from Naketano which would be more sporty.


Other than the more practical wishes for my birthday, I was thinking of buying D&G-TheOne again since my bottle is almost empty, but also thinking of changing my perfume, don't know yet ;-) Oh and I've just noticed the white nail-trend at my friends' fingers, so I'm totally digging the Essie Blanc Color-matte and pure whiteness :) 

Looks like this birthday wishlist is super long, but I think it's quite fair since most of the stuff I honestly need =D Broken running shoes, freezing ears, NO working thermos bottle and a new hoodie, which I get once a year at most =P are the reasons. Nevertheless and most importantly I cannot wait to spend some quality time with friends and family, have missed them so much since I don't get to see them everyday, week, month ;-) ♥

November 19, 2013

Meet Longboarder Melanie Golz


After the impressive weekend full of great artists and dancers, I just had to get in touch with Melanie Golz, 1st place in the European Longboard Dance Championship Berlin 2013. I've already recognized her the very first night at the beach party before the contest started and noticed that she was very special. Melanie definitely has something pure, may it be pure passion or the pure glow I saw in her eyes. She instantly draw my attention and during the contest, she jumped and danced her way through it. 

Now, after she won the title, she stayed a few more days in Berlin and we met at a Sushi place for dinner. We've talked about so much and I'm glad to share these inspiring words from her to you. She tells us about how she started longboarding, what meaning it has to her and what else she does in her free time :) So enjoy and please spread the word out :)

Could you introduce yourself?
Yeah, hi everyone, my name is Melanie Golz, I'm from Cologne and I'm 24 years old. I was studying 'sustainable design' but right now I'm travelling. 

How long have you been skating?
I've started skating three years ago now, in September. First, I was just riding from A to B, I skated a lot until I eventually started dancing. I also didn't have my own board for about half a year, I had a borrowed one. It's also an interesting story how I actually started. 

How come? Why did you start skating?
The first time I saw longboards was back in Australia, when I was travelling there, but moving to Cologne brought me to the actual sport. I got to know skaters and it was really cool to see this sport coming overseas from the US to Germany. I was happy to find people at college who were into it, too. So, one day I went with a buddy to a skateboard shop to get some information about longboards. Another friend stopped by and wanted to take me to their skate spot at the Hohenzollernbrücke. First, I was like: Hey, sorry, I do not have a board. But that was no problem, one of the guys borrowed me one so I followed them cruising through the city.

It was the first time for me skating through the city and it took us half an hour from the Leyndecker Street to the Hohenzollernbrücke. I was totally stoked to skate with them on the streets, tracks and sidewalks. That day I've learned so much by just watching them how they'd pass the streets, and I've tried to do the same things. It was a great feeling and actually my first longboard-moment *big smile on Melanie's face*.


What kind of Longboard are you skating right now?
Right now I'm skating the model 'Stage' from Airflow and I'm very content and happy about it because it's a lot of fun. I also have wonderful green Paris trucks and Orangatang wheels. 

Who's your sponsor?
I'm sponsored by the Concrete Wave Shop in Cologne and their own brand Bolzen Hardware and We-Funk wheels and We-Funk bearings from Alex Luckert, Cologne. 

So, Melanie you won the European Longboard Dance Contest, how do you feel about it?
How does it feel? Of course awesome! I'm really glad, but didn't expect it although a lot of people thought I'd win again because I just won the last two contests. So, the expectations were pretty high. I didnt put any much pressure on myself and just wanted to stay away from these thoughts. It was more like 'I don't care if I win or not' because I didn't want to feel pressured. Additionally there was a lot going on with college because two weeks ago I've just decided to quit. It wasn't really easy and yeah, it's crazy that I won this competition! I dont know, it's just.. but of course I'm super happy! I'm the female European master of Longboard Dancing. 

How did you like the contest and Berlin?
Berlin is great and wonderful, I'm always glad to be here, I like the Berlin scene a lot and to skate with them. The city is just amazing. 

About the contest, I honestly have to say that it was a bit chaotic because for example there were no drinks included, that it cost 30 Euro and there were no prizes for the winner. Furthermore when the police came and talked to Fränky, this worried me a bit, but this can always happen if they do not know. I also think that it was a pity that he talked in German the whole time because it was an international contest and he should have done the whole thing in English and the judge were no dancers. That's why I think it's difficult to know the difference of a trick and sometimes, if you don't dance and you don't know how to make this trick, it's hard to tell if it's an easy or hard one. You won't understand what's going on at that moment, you just see that there's a twist but not more than that. And if you would know that this trick is a big spin-180-nose-comply-whatever you would see it and otherwise you don't.

Still, I think it's very cool that Fränky was brave enough to organize something that big. It was the first European Contest and I just hope that maybe next year it will be in Paris or the Netherlands. 



What's longboarding for you? In three to five words, please :)
Longboarding for me is a bit of freedom, family and friends all over the world, it's so easy to get to know others; energy, so you could exhaust yourself but also gain some energy because you can free your mind and afterwards you're more aware. For me it's also being creative while dancing on your board and making up new combinations and tricks. It's about your own flow, style and spontaneity, you can always make up combos and it's like: Oh hey, let's do this trick with this one and add this and that. So that's a lot of fun. 

What's your signature trick?
It's definitely the cross-step in my special way, so cross step forwards and then jumping backwards by swinging my right foot into the air. 


Any good spots in Cologne to skate?
Yes, definitely! Our homespot is the Rheinpark, they've built the Bundesgartenschau in the 50s and now the spot is still there. It's a big green area with lots of trees, small sealed streets and it's right next to the Rhein, so you can just hang out there, jump into the river or skate. There are no cars, there are just pedestrians or bikers, but most of the time we are on a road by ourselves.

What are you doing if you not skate?
If I don't skate, I had college. Now, not anymore. I like meeting up with friends, I cook and bake a lot, and also being creative, designing and taking pictures. I've just started filming and editing and it's one of my biggest dreams to learn it. For now, I film longboarding videos, but I'm up for anything, let's see.

What do you think about the cliché that women cannot skate? 
I definitely do not agree with that because women skate as well as men do, but I just think that girls are more afraid of, which is why we need more time to learn or practice something. It's in any sport because of the different muscle structures in women and men. 

How does a normal day look like?
A normal day would be getting up, taking a shower, having breakfast if I have time and then out the door to Uni. In the past I skated to college, but nowadays I don't do it anymore because I want to take care of my knees. I skate a lot in my freetime so I don't want to skate to Uni which is 7 km far away and took me 30 to 45minutes with hills.

Do you surf or snowboard?
Yeah, I snowboard, but the last time I did was in March 2012, oh wow, it's one and a half years ago. I've started at the age of 12 or 13; before, I did skiing and so far I went four times to a snowboard trip. I went surfing 2012 in South France, but also just for two days because we went to a longboard trip and I was able to stand on a surfboard. So, I'm super stoked to keep doing it! This year I won't be able to surf again because I'm doing an east Europe trip but hopefully next year, I want to do a small roadtrip through France, Portugal or Italy. 

What do you listen to when you dance?
First of all I think skating with music is really nice and there's a different flow but if you're skating with others it's difficult to listen to music because you also want to chat with them. The social part would be limited so I prefer not listening to music when there are people around. Hm, what I listen to is always different, sometimes it's fast and aggressive, other times it's relaxed and more fun, like Tunng. So, there's no specific genre.

How often do you practice skating?
I skate one or two times a week, this year I didn't skate a lot that's why I thought I didn't improve or develop myself compared to last year when I was skating a lot more. This year, Uni was pretty stressful and it's also important for me to see my friends and a lot of them don't skate, so yeah. Sometimes, I also didn't want to skate and to do other things like cooking. Anyways, now that I have so much time, I'm really looking forward to skate more often and to go out every other day. When I met up with friends for skating, we would be at the Rheinpark for three to four hours and hang up together, skate and practice new tricks. It's so nice to be around people who support and push one another and there's always one who can teach you something. 

How important is style to you and how would you describe your own skating style?
Of course there are some skaters who stand out from others because of their skills, but if the style (sense of rhythm, transitions and choreography) doesn't look good, the skater won't be able to show an impressive sequence of tricks. There, the aesthetics show ones control of body. 

I think that I skate very energetically. A mixture between aggressive and jumping around, but it's difficult to describe one's style. I rather feel it than see it, you know ;-)

Do you have any tips to stay fit?
Healthy nutrition is definitely a big part of it, but also exercising and being content with life will keep your body and mind fit. 

Any goals for the future or longboarding?
A bunch of, I want to learn a lot of tricks, would love to learn a full cap or a half cap , it's when you twist around in 360° with your board and then keep on jumping with your board. I'd also like to learn a 360° Body Varioul. It's a pirouette while jumping and also another trick which Lotfi has showed me: It's a twist like in ice-skating on the nose of your board, so you're skating on one truck. And a lot more tricks. Other than that just having fun, being content and finding myself. 


Any messages to girls who want to start skating?
Just start, be brave and just talk to people if you see them. Don't be afraid of them because it's always more fun to skate together and watch videos to push yourself. And most importantly feel well with what you do. 

Anything you would like to say?
Rock'n'Roll!!! Oh no, that was Fränky's part. Longboarding is a family all over the world which is really amazing.


Melanie, it was really nice talking to you and I hope that we will see more videos of your skating. Thank you for this interview and I am very much looking forward to our next meeting :) Maybe in Cologne?! ;-) And guys, check out her current video 'Smelly Wonderland' and share, share, share! ♥ All the best :) xo


Smellys Wonderland from Melanie Golz on Vimeo.

November 18, 2013

Mindful Monday: Winter Blues x Move!

I have to admit that I haven't worked out since weeks now, I think it's been two to three weeks. Why? Well, a big lack of motivation as well as uni-stress and being sick for a whole week weren't helpful. And how come that I've did it today? 

I've wanted to do something for my soul, being alive again since I had a 'depressive' week before. Being thoughtful is okay, but DON'T SUCK IN THE NEGATIVITY. MOVE AND TAKE ACTION. Knowing this didn't really help. I've told myself on and on: I'll do it tomorrow, but haven't done anything. So, I was struggling with motivation until I sat down and asked myself, what do you like about jogging? I love the feeling afterwards, having accomplished something, being able to push harder and just move on. I've pulled out my running gear, left it next to my bed, prepared for the next day and it helped me to remind me of 'Oh, I've wanted to go for a jog today, no excuses'.


During the jog I kept talking to myself: You can do it, just move and move and don't look back. Don't have judges, someone might pass you, but you don't know their background, they might be a marathon runner and you've just started. No judges, focus on yourself. Push yourself through it, you already know how it feels to finish. Speed doesn't matter, consistency is key!

And these words kept me running and moving on. I just LOVE what exercising does with me, those words wouldn't have such a big effect if I weren't exercising. Starting to jog back in the U.S. gave me so many life-lessons :) So, this wasn't it! I want to keep on doing, you can always start, but you have to keep on doing every single day. Do what you love and love what you do, more of it everyday! What about you? Do you exercise in Winter?

Tip: A friend just said: It's never too cold, there are just bad clothes. No excuses. So get yourself prepared for the winter months and buy some high quality winter gear!

November 16, 2013

New In: Nixon Beanie x H&M Blazer & Skirt


Yes, yes, I know, no more shopping for me!!! :D Well, my birthday is coming up and I think this will be my birthday-outfit, haha, just kidding ;-) I'm not going to wear a Beanie on my birthday, but hey! Who knows, thinking about this outfit right now... wouldn't look that bad, no? :D

Anyways, yesterday, I've just joined a dear friend of mine, who was totally in shopping mood and was looking for a Beanie, as well. So, we were ONLY looking for beanies to keep our heads and ears warm. How did it turn out? Of course, after hitting a few Skaterstores, Zara, H&M and the like, we were 'kind of' successful: I've found the perfect Beanie for me and actually more. She came home with a bunch of bags full of skirts, jackets and blouses.. but no beanie :(

So, I really fell in love with the grey-blue patterned one from Nixon and cannot put it off anymore :) Too cozy! (Similar one here). The black blazer with fake-leather arms from H&M (buy here) was love at the second sight since I didn't want to shop there anymore.. well, yeah, I think if you really love a piece, be conscious about it and buy it if you're not getting yourself into debts (advice from Carla ;-) ) Last but not least, I bought a long grey-black skirt with a cut at the side, really like that edgy style :) Yes, I know this shopping trip wasn't planned, but I'm super happy and really want to transform my closet into a closet full of pieces, I honestly love and could wear everyday.

What about you guys, do you already have your closet full of clothes you would actually wear everyday? Or are you still changing it since trends come and go? :)       

November 15, 2013

Food Friday: Almond Biscottis ♥


I remember making these the first time for Mother's Day in 2012. At that time, I was in the U.S., living at a hostfamily and the kids and I wanted to surprise my hostmum with some delicious cookies :) So we've made Almond Cantuccinis since these are not too sugary and sweet. 

The other day I was also lusting for these cookies and additionally was really into Italian food :) I've looked up this recipe in my U.S. diary and here it is:

 Oh and be careful, these are SUPERDUPER addictive!!!


Ingredients:
- 250g whole spelt flour
- one teaspoon baking powder
- 150g to 180g raw cane sugar (more/less, if preferred)
- two teaspoons of vanilla sugar
- one pinch salt
- 25g butter
- two to three eggs (depends on consistency)
- 200g almonds, chopped.

1. Prepare everything and mix them altogether except of the almonds, knead with your hands and try to get a nice dough, shouldn't be wet, more sticky. 

2. Add the almonds, shape the dough into a ball and leave it in the refridgerator for about 30minutes. 

3. Preheat the oven at about 200°C (390°F), prepare the baking sheet on the tray and lay out the dough into two wide (not in length, but in width) rolls. Bake for about 10 two 12 minutes.

4. Take out the rolls and cut them into 1cm slices, like cutting bread. Put them back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes until they are golden-brown. 

You're all set :) Enjoy these cookies with a cup of coffee, tea or just plain. It's super delicious and I can warmly recommend it to you! Need to make more now, they are gone already =D

Tip for all Chocolate-Lovers: Heat up some dark chocolate, spread it on one half of the cookies and let it dry (Picture 1) :) You will love it, I promise! 

November 14, 2013

Pattern Mixture x Christmas is coming


Yes, this Kenzo scarf just always reminds me of Christmas, but it fits perfectly to this season :) The dark green, the red, that's just christmas for me :) Lately, I've been wearing some 'old' clothes more and more, which I really like because you become more creative and try to mix and match pieces or in this case: patterns. 

I bought this grey-leo Monki sweater last winter in Berlin and haven't worn it since.. Why? Well, it fuzzes (dt:fusseln =D) a lot, like A LOT, I really cannot wear black clothes with it, but this time I didn't care and whenever you're in a hurry, you'll become even more creative. So, I had to prepare myself for Uni and threw on this sweater, the Kenzo scarf, matched it with my favorite dark olive green UniqLo pants and my go-tos the black Chelsea Boots from Goertz. Have some golden jewelry with it and you're good to go :) 

Bracelets: & Other Stories-my dad's gift-Vintage Timex Watch.



November 13, 2013

Winter Essentials 2013 #1: The Perfect Beanie



It's really getting cold in here and I'm trying to stay warm: layering is key! But what about my head? Well, I was never a Beanie-or Hat-type, but sooner or later you just have to give in and get at least SOMETHING for your head =D

Before, I was always of the opinion that the shape of my head is too small for a beanie, additionally I don't have voluminous hair to fill the beanie with. Last winter I could get away without anything on my head, this year and especially now, I'm looking for a nice beanie to keep my ears warm. For now, this is my selection: a burgundy shorter version from Topshop (1) which still fits very well into the autumn's punk-trend. The greenish one from & Other Stories (2) would match with my Kenzo scarf and I would totally go to the christmas market with Santa =D No honestly, I already had that beanie on and it looked well, but maybe too matchy though. 

The two-coloured one is from Roxy (3) and I think, I like this one the best since it is also not too long and have a more sporty look. The Zara (4) is the most elegant one I guess, but I'm still trying to stay away from black clothes :) And the New Era Beanie (5) is the longest version, but still casual. A friend of mine just bought one of those and I was thinking of getting that, it had a really nice fit. Anyways, all this Online Shopping doesn't help, I need to go there and try them on :) What about you guys? Are you into beanies, if yes, what's your favorite? Which one should I go for?  

November 11, 2013

Mindful Monday: Vision Board

I remember that one of my American friends from college suggested me to do a Vision Board. She said that she did one in class and told me how amazing it was to pull out this piece of paper after several years, and then realizing that most of the things have happened to her. This motivated me to make one as well. At the beginning of this year I sat down and pulled out all my fashion magazines to create a Vision Board. A collage of all things I've wanted to do or to achieve this year and as you can see I haven't finished since then. 

My thought was: Often you have ideas, dreams and goals, but you never write them down and then these ideas will pass away. This little thought or dream is then not real anymore, well, was it ever? Besides putting in words, it's far more easier to put your thoughts into pictures, actual visualizations. So, sit down, think of what you really want in life or for the next year and cut up bits and pieces which equal your dreams. Put your Vision Board away and maybe pull it out half a year later, it's super interesting to see whether or not these special events or 'dreams' occurred :)

My goals for this year 2013 were: 

Enjoying: Yes, I still try not to overwork myself and take time to really slow down and enjoy life. Beach: For now, the Baltic Seas it was. Still thinking of vacation though-Tenerife? :) Dancing until the rising of the sun: Check @Cookies Berlin during Fashion Week this summer. Eating healthy food: It's a process :) but doing good, I guess. Fit like never before (muscles instead of fat): Not the case, but won't give up on that aspect. My fittest year ever was the year in the US :)
Soul: Slow down, sit back, meditate. Working in Berlin turned out as an internship! Taking care of myself and drinking lots of water: still doing so. Having a romantic relationship: What a coincidence, but yes, indeed ♥ Yoga: Trying to incorporate as much as possible, but looking for a class to get deeper into it. 

And as of now, almost at the end of this year I'm thinking: Yes, this is still such a great year and I've almost achieved everything I've wanted to :) The idea of a Vision Board works wonder, don't know how but I believe that once you write or sketch it down, you visualize yourself doing something, and then it becomes reality! Next year is coming up, so sit down and make your next Vision Board ;-)

November 9, 2013

Movie Review: Let it ride with Craig Kelly


The German all Girls Boarding Magazine Golden Ride had a raffle these days for the Heroes by Nature series by Red Bull, in which they show extreme sports movies (once a month in more than 40 cinemas throughout Europe). This month it was all about Snowboarding and yes, I was lucky enough to win some tickets :) 

Never heard of Craig Kelly and the movie 'Let it ride' before, I was really curious about it. It's a 90min. movie, in which they display the history of snowboarding and how the ProSnowboarder has shaped this sport. The producer Jacques Russo combined film materials with interviews from Kelly and his friends and family, so this movie is really personal and makes you think about this sport with its risks and competitions. It was released in 2006 and since then has influenced many snowboarders and leaders to come.

In this movie you'll also get an insight of how the industry has changed: the rivalry between Burton Snowboards and Sims Snowboards, from Slalom riding to Halfpipes (Contests) and back to Freeriding in the Backcountry. Furthermore you'll see what snowboarding is actually about. 

The pure fun of powder and the journey to freedom.            

                                                                                                                                             
The 2nd movie that night was 'Peace Park' by Burton with the present Team Riders. After Peace Pipe in 2012, they created a Peace Park in Lake Tahoe between Nevada and California and wanted the riders to be creative. It was just fun watching them and omg, there was a 13-year old in between!!! Check out the trailers and get inspired! 
Cannot wait until my very first snow-experience :)