Back on the east coast

Hello my dearest!

I'm back from the west and just wanted to let you know that a huge california post with a lot of pictures will come soon! I just needed some time to get myself organized and find some peace back here. I went to my yoga session this morning and it was good to take deep breaths and to be aware of what's happening right now. A lot will change.. Well, today in two weeks I'm leaving the U.S., not for good but for a while.

Hope you're doing alright and enjoying your vacations!

Much love,

M

Travel journal

Back from the city, I've finished packing and now it's already midnight! I need to get up in 5hrs to get to the airport and yes I'm tired! I'd love to watch the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games 2012 in London, but I think I need some sleep. Will I be able to sleep? I'm so excited!!! :)

I will definitely take my travel journal with me because I think it is the best way to capture special moments in life, in your travels and I do this every day :-)

In addition I'd say that having a journal you'll become more mindful, you're able to look back and really be aware of what you've did or what you're doing at that moment.

I started really early having a diary, but with a lot of (long) breaks when I was younger. Sometimes you just forget or you're too lazy to write something down, but now being in the U.S. I just HAVE TO write down the experiences I've made, the adventures I've been to, the people I've met and all the funny stories I can tell in the future! It's just really nice to read about the old days and you can see how you've grown or became wiser. And sometimes YOU just forget what have happened during a year and then it's good to look up the stories in your journal ;-)

Why don't you start a journal if you haven't started yet?

Here are 5 Blessings of keeping a journal from Mind- Body- Green

Take good care, safe travels and come back with a refreshed mind, body and soul.

Lots of love, inspiration and 

enjoy your vacation!


I'll meet you back here in 2 weeks with lots of pictures! ♥

M 

Again and again NYC!

and I just can't get enough! :)

Yes, I was in the city today! One day before I'm leaving for my two- week california trip! I took the boys of my hostfamily into the city and we've did a bunch of cool stuff, for teenagers I guess.

No I'm just kidding! It was a lot of fun to hang around with them and being the tourguide, haha :-D

Me, the tourguide! And no, you wouldn't see all these touristy things with me although I still need to check some places out, for example I haven't been to Ellis Island or I haven't been on the Empire either.. Let's see if I can make it before I leave.

So, we went to Momofuku's noodle bar for lunch. We've had the pork and shrimp buns as an appetizer and different ramen noodles. It was delicious! I loved the pork buns :-)

Afterwards we checked out Questlove's Hoodie Shop. Really nice hoodies, but kind of expensive though. But you can still go there and check out the interior design, a lot of fun! I like hoodies, they are comfortable! But that's a different topic, another time..

The boys couldn't help and needed to go to Economy Candy on Rivington close to Chinatown, there was so much trash! :-D It was my first time in that store and it looked so packed! Full of candy, they've had everything! Of course also chocolate from good old Germany! A paradise for kids and a nightmare for their teeth! We were walking towards Chinatown, Little Italy and Soho and the kids wanted to get more candy! What about cupcakes this time? :-D They've got mini cupcakes from Baked by Melissa and they've said: OMG! They were SO GOOD! I'm sorry guys, I cannot give you good reviews on candy or cupcakes because I'm trying to stay away from everything- sugar! :-D

Packing for California!

On Saturday I'm going to Californiaaaaaaa! :)))

And I'm so excited!!!

Westcoast for two weeks: San Francisco- Yosemite Nationalpark- Las Vegas- Grand Canyon- Colorado River- Los Angeles. My friend Tabea and I, we booked a tour with a group of people with camping and hiking. This tour will last 7days and the rest of the second week we're planning on visiting San Diego and Santa Monica. I hope everything will work out! Wish us good luck!

And now back to packing, I don't even know where to start!

Luckily the tour agency gave us some sort of packing list for the 7- day tour :)

✓ Warm sweater/Fleece ✓ Shaving supplies

✓ Casual 'evening out' clothes ✓ Waterproof jacket

✓ Hiking shoes / Boots (optional) ✓ Waterproof sandals or flip-flops

✓ Hat / Gloves ✓ Comfortable day shoes

✓ Swim wear ✓ Sunscreen / Sunglasses

✓ Camera ✓ Alarm clock / Watch ✓ Small Flashlight (Torch)

✓ Insect repellent ✓ Travel power adaptor (optional) ✓ Sleeping bag

✓ Towel & face cloth ✓ Toiletries / Personal medicine 

We're spending the second week in San Diego, Santa Monica and San Francisco again,

so I'd add more clothes :-D so you're not going to wear the same clothes over and over again, 

what about your sporting gear as well? Sports bra, running shoes :)

Some basic accessories/ jewelry, maybe one or two scarves (rain and fog in San Fran!), handbags, sandals, nailpolish, of course you want to get nice pictures of you as well ;-) 

I'd just recommend not to overload your suitcase, think easy, comfortable and mix and match your outfits!

I cannot wait to see these beautiful places and being out in nature!

Just to be away from the computer for a couple of days is refreshing for me and hopefully the weather will be on our side! Hello bears, I'm coming! Mosquitos, please stay away from me! 

I hope you guys can get out of the house, city, country, continent as well!

Let's finish packing :-)

M

More bread woohoo!

I baked some more bread :-) but this time I used a different recipe and whole- wheat instead of spelt flour. It's so easy making your own bread!!! On the left I've tried to make a ciabatta- kind of bread with oregano. Both are whole grain. I'm telling you I have so much fun baking and trying out new recipes! And you know what? My hostfamily just bought a bread machine!!! I am so excited :-D Although I prefer baking in the oven because of the look of the bread (I don't like the square- shape of the bread machines) I'll give it a shot and see if it's really convenient!

Green- tip: Forget the white wonder bread! It's processed and unhealthy, instead bake your own! At least you'll know what's inside and adding different grains and spices will make it tastier! Mix different types of flours, spelt flour or rye flour. Flax seeds will add lots of protein, try adding rolled oats, quinoa, barley and whatever you like :-)

Here is the recipe for this one:

Bastille Day in NYC

After arriving back in the city, back in reality, back in life.. 

I didn't go straight home. I've met my Australian friend Rebecca and we decided to check out the French street fair, which is held every year: Bastille Day NY

A street fair to celebrate the french culture and other francophone countries like Canada, Switzerland and more. I like going to street fairs because of the food :-D Crépes and macarons were predominant at this one. Although we went there we ended up at Le pain quotidien for lunch. I think it is a french or belgian chain all over the city. I wanted to go meatless and had a lentil salad on arugula and it was really good and filling! I have to experiment with lentils and quinoa at home! :-)

Coming home after this exhausting weekend I took a long shower and went to bed early,

hope you guys enjoyed your weekend, too!

M

Taking care of yourself

Shift Happens

By Daniel Scott

It is perfectly ok to admit—out loud, even—that everything is not OK. Things change. The honeymoon ends. Strong feelings fade, transform. Paths cross, diverge. People come together. The grass seems greener elsewhere. People come apart, at the seams. Too little, too late. Too much, too soon. Relationships. Jobs. Family. Friends. School. Money. Love.

Like it or not, these are all matters of the heart. The heart is a muscle that, just like every other muscle, responds to how it's treated. It can be built up or broken down, strained or relaxed, torn or repaired. Know that a hungry heart can quickly become gluttonous. Be it pain or pleasure, punishment or reward, it is easy to by enslaved by craving and aversion.

Take care of your heart, and it will take care of you. Yet, even if you manage to keep it healthy, no amount of vim and vigor will protect it from getting hit by the random bus hiding in your blind spot. Even if you do remember to look both ways (which you always do, right?), this will often happen while hastily crossing the street in search of those greener pastures. What do you do when the shift hits the fan? 

Take it. Easy. Be good to your Self. 

read more

I just read this article from the website: Mind Body Green 
and it is so true!

Now, that my year in the U.S. is going towards the end (six more weeks or so!!) I think a lot about what have happened in the past. I had troubles here and there but also a lot of great moments. Overall I started taking care of myself, my mind and my body. I've learned that life sometimes sucks, it just happens but it is YOUR choice every single day how you are going to deal with it. It is YOUR life that you're living and sometimes changes are good. YOU can decide whether or not it hits you hard or HOW hard. Don't stop living and wait for your luck, go out and appreciate everything you have, be grateful for your family and friends, be grateful for your legs which carry you everyday, be grateful for the water you're drinking. You don't have to overdo it but just to be happy that you're able to see the sunshine and smile, enjoy these moments.   

Love and blessings,

have a great weekend

M

Baking my own bread #2

I'm in love with this bread!!!!! ♥.♥ It is so good!!! Just pure love!!! :) 

Guys, you have to try out this easy- peasy recipe!

I was looking for a 'Vollkornbrot' recipe but couldn't find an American good one, so I just took a German recipe and converted the measurements. 

Baking my own bread

Sunday night my hostfamily had friends over for a BBQ. The friends brought some homemade bread, which was very good and quinoa salad! I asked them for the recipes because I was thinking about baking my own bread also.
Why? I like bread but it's hard to find really good and healthy bread here in the U.S., and I also don't want to eat too much processed food, so why not making your own? You know what's inside and it'll be less expensive long- term. You don't even need a bread machine! 
Actually we've found WASA- Knäckebrot here =D It says: 100% whole grain and a product of Germany. My hostfamily started buying them because of me! :)

So, today I tried out the recipe and this is the result:

  

The recipe is really easy! I thought it would be much harder to bake bread but I think you just have to start doing it and then try out things.. Next time I'd like to add different grains and use more whole- wheat flour and leave the all- purpose flour out.

We've had it for dinner with salad and I dipped it in guacamole, delicious! The crust is the best part, don't you think?

Usually I don't eat carbs (rice, pasta, bread) for dinner time anymore, but of course I've had to try my own bread! :) 

My health- tip: I cut down on carbs at night because after dinner you usually go to bed and then you don't really workout or burn these added calories anymore.

shopping in brooklyn

After the pool on friday, I went on Bedford Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn and did a little bit of shopping! Oh yes, saving up money is harder than I've thought!!! I've ended up in a thrift store, buying two skirts and a vest. When you're around Williamsburg, check out: Crossroads, Buffalo Exchange and Beacon's Closet: buy, sell, trade! I might go there to sell or trade some of my stuff before I hit my way home :)

And don't forget: Smorgasburg and the Williamsburg Waterfront Flea on Sat./Sun.!

There are so many thrift/ second hand shops here in New York, so many flea markets, street fairs and more.. 

I will definitely miss that! Nice markets where you can make great bargains, you might also find designer clothing and unique stuff. Small artists all over the fleas (and all over the city!) are trying to sell their goods, be it clothes, jewelry or food. For instance, the other day I've had spicy pickles from Brooklyn- McClure's Pickles, so good!!! I like everything hot! :)

So, when you end up in Brooklyn,

you should definitely try the many thrift stores and flea markets!

Enjoy shopping and thrifting
in BK ;-)

M 

My shopping- tip: Try to look for bargains, sell or trade clothes if you don't want them anymore. Set a limit of how much money you want/can actually spend on that day.

sleep no more..

I was kind of off this week so I was spending some free time where? Of course- in lovely New York City! I was there from Wednesday to Friday.

On wednesday, I went with some friends to the theatre play Sleep No More - a Hitchcock- Shakespeare mash-up. We, the audience had to wear big white masks and instead of sitting there and seeing a play, we were walking through an entire Hotel, which was transformed into the Set. We could choose to follow the actors, touch the requisite and open books and etc. 

I would definitely recommend seeing it. It goes for about two and a half hours, it was different, scaring and the actors were great! My favourite one was the Asian witch, I think. At the end of the show, she took me by her hand and then gave me a Good Night Kiss :) Maybe she could see through the mask that I'm Asian, too =D

Check out some pictures and audio material here

“A merry macabre chase. A voyeur’s delight. Messes with your head as thorougly as any artificial stimulant. Spectacular!”

-Ben Brantley, The New York Times

Oh and before I forget, if you're into the American Series: Gossip Girl, they've had an episode shooting in the same play: 

Have fun watching it!
xoxo 

M

Sunrise Yoga

How do you guys like yoga? Have you ever tried it before?
Well, I've did it twice now and I'm looking forward to do more of it! It was a free yoga class in the city: compass yoga. -Of course I've found about it from a Street Fair! :) So if you're ever in New York and you're having some spare time especially for beginners, check it out! There are also free yoga sessions in the parks in NYC. That day I went on my own and actually I became friends with the yoga teacher! Her name is Frances from England, she did her Master's degree in the city and she's leaving the country in August, too! See, it's so easy to meet and get to know nice people! :)

I've found out about a free yoga course on Island Beach in my town here in NJ, too! Tuesdays from 7- 8am! Perfect for me, since I'd get up early anyway :)

So, today I went to the first session and it was great! The weather was good, not too hot in the morning and the teacher seems very nice (in the picture above). I like it because in addition to my strength and cardio workout it is good to stretch, twist and twirl your body and just to 'meditate' a little bit, to be aware of your mind, body and soul. I think, that's my thing! Meditation and Yoga :) I should try Pilates someday, too :)

Namaste,

and much love.

M

Jewelry spree *.*

This saturday my german friend Matze and I, we went to the MET and it is  is so huge, we're always getting lost, it's really hard not to! =D

We saw the Schiaparelli and Prada Exhibition, Cloud City by Tomás Saraceno and also the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and Later South Asia.

I have to go to the Schiaparelli and Prada again because their art/design work is amazing! A must for every fashion- lover! Cloud City, an installation on the Roof is very interesting, I feel like it doesn't really fit there but still it's cool! :) Check it out, it's on until November '12. The last exhibition is a permanent one, it has great carpets and calligraphic designs. I love that they often used the colour gold and the jewelry below is from India. After that I just wanted to travel to Asia again! Let's visit Istanbul and India, please! :)

Later that day, we went to lovely Brooklyn. 

At Smorgasburg (every Saturday) we had delicious lunch. It was so hot that day and the problem with this kind of food market is that there are too many choices!!! And if you're hungry, you don't want to stay in line for hours, but also you want good food =D This is the U.S.!!! There are just too many options and there is a lot of competition! And I am just indecisive with these things because I always want to compare and see what I'd get for my money! =D

So, I've been there before with my friend Frances from England, that day we've had Cemita's Mexican Sandwich. It's filling, so I'd recommend sharing one with a friend.

Yesterday I've had a Colombian Dish: a flaxseed Arepa with chicken, Colombian cheese, arugula, salsa and cilantro sauce. Loved it! I'd like to try making that on my own.

The Renegade Crafts Fair was at the East River State Park, Williamsburg, right next to Smorgasburg and there were so many vendors! Again: too many choices! =D I ended up buying jewelry from Sna$h Jewelry because I've seen her stuff at one of the many flea markets before and I fell in love with the golden designs! Designed in New York- by a New Yorker :) I got an open-faced bracelet and four square rings. One guy at Snash Jewelry called me 'golden girl' =D It took me hours to make a decision! I'd buy them all!!!

On our way back to the subway station we crossed Williamsburg Walks on Bedford Ave. They've closed down the streets and had artists coming and had fun activities:

Matthias and I got free charm necklaces from Brooklyn Charm, I picked out a short golden necklace with three green pearls. I usually wear long necklaces but I thought: Let's try a short one because I've seen it on many girls and I liked how it looks on them. Green pearls because I'm on a green trip guys! =D

That was a very nice saturday!

Great weather and I've had a lot of fun with Matthias!

And.. I was successful with my jewelry spree! :)))

Hope you're still enjoying my city- trips!

Xxo,

M

Swimming: all day, everyday!

97°F outside, it is humid and hot!

What did I do? I got up early in the morning and went for a workout- swim! :)

It feels so great, I love swimming and I always feel relieved!

In the afternoon I took the boys to the lake, so I went a second time.

This week I already went swimming when it was around 60°F and I have to say: The water was freaking cold.. but I've did it! I was in the water for about 40minutes and after that I really needed a hot shower and hot tea!!! I felt perfectly fine afterwards!

Right now, I'm enjoying life so much and I've never felt as energetic as I do now! I hope it stays :)) I hope you guys are enjoying your warm days, too! 

Much love and don't forget the sunscreen ;)

M

My green-tip: Never forget your reusable water bottle and your cloth bag! 

Family weekend part II

Sunday was really nice, too! I got up early again to get some things at the grocery store, oh I have to tell you: I cannot sleep in anymore! It is like impossible since I'm here, I'm always awake around 7/8am. I think it is really good because then I start the day earlier and have more time. Don't you love the smell of fresh air in the morning? Around 5/6am it is really nice outside in the summer! I want to try to go for a run that early one day :) 

So after that I started working on my hostfather's day present :) I wanted to make strawberry shortcake sliders with whipped cream! I got this recipe from Simply Recipes and it turned out perfectly! I was afraid it wouldn't work out at the first place but everyone liked it! :) I recommend this website and I've tried their rice pudding recipe as well! Easy and delicious dessert!