Cultural identity for the modern age

©Gabriel Motica from Libotin

We talk about globalisation, we talk about international citizens and we talk about living in a virtual age. We move faster and faster towards a more densely wired future where everyone blends in to any cultural and geographical context. While this is obviously a step forward and there are countless advantages to a physically and spiritually borderless world, we risk loosing ourselves in the process.

Adapting to a new country doesn't mean forgetting your own roots. Becoming a global citizen shouldn't entail repressing your individuality. And growing into a new culture doesn't mean suppressing your cultural identity.

My big fat greek holiday

Straight after graduating and packing my life in boxes again, my boyfriend and I went on our first holiday alone together to the idyllic island of Skiathos. It had some of the best sand beaches I have ever been on, was featured in Mamma Mia (yes, I sang along) and hosts a renowned gyros place. Truly the ideal place for a chill couple's holiday 💕

Cheating on Milan for a day

View of Varese from the Giardini Estense

Even though Milan is a cosmopolitan and international industry powerhouse in which most dream to fit its hectic half jet-setting half latin rhythm, I find myself daydreaming of the day I'll get to take a train out of the city and into the green countryside. There's a small chance the 9 hours I spend in an office every day contribute to my oxygen depravation but I know myself enough to say that being outdoors is what brings me peace and happiness. Thankfully, my job also entails sometimes spending a day a week at Villa Panza in Varese, a small city I had never heard of and never really intended to visit anyway.

Easy Cinnamon Bun recipe | Baking like a wannabe-pro

Baking has never really been my strong point - I have the lack of intuition that makes the difference between a newbie and a seasoned pro. And without fail there is something in the recipe I missread or I'm oblivious to steps that maybe to the writer who has perfected and made said recipe a million times seem self-explanatory. Long story short, whenever my deserts turn out close to how they should it's a real success, one I cannot not share.

What to see in Paris | Off the beaten track

Touristy Paris is relatively easy and quick to see - three days in the capital of 'joie de vivre' should suffice if you're after the classic trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower, snoop at the Orsay and selfie with the Notre Dame Cathedral. But I think no one should be content with seeing just that; not saying these attractions aren't good but they aren't particularly telling of the REAL Paris, the one you discover when you get lost or when you take a route less known.

Where to eat in Paris

Illustration by @marialyngdk

With allegedly 40,000 restaurants and probably twice as many cafés, Paris is a foodie's heaven and an indecisive person's hell. A maze as complicated as its beautiful stone-paved streets, Paris needs to be navigated with an open mind as well as with *some* apprehension; much like in a computer game, there are tourist traps at every corner, just waiting to take a ridiculous amount of your gold coins for an underwhelming onion soup.

Best of | H&M beauty

It's taken me a solid year to find out that H&M had launched a new and very trendy beauty line, which frankly doesn't surprise me since I usually triple-check even my drugstore beauty purchases. Long story short, you wouldn't catch me dead buying anything else other than nail polish from "mothership brands" (aka brands that technically specialise in one think but then release a myriad of other stuff). I think it was a video of Tati's, also known as GlamLifeGuru on Youtube, that actually brought this line to my attention and it has been there ever since, so much so that I took the dive into the unknown and emerged 30 euros lighter.

Chateau de Chantilly | Day trip from Paris

I spent one of the best days this autumn visiting Chantilly castle with Diana. The endless shades of green and rusty red were almost more intense after the spot of rain and there was that crisp smell of winter in the air which made it even more perfect. 

Chateau de Sceaux | day trip from Paris

What do you do on a *hot* September day in Paris? You take the RER and head to Sceaux, that's what! 

Focus | The Louis Vuitton Foundation

Probably the only Vuitton you'll ever catch me in. And thank goodness they haven't decided to monogram it! 

Complete guide to Versailles palace & gardens

Courtesy of yours truly, newly enrolled Ecole du Louvre student (who goes on a lot of educational trips and thus has learnt pretty much all there is to know about Versailles): You're welcome and enjoy your visit - it's a once in a lifetime experience of decadence, history and awe!

My first month in Paris

@anapersinaru on insta

+ Paris, B.O. capital.

It might be the unusually hot weather or the stubbornness to transition to the fall wardrobe already but people stink of sweat here. There's at least one person on every street corner, in every shop or in your metro wagon and they really turn your stomach inside out - it's that bad. Hopefully the cold will freeze over the smell, we shall see. 

P.S - I can certify the smell has mostly gone by the end of September.

+ The French really are into sex. Specifically, the loud type and usually with windows wide open. I found out on a peaceful Tuesday evening when I was minding my own business and loud moans just echoed through the main courtyard where my window opens onto. Needless to say I took to snapchat to record the auditory ordeal I was going through, to the point where I was laughing so much I had tears in my eyes. It's now happened twice and I am praying for the autumn cold to set in so they close their damn windows.

Tips on finding an apartment in Paris

Another chatty blog post, another badly photoshopped cover photo. You are most welcome!

If you're about to move to Paris... good luck! You'll need it to find you perfect place, just like you'll need time, patience and a keen eye for fraud. Before I delve into my many anecdotes of how I found my flat in Paris, I'll insert my "checklist" of steps to follow when faced with said promethean task, one that I've only compiled now in hindsight but which would have been extremely helpful in the beginning of the process.

I'm moving to Paris!

Well hello there! Sorry I've been a stranger around here but life has been hectic, which means that I have lots to chat about, naturally. 

No, the title isn't clickbait (though I can't guarantee for my badly photoshopped photo *it's artsy ok?*), I'm actually moving to Paris. Very soon, in like 3 days. And for just 4 months. Lol, what am I like eh?

About my Romanian blouse, Brexit and everything in between

Fitzbillies #2

Cambridge is a quaint town but boy oh boy does it have some good coffee places. One (or probably THE) most iconic is Fitzbillies with their famous Chelsea buns as the beautiful wall painting announces upon entering. I have to say, Chelsea buns are not really my thing - sultanas just seem very sticky to me but I'm sure that to most people who do like sultanas they will live up to their reputation. Me and my friend Connie had a cheeky coffee break where we forgot about revision (working hard or hardly working???) and indulged in some delicious cakes and iced lattes, also known as the most summery drink ever.

Technic 'Mega Nudes 3' palette review

When I ask 'Worth it?' I realise I'm implying this was an expensive product. Let me set the records straight, it was £1.90 from TKMaxx. 

It was either going to be a complete bargain and join my Natural Collection £1 mascara to be a favourite or it was going to be a waste of money, but at least I wasn't breaking the bank right?

Tenerife holiday throwback

I’ll skip the chit-chat and the apologies for being a bit M.I.A on here (oops, guess I just broke my own promise). Life got hectic, I’m actually giving my degree a proper shot with exams this term and don’t even get me started on the year abroad organising saga - that’s for a different post.

To make it up, I’m treating you to some summertime beauty: photos from my Tenerife holiday last summer. As if you need more reminders to brace your not-bikini-ready body that summer is coming…

#TBT

Where do I begin? It seems like starting with an apology would be too little too late but nonetheless I'll get it out of the way, I'm sorry I haven't written since September of-last-year. I'll be realistic, few of my readers will really mind but I'm apologising to my past self, I've let her down on this one.

But you know how it goes, new year new you. One of my resolutions this year is to keep my blog up because it's my own little space and I love looking back on my attempts at photography, memories and hilarious posing. I hope you do too.

2016 sounds like a whirlwind and I don't think there's any way in which I can prep myself for it other than have absolutely no expectations at all. Will I manage to get a first in my exams? Will I find a summer job? Will I like my year abroad? Will the French like me (lol)? Where will I travel? Who will I meet along the way? Who will be my friends throughout? For anyone who knows me, I'm a total control freak, even if I do try to disguise it, and not knowing where my life is going is kinda keeping me up at night but at the same time I really can't let that get to me because I will turn grey in a matter of months - yes yes I found a grey hair and it's made me freak out...

What's not so scary is looking at the past because what's done is done and doesn't that sound comforting amidst a sea of uncertainty? Sorry, I'll stop using rhetorical questions now. This one's to 2015, to a strange but beautiful year...

I'm stuck

I don't think I've ever done 'chatty' blog posts on here yet, I don't quite know why. It might be because I want this blog to be all about the nice things in my life, the happy memories, the photos that inspire me and I hope you as well. Yup, you've guessed it, I'm a perfectionist and letting people down would be my greatest unhappiness (extra extra points for whoever gets that movie reference).

This blog post will be a tad different, bear with me, since I spontaneously decided to share my experiences with anxiety and where I'm currently at.