16 January, 2017

Life As A Four Eyes


A little introduction here. At the end of last year, I was kindly asked by the lovely people of Belgoptic - a Belgian website that gathers all things glasses, contact lenses etc. - to participate by writing guest posts about opticians and my life as a four eyes.  Of course, I grabbed the opportunity.
You can visit the website here. It's in Dutch and French, so I know some of my reader won't be able to follow the website. That's why I wanted to write a little something extra here. I've been wearing glasses since I was about 9. I remember absolutely hating glasses and switching to contact lenses when I was 14. Even though today I still wish my eye-sight was normal and I could get out of bed seeing the world clearly, I've come to terms with it, because I can wear my contacts. Now, I would love to come to terms with my glasses as well, and that's why I'm doing this quest to find the perfect glasses that suit my face and my personality. I'm 25 now, so it's about time I guess. I'll be giving you some updates about how I get on. But I'd love to know which brands you love!

09 January, 2017

Lipsticks For Every Occasion




At the moment, I'm very much into my matte lipsticks. And I think I've found pretty much the perfect shade for every mood. What if I just want something simple? Got it. What if I want to wear something a little more bold, but not a red? Check. What if I want to wear a staple red? No worries. What if it's A/W and I want something more berry/wine-toned? Done.  
The first one on my list is MAC's Whirl. I saw this in one of Tanya Burr's tutorial's a while back and fell in love. It's the perfect dark nude/brown/90's shade. And most importantly: it's bold but not unwearable. Also, it stays put but wears down beautifully as well. My next favorite is a more recent purchase. Though I love Patisserie and will always wear it, it's just not know for its longevity. Bobbi Brown's Heather Pink is basically the matte sister of Patisserie. I guess this one is closest to my own lip shade, so I bust it out on days I know I won't be able to touch up or when I'll eat or drink a lot - read, most days.On to the reds! Estée Lauder's Restless (aka Kendall Jenner's shade) is my I-feel-so-amazing-in-my-own-skin lipstick. I put it on and it's an immediate confidence boost, even on sick days. It stays put through everything, but doesn't feel uncomfortable. And it's so pretty. So, so pretty.My dark red was something I searched long and hard for. My lips are naturally tinted, and they make every dark red seem more bright. I wanted a dark wine shade, just borderline dark brown, without it looking like I smeared Nutella all over my mouth - which does happens on occasion any way, tbh.  MAC's Sin is the perfect one for me. It's dark, it's matte, it's stunning. The perfect A/W shade.Don't make me choose between these four, 'cause I literally couldn't. They're always in my bag, like little companions for every mood or event. I'm so happy with them.

02 January, 2017

The 2017 Reading Challenge



A new year, a new reading challenge. Time sure goes fast. This year, through the wonderful blog that is Modern Mrs Darcy, I found this fun reading challenge. Twelve books, fun categories. I. Can't. Wait.  
1. A book you chose for the cover - I'm a big sucker for cover art. And there are many beautiful covers for beautiful books I'd love to read. Perhaps The Muse by Jessie Burton or Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. Or maybe I'll be strolling down the aisles of a bookshop one day, and I'll be thrown away by a beautiful cover, and I'll just have to read it.2. A book with a reputation to be un-put-downable - It's been a while since I've read a book I just couldn't stop reading - I think it was Lockhart's we were liars. But after some research, I guess it's between It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover, Kathryn Stockett's The Help or The Catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger.3. A book set somewhere you've never been but would like to visit - Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert is one of those books everyone loves. I've seen the film, but never read the book. And Italy (besides Rome), India and Bali are foreign to me. I've also always wanted to read a Murakami. Norwegian Wood seems the perfect place to start. Japan has interested me greatly since I was a child. Hopefully I can visit sometime soon.4. A book you've already read - Right now, I think I will go for Lockhart's we were liars, Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway, The Royal We by Heather Cocks or The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield. All of these have really stuck with me and I haven't read them in a while. Excited for this category! 5. A (juicy) memoir - Now for this one I have three options in mind: a lifestyle one, a spiritual one and a true memoir. Estée Lalonde's Bloom, When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi or Bare by George Michael.6. A books about books or reading - Such a great category. I've gone for either The Jane Austen Book Club by Fowler, 13 Ways Of Looking At The Novel by Smiley, or Wood's How Fiction Works.7. A book in a genre you usually avoid - I usually avoid science books, for the simple reason that my mind often cannot fathom the subjects, but Sapiens has been on my reading list for a while. I'm usually not too keen on religious or spiritual books, but Timothy J. Keller's Making Sense of God sounds really interesting.8. A book you don't want to admit you're dying to read - I'm not really sure about this category yet, but I'll think about it and get back to you!9. A book in the backlist of a new favorite author - For this one I'd love to read more from Marissa Meyer, Alice Sebold, or another author I'd get to know in 2017.10. A book recommended by someone with great taste - For this one, I'll wait until I get some great recommendations in the beginning of the year. My friends and family are book lovers like me, so I doubt it'll take long!11. A book you were excited to read or borrow but haven't read yet - What an easy category. I've got a lot of books I've been dying to read: The End of The Story by Lydia Davis, The First Bad Man by Miranda July, The House of Sleep by Jonathan Coe... 12. A book about a topic or subject you love - Gosh, so many things come to mind, and I'm sure this will change often, but YouTuber Zanna Van Dijk's Strong seems so motivating.  
That was rather long. Sorry about that. I cannot wait to start reading these books this year. Are you participating an any reading challenges this year? 

07 November, 2016

The Best Fudgy Brownies

Fudy brownies are life. And they are so easy to make, but also easy to get wrong. Here's my favorite way to make them.
First, let's go over the ingredients. You will need:- 150 grams of unsalted butter, at room temperature- 200 grams of dark bittersweet chocolate, melted- 200 grams of granulated sugar- 15 grams cocoa powder- 2 eggs- 85 grams of all purpose flower- a 21 x 21 cm baking pan, lined with butter and parchment paper.
Now, let's proceed. After you melted the chocolate, you put it aside to cool a bit. You then mix together the butter and sugar, until fluffy. You then mix in the eggs, but keep it fluffy. Afterwards, you put in the melted chocolateLastly, you fold in the dry ingredients (flower and cocoa powder). Make sure to just incorporate and don't overmix. Put the mixture in the baking pan, making sure to spread it evenly. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40 minutes. You know it's done when a toothpick poked in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.Let it cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 3 hours, so the fudgy chocolate in the middle can set. Then cut into bars and serve with some icing sugar on top.Thanks to Laura Vitale from Laura In The Kitchen for another mind-blowing recipe. Enjoy!

24 October, 2016

THIS "HYGGE" THING


It's a concept that's been going around for some time now: "hygge". Pronounced /ˈhyɡ̊ə/, with a /u/ sound like the French word une. Translated as 'cosy', yet this translation does not carry the entire weight and cultural meaning of the word. However, what is considered as cosy or snug is probably also hygge. But, where does it come from and why is it so popular nowadays? 
Hygge is a Danish word, and a very important one as well. The Danes are very big on hygge and use the word a lot. In fact, the things I remember mostly about my visit to Denmark in 2015 are their way of life and how everything feels very natural, real and just plain comfortable (this of course contrary to their less attractive weather conditions 70% of the time).After reading Meik Wiking's The Little Book Of Hygge, a few things have become clear. Things that are hygge: candles, snuggly blankets, hot drinks, home-made food, bonfires, board games, reading a good book, hand-written letters, hikes in nature, woolen socks, family activities, gatherings with friends. In short: all things that warm your heart.You can imagine why this concept is something to ponder on and practice in your own life. In our fast-paced, ever changing world, it is nice to sometimes sit back and enjoy. Not only is it nice, it is also vital for our health.With the cold winter months ahead of us, I'll definitely try to add a little hygge to my life: I'll light more candles, read more books, drink tea, bake with my family and friends and just enjoy life, without feeling guilty.What's your idea of a hygge activity?

03 October, 2016

Wedding Planning Update: month 2/12


We've now entered our second month of wedding planning. So far, I'm extremely happy with what we have. We're right on schedule.
What is done? Right now, the most important thing is that we have our venue picked out. It's supposed to be the thing you need to plan first, because the good venues are gone more than a year in advance. I'm really happy we picked one we wanted and that they still had a date free that suited us. It's a gorgeous eighteenth century aristocratic house with a big garden and pond. The people who run it really discuss your desires with you and I love their all-round approach.The next thing we have covered is the photographer. We found this great couple who work for a very reasonably price. We immediately took to them and love the fact that they work in pair, because that way you get such a different style of pictures. So excited to see how they will turn out.Last, but not least, I also found my wedding dress last weekend. Early, I know. My godmother leaves on a six month trip next week, and I really wanted her to be there when I tried dresses on the first time. Little did I know that I'd find the dress on my first go. I love love love it. It's more than perfect. I even teared up, which I wasn't expecting at all. I also loved that my mom, bestie, mother-in-law and sister-in-law where there as well. I'll never forget that day.What is up next? We'll take it more slow the next couple of months, because we saw about 6 venues and that was so intense. When we meet up with the people from the venue, there will be discussions on food, drinks etc. And I guess I'll be on Pinterest a lot, browsing for ideas. Maybe the bridesmaids and I will go on the hunt for their dresses. And I think I'll be looking for some wedding invitation inspiration as well. All in all I think it is going really well. I'm so excited for the next couple of months as well, just browsing and taking notes!