1 MONTH AFTER X-MAS AND 11 MONTHS TILL X-MAS

I know, it's 25th January - one month after x-mas and 11 months till x-mas and exactly 25 days of the new year. And yes, I finally bought myself an agenda for 2014. Hurray! 

Agenda is always important to me and I might be the last one person alive who still prefers to write down all the tasks I need to do, then stick some notes over it and highlight important meetings. Just the glitter on top of it is the only thing missing. 

So naturally, it was a long decision process. I was considering Moleskin (all time classic, but a little bit boring to me) and Papelote (a Czech brand with the similar inside design but a lot more playful outside design) and in the end I've decided to support regional business and went for this blue-purple stripped one from Papelote.

How about you? I'm sure you all probably already have agendas, but what are your criteria (of you have one)? Share and love :)

Lenka, xx

5 REASONS I LOVE TO EAT BREAKFAST OUTSIDE

I believe that by now almost everyone knows about my food addiction. To be more precise: breakfast / brunch addiction. You all also know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and we should eat breakfast like a king, lunches like a prince and dinner like a pauper. This is a tricky one, as sometimes I eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a king and dinner like a double king. Buy hey, I know this happens to you as well - especially when surrounded by good company.

So here are my reasons why I love to eat breakfast outside and not alone at the dining table in my apartment.

1. I get to meet my friends the very first thing in the morning. What could be possibly better? Just the pure motivation of seeing their faces makes me "jump" out of the bed.
2. And when you have such a wonderful start of the day, the day itself just must be good!
3. I can chose whatever I'd like and don't have to think whether I did grocery shopping the other evening. Or whether I have enough milk in the fridge or more than one egg - haha. Simply anything!!! 
4. It's connected with exercise a.k.a. I have to walk to the place - which is more or less almost like a morning jog. So it's even healthy for me to take breakfast outside! See?
5. And the most important one: I don't have to do the dishes afterwards!

How about you? What are your reasons to take breakfast outside? Or maybe the reasons why you prefer to take breakfast at home? Besides the only advantage and that is: breakfast in pajamas! Bulletproof. 

WHAT CITY SHOULD I LIVE IN?? LONDON!!

Because it's Friday and all of you working friends deserve a lil fun before the weekend. Here is the link for the fun quiz: What city should you actually live in?
I got London and am pretty pleased. Kinda got me right as stated in the results: You probably look pretty awesome in Burberry trench! Oh well - I am super sure I would look, lol.
So go ahead, take the quiz and let me know in which cities you should actually live in!!!
Have fun!
Lenka, xx

THE ART OF DRESSING UP

I should have read article like this ages ago. Or at least half a year ago when I started studying and spent most of the time at home desperate and hopeless to find a job to pass the day. (I still haven't found one - but that's the different story) So yes, my days were proper pajamas days. Because I can study and also sleep in pajamas - what a convenient outfit, isn't it? And I go to the grocery store twice a week, so other five days easy there - in my pajamas. Sometimes I even changed but my home outfit reminds a lot of pajamas, I just don't call it like that. But when spending the whole day in pajama I was so lazy that I didn't even wanna go out with friends when they all finish work in the evening. 
This article "Rituals for the modern woman" published on Darling (yes yes I really like them!) was exactly what I needed to start up again. They are discussing all kinds of rituals which modern woman should have and keep to brighten up her day. From morning cup of coffee to the healthy nourishment during the day and also about the art of dressing, which is sometimes forgotten when working from home. They encourage to dress doesn't matter the occasion. What matters is how we feel about it and sometimes also in it. 
"Maybe you’ll go as far as wearing heels to the grocery store on a Monday night simply because you want to. Dress for how you want to feel regardless of what activities you have planned or what day it says on the calendar." 
I took this little advice literally and decided to put on a red lipstick when headed only to the library. Because I just felt like it. I refused to have all nerdy look with my glasses and comfy shirt. And also because you simply never know where you go after done with studying in library. (Actually speaking of today, I know exactly where I'll be going, and that is home, as I am hosting a dinner for couple friends.) But anyway. You got the point. Right?
So you, ladies of my life, keep this to your heart and never stop dressing up. Bring the little girl who used to spend the whole day in mom's closet back into our lives. Don't let pajamas rule your world - doesn't matter how comfy it is. And also dress up because you never know who you might run into - on the way back from the library.
Love,
Lenka, xx

For the first time on the ice

It was Sunday afternoon and I thought that I'll make it with my friend to see the Italian movie "La Grande Bellazza" (excuse my non-existent-italian-spelling). But she cancelled and that only opened the door for me to join other friends, who decided to go ice-skating. 

Ice-skating. If I remember right, it was on my "to-do-list-for-2014" - to try all the winter sports. Quite honestly I forgot about ice-skating, at all! For some reason I put only skiing and snowboarding on my list. But then I remembered and decided to go! 

Frankly, it wasn't the very first time I tried ice-skating, but the last time I tried it was long long long time ago, so I basically didn't even remember when and where it was. But all in all, I guess I must have been max 3 times on ice before. Which obviously doesn't count and won't make a pro of me!

Anyway - it was SO MUCH FUN!!! I had more fun than on Friday night out. Seriously. Pretty amazing time and I have to add that I wasn't so useless and lame on the ice. Naturally could be better, but I didn't fall!! Which is worth the medal for me :)

Do I have to add that the best part of it was when we decided to have a chai latte afterwards? Let's keep it a secret and enjoy the ice! Can't wait to try it again next weekend.

How about you - Have you ever tried ice-skating? Does the weather in your home allow it? Share your stories!

Lenka, xx

PS: Sorry for the crappy photo, but it was night and my iPhone is old, lol.

Give a girl the right pair of shoes...

Give a girl the right pair of shoes and she can conquer the world. But can I?

I've been obsessed with those shoes ever since I can remember. Or maybe only for a month. Quite honestly I wasn't sure, whether I need a pair of super high heels to take a taxi in them. But my fashion-sence won it over my common-sense. Once again."Moda in pelle" stole my heart. Fully-stop.

So now, I am looking for this perfect occasion to put those perfect shoes on and conquer the world and the city. Franky, quite a task to do, as walking in them is not that easy. But everything for the beauty, style and class.

What is your first purchase of the year? Something useful? Or just like me - something pretty, black and high? Let me know!

Lenka, xx

The magic of the blue box and our first words

When I was traveling back to Prague on the train I was reading Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart. Literally it takes 8 hours to finish - from Kosice to Prague. Quite accurate. And everything I wished for. Not too hard and difficult. In my categories I'd put it into beach read = train read. But still very nice and sweet book. So if you're as into those little blue boxes as I am - go ahead and read it through! 

I was totally mesmerized by the New York 1945 and being part of the Tiffany Family. Everything a girl can wish for - am I right? Got inspired and started to build my air castles - again! It kinda happens to me a lot when reading some inspirational and most of all girlie book. But a girl can dream. And I am a perfect example of a girl. 

Yesterday my girls we around and somehow we were talking about babies and children, all very adult-y and mature topics as we have some friends who actually have kids (are expecting) kids. And we were talking about our first words and how funny it was, that most of us actually didn't say "mama" as the first word, but all different kinds of crazy things, such as "Batman" or "bus". Then it came to me and I have no idea - honestly - what my first word was, but my friend catch me on that and very funnily said: Tiffany! What else?! This got us laughing. A lot. But seriously, have to check with my mom on that.

What was your first word? Something crazy and original? Or "mama" - to make your mom proud and happy :) Share with us - it always brings pleasure to my heart! 

Lenka, xx

My very last x-mas present finally rescued from the post!

I believe that all of you can name me at least 10 advantages of internet shopping in less than a minute. But what if all those perks are just not enough when the x-mas present get stuck in the post?
E-mail communication with the shop was simply unsuccessful as they failed to understand that I'll be leaving town for CHRISTMAS! Of course the parcel arrived the day after I was gone. But not to be all grumpy about the whole situation I have to say that then they sent it over again without a word and just yesterday I finally got to the post office to pick up my very first Birkenstocks. Red for me and coffee-brown for my mom.
I am sure that Csilla and Kitty will be over the moon once reading this.  Csilla - because I'll stop stealing hers.  Kitty - because I won't have to drag her through the stores again! lol
Do you have any inconvenience with x-mas internet shopping? Or internet shopping all in general? I am all ears to hear about it!
Lenka, xx

The edge of exhaustion - Christmas is over!

Christmas is officially over and we all are just super exhausted. Don't know what really happened but I'm constantly yawning, my head aches and my eyes are closing. We have this little saying here, which says that as it is on the New Year - it continues the whole year. So I really really hope that the rest of the year is gonna be more energetic and enthusiastic for me.

It seems that I've almost managed to finish my paper for the university and I can rest for a while. But have the whole journey on a train tomorrow to re-read it again and actually put some meaning and chronology into it. 

And now, the suitcase is almost full and I am trying not to forget anything, but let's face it I always do. But the most important thing is not to forget that I have a train to catch in the morning. This is gonna be an extreme challenge since I've forgotten what morning actually is during this holiday. 

Anyway, I am absolutely positive that all is gonna be fine. I'll have some good reading and open my eyes again in Prague.

Have happy post-x-mas days!!!

Lenka, xx

I'm putting it down - again!

I can't believe that it's already the 3rd of January! Three days past and here I am. Writing down my new year's resolutions. Looking back on my old ones. Thinking why haven't I accomplished them?!

From last year I haven't done only 2 (!!), which is in my opinion pretty good. I still haven't made it to NYC and I still haven't published - like anything! But looking even deeper, there are also some of them missing from past years - I haven't visited my dear friend Blathna in Dublin, haven't found a job which actually pays more than just to get by (even that it exaggerated!), haven't been to the Christmas market in Vienna (I was very disappointed that two years in row I was SO close to go, but then it simply didn't work out :() and I still haven't been to the proper company-organized-x-mas-party (yes, this sounds very silly for all of my friends, family included, but it's simply my big dream. Deal with it! lol).

For this year, I still haven't put them down all. In fact, they are in my head, but took me a long time to find the proper ones, which can actually be accomplished and which I actually wanna accomplish - also important to add. So besides trying all winter sports I haven't tried yet (snowboarding included) and learning how to knit, there are people I've been missing in my life and I'd like to make it up to them - to me. I am planning (so far in my head and imagination) a big trip, to visit my dear friend Csilla in Canada, to visit my cousins in US, AND to add some real life presence to my "whatsapp" and "facebook" friendships - to name the most important one - Nik, it's you.

There are also some of the resolutions I carry with me every year. Which don't change. And which I should always remember. To eat less - to pray more - and to love more. (a little modification of the movie - you all know :))

So what are your resolutions? Have you put them on the paper yet? Or still in your head? And in fact, do you keep them? Join in the conversations! I'd be over the moon - you know me :)

Lenka, xx

PS: How do you like my new x-mas mug? I love it!