bloomzy, Author at Bloomzy

bloomzy / June 8, 2015

Berlin Travel Diary | Neues Museum

Neues Museum | Berlin, Germany | Website

Museum island is a must-visit for anyone in Berlin. As well as this, I’m a bit of a culture nut, so it was obvious it would appear in my Berlin travel diary. If I had been travelling alone, I would have visited every museum in the vicinity. However I wasn’t, and I wanted to be considerate to V.A (as having grown up in Berlin, the museums were known to her). So when she asked me of any “must do” items for the trip, I knew exactly what to answer – the Neues Museum.

Ever since I was a little girl I have had a fascination with Ancient Egypt, and it’s safe to say that my interests have not wavered in adulthood. A friend of mine visited Berlin last year and told me “you need to go, just to see the Ancient Egyptian artefacts”. Then just before our trip to Berlin I read Yasumi & Hiro’s post on the Neues Museum. The history behind the museum is moving; it was bombed during World War II and remnants of this can still be found today in the bullet holes that litter the walls. I was intrigued to see the restoration it had undergone, especially as Berlin is a city that chooses to remember its scars, and not paint over them.

What I received from the museum was so much more than I had been hoping for. The museum is home to Ancient Egyptian architecture and art, prehistoric objects, antiquities, and of course the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti. In fact it would seem that people had come from near and far to view the bust. As proven by one lovely old Italian woman who would comically shout “Nefertiti?” to her husband, every few minutes. The bust of Queen Nefertiti was a must-see on this visit for us also. To finally be stood in front of something I had longed to see since my childhood – it may sound silly, but it was a pretty big deal for me. All I can say is, it was as magical today as it would have been twenty years ago.

You can check out the rest of my Berlin Travel Diary series here.

bloomzy / June 6, 2015

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bloomzy / June 4, 2015

OOTD: Sakura Dream

Blazer: Missguided* | Top: Cheap Monday | Skirt: Helmut Lang | Boots: Glamorous*

Isn’t cherry blossom just dreamy? You could put anything beside it and people would ooohhh and aaahhh. Luckily for me I spotted some beautiful (albeit fake) cherry blossom at my recent visit to Sake no Hana. My all black outfit contrasted well against the pink of the tree. I’m so envious of people who can layer black on black – I’m looking at you Alice. It’s almost an art form. It would seem I unconciously had this in mind when I wore this outfit. I didn’t really think of layering black items. Actually I just wanted to wear my new Cheap Monday top and Helmut Lang skirt. Still I left the house feeling content with my foray into the world of black ensembles.

Luckily for me there is a ton of inspiration in the London street style scene. Shoreditch is perfect for this. Tailored, minimalism is in, and it’s not going anywhere. Just yesterday I saw a man wearing an all black outfit that made me stare. Clean, straight lines were accompanied by the simplest of accessories: a black briefcase. It may sound a bit odd, but he inspired me so much. Unfortunately I was too shy to ask him for a photograph. Why a photograph? Because whenever I see someone whose style inspires me, I constantly begin working on a street style photo series in my head. Who knows, perhaps fate will bring us together again and I can start that series. And maybe, just maybe, he will impart his wisdom upon me.

Photos of me by V.A (chopstickpanorama)

bloomzy / June 2, 2015

Berlin Travel Diary | Taking in The Sights

Living in a capital city, it can be easy to forget the joy of being a tourist. In fact “being a tourist” can have negative connotations. Case in point: when I visited Berlin I was eager to explore a new city, whilst desperately trying (and failing) not to seem like a tourist. This was partly due to the fact that I was travelling with a Berliner – V.A. I didn’t want to make her do boring tourist stuff. But at the same time I had a list of sights I wanted to see. She assured me though that she didn’t mind taking me to see the landmarks. This is true friendship.

The tourists sights in Berlin are so much more enjoyable than those in London. I was shocked at how spacious Berlin is. There were tourists everywhere, but it didn’t seem crowded at all. There was space to wander freely. I could take photos without having to wait for people to move out of the way. It was wonderful!

Being a foreigner in a new city can be quite daunting at times, but I felt comfortable in Berlin. Transport is easy to navigate, even alone. The people are helpful, and of course, most speak English. I did try to learn a little German, but it helped a lot when I was stuck.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is; Berlin is a great city to be a tourist in.

You can check out the rest of my Berlin Travel Diary series here.

bloomzy / May 31, 2015

Berlin Travel Diary | District Mot Review

District Mot | Vietnamese Street Food | Rosenthalerplatz – Berlin, Germany | Website

Of course the first thing any self-respecting foodie will do when they get off a plane is go in search of food. So it made sense for the second instalment of my Berlin Travel Diary to be a restaurant review. We headed down the street to one of V.A‘s favourite lunch spots – District Mot. District Môt labels itself as Saigon street food. In fact this is Vietnamese food with a slight fusion twist. I had a Vietnamese coffee (the best kind of coffee), and we ordered the Banh Trang Bun Thit Nuong (DIY summer rolls with noodles, chicken and salad, which you wrap in rice paper), and a Bao Burger to share.

The Bao Burger, oh the Bao Burger. Where do I begin? A succulent patty encased inside a steamed boa bun, and topped with mango, herbs and chilli sauce. This is no ordinary burger. I could have easily eaten one of these by myself. However that doesn’t mean I wasn’t happy to share, especially when it meant I could follow it with several summer rolls. One of my favourite things about Vietnamese food is how light it is, and Summer Rolls are a perfect example of this. The clean, fresh flavours of DM’s offering were exactly what I wanted. Of course light food means more room for pudding. I can’t say I’ve had a Vietnamese dessert before, so when V.A ordered Thao Pho Nuoc Doung (silk tofu with a ginger syrup), I was eager to try something new. I love both tofu and ginger, so this is the perfect kind of pudding for me. I even nibbled on the ginger root, something I realised is probably a little odd…but I adore the fiery kick.

We paid €12 (around £8.50) each, with soft drinks. As a Londoner, this is amazing value. I was told that this is one of the more expensive street food restaurants in Berlin, but I would happily pay this again and again. V.A had waxed lyrical about District Mot and I can honestly say that I now share her sentiments entirely. If you’re ever in Berlin, make sure you stop by – you won’t regret it!

You can check out the rest of my Berlin Travel Diary series here.

bloomzy / May 29, 2015

OOTD: Greetings, from Berlin

Jacket: Primark | Dress: Warehouse | Trainers: Nike | Backpack: ASOS

What do you wear when you go to a city known for it’s fashion? This particular question ran through my mind as I packed my suitcase for Berlin. I only wanted to bring 6 outfits for 6 days, so I knew I had to plan meticulously. Right down to the last midi ring on my little finger. This isn’t something I usually do when I travel. I’m a little haphazard and I end up throwing in half my wardrobe, as I want the freedom to “decide on the day” – but we all know how that goes. I end up annoyed with myself for bringing 5 jumpers and I only end up wearing 1 dress that I’m not even 100% happy with.

But you know what? I think I did pretty good for myself this time. With only a couple of key pieces (and a few accessories) I was able to put together several outfits that I was really pleased with. This one in particular was comfortable enough to meander around museums for the day; but at the same time I still felt as though I had put an effort into my look. It probably isn’t anything new to most of you, but my mind has been blown by this little “life hack”. I will definitely be bringing a lighter, more stylish case next time I travel.

You can check out my Berlin Travel Diary series here.

Photos of me by V.A (chopstickpanorama)

bloomzy / May 24, 2015

Berlin Travel Diary | Let Me Take Your Bags

Mani Hotel, Torstraße 136, 10119 Berlin, Germany

Let’s start from the beginning. Having never travelled to Germany I had always wanted to visit Berlin. So when V.A suggested a holiday in the capital – with her as my tour guide – I could hardly say no…could I? They say good friends should never travel together, but we were confident that we wouldn’t be screeching at each other by the end of the holiday. So we packed our bags and hopped on a plane to the home of curry wurst.

The Mani Hotel had kindly offered to put us up for our first night in the city, and after a relatively short train journey from the airport, we dropped off our bags and freshened up. The hotel is located in Rosenthaler Platz, Mitte, which just so happened to be the area we had marked down for its variety of restaurants and shops. We explored the area a little (something I’ll go into more detail on in the next post), and it did not let us down. Later we caught up with a friend (and a heavy rain shower) before rushing back to the hotel for dinner.

I don’t usually “do” food at hotels. I prefer to explore the restaurants nearby, but we could hardly say no when the Mani so graciously offered us a dinner and breakfast package. After a 2am start, we were running on only 3 hours sleep, and the idea of only having to take a lift back to our cozy bed was glorious. Luckily for us the food at the Mani hotel is not an afterthought to a room, instead it elegantly compliments your stay. The sharing plates for dinner were a modern fusion of French and Arabic cuisines. However it was the breakfast buffet (which non hotel guests can have for only €15) that excited me most. It was like letting a child loose in a sweet store. The food here is prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients, and presented beautifully. If I were to visit Berlin again I would definitely visit the Mani hotel and restaurant. In fact I’m considering catching another flight back asap just for those breakfast meatballs!

You can check out the rest of my Berlin Travel Diary series here.