#OBSESSED with these snowy winter city vibes | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

seneon · 1 month

Note

What do your moots remind you of?

wait wait this gonna be a long ass list. all under the cut. interesting question tho anon 😵‍💫

@tojiluv ⌇ ory

the smell of office documents and coffee. you radiate a comforting vibe but at the same time you have like 7261616377271 works for complete so you escape to cafés.

@amourlyns ⌇ ven

sports cars speeding through the night. maybe it's the previous batman theme, but you really remind me of those soothing late night drives through cities.

@itonashi ⌇ shina

bone china mug and any type of tea. i can picture you sitting and drinking tea from the bone china mug and humming to yourself saying "mm yes yes... tea."

@syomi ⌇ syo

wine red stilettos and a jazz bar. you remind me of an elegant woman in an old jazz bar just fancying her night through with a drooling group of men who tries to get your attention.

@anqelically ⌇ angel

japanese cherry blossoms and spring mostly. you're like a pretty sakura. you LOOK like a pretty sakura. you are a pretty sakura. so cute right. ily angel ur really an angel 🩷

@yuquinzel / @luvmequmi ⌇ hana

flowers! definitely a white tulip or a camellia. you're so sweet and you treasure + honour your friends more than yourself. so, you deserve a flower or two occasionally as achievement.

@noomon ⌇ noo

raincoats and gumboots. noo you're like a soul that always goes out after the rain stops just to jump in puddles. or or, you'd go out in the rain just to dance in it.

@caelivir ⌇ kory

a stoic apothecary. idk you remind me of someone who'd be so obsessed with testing poisons and finding a cure/medicine to everything. all done in pure stoicism.

@saewako ⌇ winter

snowy trails and misty fogs. you highly remind me of a tired village girl escaping from home and now she walks through the snow and mist with sore, red feet. heha.

@milyz ⌇ mila

clouds and a farm. you're not working on the farm though. you're a visitor of the farm and you'd sit by the balcony of the inn just to stare into the clouds. bonus if you're drawing.

@hyoismbbg ⌇ vy

konapun toys. especially the popin' cookin' ones. or a japanese drugstore. you're definitely someone who likes to buy bags of stuff from cheap drugstores.

@httpshujii ⌇ ray

red lipstick and leather jackets. add in some knee-length boots and you'll rock the look. to put simply, you remind me of a sweet, kind, and cool rockstar girlfriend.

@okkalo ⌇ kalo

bubblegum and cotton candies! you actually remind me of very sugary treats that either melts in your mouth or will have an enjoyable time chewing.

@saelestia ⌇ rain

vivienne westwood's gunmetal orb heart lighter. fancy and classy, that's the vibe that you give off. i chose a lighter because there's also a fierce and fiery side of you.

@kyoghurts ⌇ kenji

i've said this before, and it's the smell of a bakery. like the scent of a very sweet dessert. red velvet cakes, soufflé, grape-flavoured cheese tarts.

@rninies ⌇ kylin

yves saint laurent's opyum sandles. no because honestly my first thought after like checking your blog out, it reminded me of those ysl heels. and honestly? you'd look good in it.

@iluvies ⌇ luvie

white butterfly koi fishes. they're so majestic and beautiful and they honestly remind me of you, someone's who's so kind and beautiful like a butterfly koi. you're very gentle too!

@todorokies ⌇ knives

would it be funny if i said actual knives? okay maybe not... but daggers or swords. the ones which are freshly forged and ready for battle. you're like a honourable warrior. so kewl.

@steleir ⌇ vegas

penthouse night parties. along with some cool fruit punches, party music, a pool, disco lights, vice versa. all the cool fun stuff during the night because you're a cool and fun person!!

@omitea ⌇ sinnie

green tea and zen gardens. you remind me of a japanese girl who sits by the engawa (wood corridor) of an old japanese-style house's garden, relaxing with nature.

@wishmemel ⌇ safi

pearls. simply... pearls. because you're a really elegant person and all you remind me of is fancy and naturally expensive pearls. you're like a gem, an unobtainable one.

@noirflms ⌇ zen

laces and ruffle skirts. cute, coquette, soft. those are the elements that heavily reminds me of you. maybe even some strawberry shortcake and strawberry milk.

@saturvue ⌇ nyyra

gold jewelry. very specifically gold bangles. those really detailed ones worn by southern asian princesses. your name kind of sounds like a goddess' name too.

@kaiser1ns ⌇ kiki

love letters. those sweet, corny, and super romantic ones. oh and one of the letters which is from a secret admirer definitely talks about being crazy in love with you...

ok that's all. i think i missed a few people but these are all i got LOLOLOL i love all my moots and friends and sennies and senation

#⋆ ❨ anon ❩ ֢֢֢ ۟#⋆ ❨ sennies ❩ ֢֢֢ ۟

44 notes · View notes

miraculousgemscc · 3 years

Text

Not So Berry Extended

I was inspired to write out a few more generations for the Not So Berry Challenge! I’m currently playing it in my spare time as a Vampire Not so Berry (cause why not?) and i’m having a lot of fun playing it and watching others play through the challenge! If you’d like to see more of these or maybe another version of Not So Berry Extended but with more of the careers then please let me know!

NOTE: This hasn’t been play-tested! If whatever’s listed below is impossible to complete please let me know and i’ll make the needed changes!

Gen 11: Black

(Requires Snowy Escape, Get Famous, Parenthood)

Growing up, you always thought you had the perfect life: You had the dream house, the dream family. Until one day you found out that your mother/father/parent had a secret affair. This completely broke you and in order to cope with the news, you decided to become a rebel. I mean, don’t we all go through a rebellious phase in our lives? Your whole perspective on life went 360: you changed your sense of style, your personality, etc. all at once. At least you had the great outdoors giving you comfort during your “everlasting phase”! Your favorite season was Winter because you could ski/snowboard all day, everyday. And what about those dreams you had of becoming a famous skier/snowboarder? Well we can do that too!

Traits: Hot-Headed (give as a teenager), Active, Self-Assured

Aspiration: Extreme Sports Enthusiast

Career: Manuel Laborer, Ski/Snowboarding YouTuber (once you reach Level 10 of Ski/Snowboarding)

Rules:

Must enter “rebellious phase” either at the end of childhood or beginning of being a teenager (you don’t need PH for this, it’s just apart of storytelling) (this is when the black color of this gen. should occur)

Must get the Argumentative, Insensitive and Uncontrolled Emotions Character Value traits (PH)

Must max either the Skiing or Snowboarding skill (SE)

Must enter the Manuel Laborer job as a teenager and stay in that job

Once your able to create Snowboarding videos, you must make your money off of your videos only

Reach at least Rising Star of Celebrity level (GF)

B-Lister is preferred but since getting fame with Get Famous is hard as it is Rising Star is ok

Must move to Mt. Komorebi (SE)

Gen 12: Dark Academia

(requires Get to Work, Nifty Knitting) Your mother/father/parent was one of the most famous skier/snowboarders in Mt. Komorebi. She/He/They always encouraged you to spend your time outdoors and take in the fresh air. Yet, you preferred to spend your time indoors, curled up in bed with your tea and book in hand. You craved to enter the fictional worlds you’ve read in your books from a young age. When you entered high school, you found your love for the arts and decided that you’d become an artist. At least then you could bring the worlds you’ve read to life on a canvas! And why not have a little snack while we’re at it? You can just learn some new foods you can make through cooking books after all!

Traits: Bookworm, Creative, Art Lover

Aspiration: Painter Extraordinaire

Career: Stay-at-Home Painter, Painter career (⚠️Only if you get offered the job⚠️)

Rules:

Must complete the Painter Extraordinaire aspiration

Must max out Painting skill, Cooking or Gourmet Cooking skill and Photography skill (GTW)

Must make your money through your paintings only

if you get a call about joining the Painter career, you must accept

Must move into a “rundown” lot/apartment with only a kitchen, bathroom, and a bed (and maybe your books if you want but you can’t sell these for money)

your funds when you move out after moving into your house must be $60

(this will be enough for your painting and some extra money to spend elsewhere)

Must have a library in your house

Must have 3 kids (biological or adopted)

spouse must be employed as a Salaryperson and/or Business career (recommended if it’s game generated but you can give them either job yourself)

can only marry partner towards the end of adulthood

Must purchase Knitting Skill Book 1 from bookshelf (NK)

Gen 13: Pastel

(requires Nifty Knitting, Get To Work, Get Together) Your family was pretty stable for the most part. Sure, you may have had trouble paying the bills here and there but what mattered most is that your family was together. Even though you enjoyed your mother/father/parent’s love for Forrest Green, Rosy Brown and overall Earthy tones you felt like you needed a bit more color in your life. And by color, you mean bright and colorful. One day while going through your mother/father/parent’s library you discovered a book on knitting. Figuring your mother/father/parent spent all of their time cooking and painting anyways you decided to take the book and learn how to knit. Yet, knitting cute decor and beanies isn’t going to put food on the table and a roof over your head. Guess running your own business is going to have to wait. Oh yeah, you also have a weird obsession with the letter B...

Traits: Perfectionist, Cheerful, Childish

Aspiration: Lady/Lord of the Knits

Career: Barista (teen), Business (young adult), Business owner (adult)

Rules:

Must complete the Lady/Lord of the Knits aspiration

Must max out Knitting skill, reach required skills needed for jobs before quitting them (ex. If you need Level 3 of Charisma for the Business career but you’ve age up to an Adult, you must reach level 3 before quitting the job)

Must Donate to Charity at least once a week

Quit your career in Business and open your own business as an adult (GTW)

Must get 2/5 stars for your business

Must live in Windenburg and have your business in the Old Platz neighborhood (GT)

Must create a Knitting Club and meet your friends (GT) when you reach Level 3 of the Knitting skill

Can only have relationships with immediate family (siblings, parent(s), grandparent(s), aunts/uncles) until you create the club. Once you create the club you may make friends.

Must become good friends with club members and best friends with one of the members

Marry your partner from the Knitting Club

Must have their first and/or last name start with B (you can cheat the name if you want)

Gen 14: White (Requires Get Famous, Get Together, City Living) Living in Windenburg for most of your life, you always loved how the town was so inclusive to everything and everyone. You always found yourself vibing with the music and dancing whenever you had the chance. But you also had a passion for music, specifically rap. While browsing the internet one day you came across some videos about some kid with blue hair rapping with his friends and you immediately became obsessed. (yes, I just made a FNF reference) From that day on, you wanted to become a Triple Threat: a dancer, musician, and a producer! The world isn’t stopping anytime soon so you gotta act fast and get your dance on!

Traits: Dance Machine, Music Lover, Geek

Aspiration: Musical Genius

Career: Entertainer Rules:

Must max the Dancing skill, Media Production skill, and Guitar/Violin/Piano skill (your choosing) reach level 6 of Singing skill

Must complete the Entertainer career

Must be signed to a Record Label and release your music (GF)

Must marry someone named Keith and has the Proper trait (you may cheat the name only)

Have a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner in high school but break up with them before becoming a Young Adult

must be Hot and Cold with High School love (negative friendship, positive romance)

Have Dance Battles with your friends at least once a week

Have at least 2 Enemies (you can have more if you wish) (this doesn’t include your High School love)

Gen 15: Navy Blue

(Requires Discover University, Eco Lifestyle, Parenthood) Growing up you tend to lean towards a more sophisticated lifestyle thanks to your father. With having good role models around you and supportive parents, you were able to pursue your dreams of becoming a lawyer. Helping those in need was one of your biggest goals in life. The world right now isn’t perfect and you strive to change the world for the better. Having been the smartest kid throughout your school career, you were given the chance to jump straight into the Law career. Although you were grateful for the opportunity, you decided to continue your studies and learn as much as you could before going into Law.

Traits: Proper, Ambitious, Genius

Aspiration: Academic

Career: Law

Rules:

Must complete the Law career

Become a Private Attorney

Must max out Research and Debate, reach level 5 Logic skill, reach level 8 Charisma skill

Must complete the Whiz Kid aspiration and Academic aspiration

Must attend college for the Law career (you may disable aging while you go to college if you want)

Must get an A in school (child and teen)

Must have the Responsible and Mediator Character Value traits

Must make your neighborhood a Green neighborhood (EL)

Attend volunteer events at least once a week (PH)

Never get married, only have 1 child

(can have boyfriend/girlfriend/partner)

Must move to Britechester when you start the Law career (you can live in Britechester while attending college if you want)

Gen 16: Phoenix

(Requires Vampire) You grew up wanting more from the world besides all of the “change the world” stuff your mother/father/parent kept blabbering on about. Instead of changing the world, you wanted a change of scenery. While roaming the world trying to find your new normal you discovered the world of Forgotten Hollow. There, you met your soulmate and later the person who would eventually turn you into a vampire. As crazy as it sounds, the minute you became a Young Adult you up and left your home in Britechester and moved to Forgotten Hollow. This you thought was it! You were finally free to be yourself! Until the dreaded accident.....

Traits: Loves the Outdoors, Romantic, Erratic

Aspiration: Master Vampire

Career: none

Rules:

Must purposely burn in the sun and die

Must have no kids

Must complete Master Vampire aspiration except the, “Survive for an Additional 20 Days as a Vampire” section (you must Die by Sunlight before this reaches the full 20 Days)

Must max Vampire Lore skill and Pipe Organ skill, reach level 5 Gardening skill

Have your own garden in Forgotten Hollow and make your money through your garden only

Must unlock the Thin Skinned weakness from Vampire levels

Must immediately move out as a Young Adult to Forgotten Hollow

your partner must be a Vampire and turn you into a Vampire

And that’s it! I hope you find this as interesting as I did! :D

If your wanting more ways to spice up your gameplay, I have a save file that i’ve been working on the past couple of years! You can find it here.

#nsbe #not so berry #not so berry extended #thesims4 #the sims 4 #sims4challenges #sims4challenge #sims 4 challenge #sims 4 challenges #nsb #ts4 #misc.#miraculousgemscc

18 notes · View notes

livingwellpage · 6 years

Text

How to Motivate Yourself to Go to the Gym on Cold, Dark Days

[brightcove:5587982423001 default]

I love to work out, and as a senior editor at Health, it's a big part of my job. But I'm the first to admit that exercising when days turn cold and dark can suck. It's pitch black when my alarm goes off for a before-work workout, and it's dark again by 4 p.m. Plus, living in New York City means snowy, wind-chilled treks to the subway to get to my fitness locales.

But one thing I know very well about myself is that my mood sinks drastically in fall and winter. Exercise is in part an antidote to my winter blues. Because of that, I've found little tricks that help me stay consistent—and in turn happier and with more pep in my step overall—through the cold-weather months. Read on for the fall and winter workout motivation hacks that work for me . . . that might just work for you too.

RELATED: 7 Emily Skye Workout Videos We're Obsessed With

Wake up to light and music

If I'm working out in the morning before work, the toughest part for me is physically getting out of bed. Once I'm up and standing, I'm set. So when my alarm goes off, I immediately switch on my bedside lamp and stream my Spotify workout playlist from my phone. Even if I lie in bed for a few minutes longer, the gentle light and good tunes keep me alert enough so that I won't doze off again and ditch.

Or treat yourself to an early holiday present and invest in Sonos wireless speakers. The Sonos mobile app allows you to set alarms so you can wake up to your pump-up playlist—a tip I learned from Ashley Wilking, an instructor at Rumble Boxing in New York City and a Nike trainer.

"I love choosing my songs based on what my day looks like," Wilking tells Health. "If I need to wake up at 4 a.m. to teach class, I like something to pump me up—I'll go for a rap or hip-hop mix. If I'm getting up to start my day but want to keep a mellow vibe, I'll go for the Coffee House Chill or Indie Acoustics playlists on Spotify."

Warm up on the way to the gym

If you're like me and can't (or just don't like to) work out at home, you have to find a way to make the chilly gym commute more manageable. If weather permits and it's safe to do so, try using the journey as a warm-up opportunity. "I always ride my Citi Bike to class in the morning," Wilking says. "It gets you moving before you have to move in your workout."

Wet or icy roads preventing you from jogging or biking your way there? Distract yourself with good music or a podcast. "I put on an audio book—my current listen is You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero—and take Mia, our mini Australian shepherd, for a walk along the water," Wilking says.

Follow a fitness influencer

Like many humans, I wake up and scroll social media for a bit before getting out of bed, which helped me discover the Insta-story of Joelle Cavagnaro, a personal trainer and high school health and physical education teacher in the New York City area.

Cavagnaro is awake at 5 a.m. every morning and chronicles her dark walk to the gym, her workout, and her (still dark) hike home. She provides hilarious commentary and super motivational words of advice. Watching Cavagnaro's efforts every single day makes me think, if she's out there getting it done before the sun is up, I can do the same.

"Knowing that I have people following my journey, my workouts, my routine, helps me to stay on track, just as much as it helps them," she tells Health.

RELATED: It's Better to Work Out With Other People Than by Yourself. Here's Why

Become a regular

For many months now, I've been hooked on a particular fitness studio—Switch Playground—and I've been more consistent than ever with my workouts. I'll get there rain (or cold, or wind) or shine.

To start, I love the actual workout—and that is key when it comes to making a fitness habit stick, especially during the toughest time of year to do it. ("It’s pretty hard to stick to a workout plan you hate," Cavagnaro points out. "If you hate the treadmill, don’t go on the treadmill.")

But another major part of what gets my butt to class is that I've become close with many of the instructors. I'll drop them a message, like, "I'm coming to the 7:15; I'm exhausted so I need a good push tonight!" Giving them that heads-up that I'm attending holds me accountable; and having a dialogue with the folks there makes the actual working out part less of a chore and more like a visit with friends.

So if you love a particular class, make it a point to say hi to the instructor and share your fitness goals. That way, you're expected to show up each week to meet them. Prefer to sweat by yourself at the gym? Introduce yourself to trainers and other gym regulars around the floor; chat with the guys and girls at the front desk. (Cavagnaro gets a "Sup, Big J?" from other early-bird exercisers at her gym.) The camaraderie will inspire you—as will a "Where have you been?!" if you disappear for too long.

RELATED: Winter Skin Annoyances, Solved

Find (reliable) workout buddies

"Committing to a workout with a friend is a great way to make sure you get yourself out the door, as no one likes to let their friends down," Oliver Lee, a personal trainer in New York City and a former Barry's Bootcamp instructor (and one of my workout buds who I can always count on), tells Health.

Even if you don't like working out with a partner, you can benefit from the support of like-minded friends and family, Cavagnaro says. "I work out alone, and that works best for me," she explains. "But my husband and I are both passionate about the gym. We go to the gym together on weekends, separate for our workouts, and then meet up again after to walk home together."

I also often times reach out to people with little gym "check-ins." My mom and I, for example, cheer each other on via text, and we do this more often when the weather gets gross:

Commit to an early bedtime

As tempting as it is to stay up to watch one more episode of Stranger Things, powering down electronics and hitting the sheets at a reasonable hour is critical if you're going to beat winter tiredness and make it to the gym. This is the right time of the year to turn in on the early side, when darkness and chilly temperatures make curling up under the covers so ideal.

"I can’t stress this enough to my clients, my students, or anyone else trying to have a productive day," Cavagnaro says. "I could never do what I do without adequate rest and recovery time. I know my body and I know that I need at least eight hours of sleep to be a functional, productive member of society—and to have energy for my morning workout."

Cavagnaro also suggests thinking of an a.m. workout as the ticket to an energized day, rather than something you need to find energy for. "My workout itself is like my morning coffee," she says. "It starts my day, gives me the energy to get going, and sets up my day for productivity and success."

RELATED: 11 Warm Recipes for Cold Weather

Schedule workouts strategically

Sweating it out after work? Don't leave yourself time to stop off at home first . . . and get sidelined by something great on TV or your never-ending social feed. "I tend to plan my workouts around times that I will be out of the house already, either on my way to a meeting or on my way home," Lee explains. "That way, I'm already outside."

Cavagnaro agrees: If she does have to hit the gym after school instead of at her typical 5 a.m. session, she brings all of her gear with her and goes straight from the classroom. "The motivation to go definitely dwindles down if you stop home, have a snack, have to change," she says. "I find that going right from work to the gym, alleviates those 'should I really go?' thoughts."

To get our best wellness tips delivered to you inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter

Talk yourself out of your excuses

There are still times I find myself in the comfort of my warm apartment coming up with every excuse in the book to avoid bundling up and mobilizing. When it happens, I like to remind myself of this: In the amount of time you will spend sitting around making excuses, you could be half way through a workout by now. (Slightly cheesy? Yes. But it works for me.)

I also ask myself what I would do in that time when I could be getting in a workout. Would I do a load of laundry? Would I meal prep for the next few days? Would I watch Sex and the City reruns? If I'm exhausted and know I'll use the time to do something else productive, I cut myself some slack. But if my gut tells me I'll waste the hour being lazy, I'll get my butt off the couch and do something to crank my heart rate, even if that means walking on an incline on the treadmill for 15 minutes.

How to Motivate Yourself to Go to the Gym on Cold, Dark Days published first on your-t1-blog-url

0 notes

brandyfields66-blog · 6 years

Text

How to Motivate Yourself to Go to the Gym on Cold, Dark Days

[brightcove:5587982423001 default]

But one thing I know very well about myself is that my mood sinks drastically in fall and winter. Exercise is in part an antidote to my winter blues. Because of that, I've found little tricks that help me stay consistent-and in turn happier and with more pep in my step overall-through the cold-weather months. Read on for the fall and winter workout motivation hacks that work for me . . . that might just work for you too.

RELATED: 7 Emily Skye Workout Videos We're Obsessed With

Wake up to light and music

Or treat yourself to an early holiday present and invest in Sonos wireless speakers ($141; amazon.com). The Sonos mobile app allows you to set alarms so you can wake up to your pump-up playlist-a tip I learned from Ashley Wilking, an instructor at Rumble Boxing in New York City and a Nike trainer.

"I love choosing my songs based on what my day looks like," Wilking tells Health. "If I need to wake up at 4 a.m. to teach class, I like something to pump me up-I'll go for a rap or hip-hop mix. If I'm getting up to start my day but want to keep a mellow vibe, I'll go for the Coffee House Chill or Indie Acoustics playlists on Spotify."

Warm up on the way to the gym

Wet or icy roads preventing you from jogging or biking your way there? Distract yourself with good music or a podcast. "I put on an audio book-my current listen is You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero-and take Mia, our mini Australian shepherd, for a walk along the water," Wilking says.

Follow a fitness influencer

"Knowing that I have people following my journey, my workouts, my routine, helps me to stay on track, just as much as it helps them," she tells Health.

RELATED: It's Better to Work Out With Other People Than by Yourself. Here's Why

Become a regular

For many months now, I've been hooked on a particular fitness studio-Switch Playground-and I've been more consistent than ever with my workouts. I'll get there rain (or cold, or wind) or shine.

To start, I love the actual workout-and that is key when it comes to making a fitness habit stick, especially during the toughest time of year to do it. ("It's pretty hard to stick to a workout plan you hate," Cavagnaro points out. "If you hate the treadmill, don't go on the treadmill.")

So if you love a particular class, make it a point to say hi to the instructor and share your fitness goals. That way, you're expected to show up each week to meet them. Prefer to sweat by yourself at the gym? Introduce yourself to trainers and other gym regulars around the floor; chat with the guys and girls at the front desk. (Cavagnaro gets a "Sup, Big J?" from other early-bird exercisers at her gym.) The camaraderie will inspire you-as will a "Where have you been?!" if you disappear for too long.

RELATED: Winter Skin Annoyances, Solved

Find (reliable) workout buddies

I also often times reach out to people with little gym "check-ins." My mom and I, for example, cheer each other on via text, and we do this more often when the weather gets gross:

Commit to an early bedtime

"I can't stress this enough to my clients, my students, or anyone else trying to have a productive day," Cavagnaro says. "I could never do what I do without adequate rest and recovery time. I know my body and I know that I need at least eight hours of sleep to be a functional, productive member of society-and to have energy for my morning workout."

RELATED: 11 Warm Recipes for Cold Weather

Schedule workouts strategically

To get our best wellness tips delivered to you inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter

Talk yourself out of your excuses

0 notes

abiteofnat · 6 years

Photo

RUN RUN REINDEER TO DOWNTOWN CHICAGO...

Because we got holiday spirit out the wazooooo in 90% of the restaurants, cafes, bars, and every street along the way. There’s really no way to escape the Christmas trees (or non-denominational holiday foliage?) when you’re walking to and from anywhere between Division Stand Jackson Ave, and forget about avoiding any kind of light strand strewn over/on/through EVERY SURFACE. I personally adore it and let each tiny lightbulb light up my soul, only enhanced by the smile upon my face as the bus displaying “Seasons Greetings” with little terribly animated reindeer pulls up to take me to my Christmas shopping. The bitter cold has arrived, but the holiday cheer is keeping us all toasty. (See what December does to me? I’m unbaked sugar cookie dough, all pale and mushy with comfort and love).

The best thing besides Chicago’s outdoor city spirit is the effort to decorate the inside of most dining establishments to make everything a little bit warmer and festive. There’s nothing like sitting under a lot of sparkly lights and surrounded by bows, fake snow, and seeing a boozed-up hot chocolate on every menu, but let’s be real- WE GO FOR THE PHOTOS. If you’re an Insta-hoe or a simple mom looking for that xmas card-worthy photo, you want that big ole pimp of a tree sparkling behind your DSLR/iPhone 8. I would consider myself a bit obsessive about this and harbor zero shame- if you’re happy as a clam and feeling that new turtleneck, you use those limited edition backgrounds to your ADVANTAGE and you better WORK. So, where can you find these spots? Good food AND good content? Oh honey. Let me tell you.

FOR BREAKFAST...

1. Pierrot Gourmet at The Peninsula

Ok before you see “Peninsula” and decide this is way too fancy for your typical brekkie, take my word for it- they are all for you rolling up in your leggings and a beanie and ordering their fine ass breakfast at a reasonable price. Pierrot Gourmet is thee more casual-cafe dining option that the hotel houses right on the corner of Rush St and E Superior, which makes it ideal for enjoying a beautiful pastry or omelette and then hopping over to Michigan Ave for some shopping! If you have your family members with you or want to go on a cute breakfast/lunch date on a blustery day, this couldn’t be more perfect. They have lots of *tasteful* holiday decor, cute little windows to sit in and get that sipping-a-cappuccino-and-pondering-life photo, and a cheese + egg flatbread which is DELISH. Oh, and a whole bakery case full of gorgeous cakes & tarts if you’re just looking for a pick-me-up. Super accessibly chic, super delicious.

FOR LUNCH...

2. Bub City

This place offers it all: a refreshing drink or draaank depending how you feel by 1 p.m., lots of lights, and delicious BBQ meals served super casual but NEVER lacking in flavor. Choose from an array of sides like mac & cheese and buffalo tots or charred brussels sprouts and corn off the cob, and then get a big sampler platter for the table! It’s right in River North and takes us to our next location... P.S.- they also have fried pickles!!!

FOR A GIFT OR A TREAT...

3. L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates

Looking for a truffle to give you a sugar spike or a gift box so pretty it’s worth shedding a tear? Go to this chocolate boutique and find out just why Starbucks hot chocolate doesn’t cut it when DRINKING CHOCOLATE IS AVAILABLE. Drinking chocolate is super melty, super creamy chocolate served in a petite cup for enjoying leisurely and on-the-spot, and don’t worry- they also serve coffee. Just to chase down all the chocolate because yes, it is RICH. Build a box of unique, indulgent chocolates for a friend or family member out of their wide selection- from raspberry creme to mice made of white chocolate (!!!) you can’t say no to their little ribbon tails. Fancy chocolate on State St.? Sounds like something out of a damn movie.

FOR COFFEE...

4. 3 Arts Cafe

I know I KNOW this has appeared on here before, but if you know a more exquisite place to grab a cup of coffee then please let me know. While it’s beautiful any time of year due to being exceptionally built and decorated from corner to corner, during the holidays they pack the lights, fake oak branches, dried fruits, and glittering ornaments in from the lobby all the way to the coffee counter. Even just to take a peek at the glass roof and smell the truffle grilled cheese wafting out of the dining area it’s worth it to grab a shockingly delicious cold brew or hot coffee, and who knows- you may just find that perfect couch and buy yourself the perfect Christmas present. As in the cup of coffee, which you can sip while staring at the perfect couch that costs more than 10 years of rent put together.

Other honorable mentions: The Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop on Chestnut St., Leonida’s Chocolate Cafe on Chicago Ave, and the Sunny Side Up coffee shop below the cafe. All have warm specialty drinks as well as a good hot cup o’ joe!

AND FOR THE FINALE...

HIGH TEA! There is nothing more festive, fun, and spirited than holiday tea at a hotel tea room downtown. Get on your nicest threads, make 3 p.m. reservations for a lengthy tea/dinner/champagne extravaganza, and just freaking RELAX. Kick back and enjoy Christmastime like it’s the 1920′s. Since my family is all about having a night out on the town and making memories through fun experiences, we’ve had a lot of Christmas Eves at a lot of teas and it’s one of my absolute favorite parts of the year. Each tea room offers an entirely different vibe, variations of tasty tidbits, and a taste of the high life in the shape of a champagne flute, so let me walk you through them!

1. The Drake Hotel: This hotel is old money all the way, and greets you with a gigantic Christmas tree upon walking in, burgundy, velvet ribbons lacing through all the stairs and handrails, and then the sparkling, silver tea room that is full of real-time carolers and ALWAYS tons of people. This is the classic, Chicago “I AM FANCY” tea that never gets old, so make your reservations!

2. The Langham: This tea offers a view over the river and of all the tall as heck buildings around it, which makes it feel a little more intimate and “modern.” The treats are also modernized but super yummy, and with white comfy couches and chic, metallic trees in the lobby it’s as enchanting as the first winter snow. I really love this location, and for a sexy & sweet afternoon tea with your love? You gotta go!

3. The Four Seasons: This is the ideal mix of the first two places. The Four Seasons offers a classic yet updated tea room (with my favorite bar tacked on- dark velvet chairs, my top wine on the menu, little wasabi nuts in crystal bowls... WHO AM I?) and the best tea menu out of them all. They will bring you as many of anything as you want, are incredibly friendly, and it never gets too busy OR too quiet in there. Family tea or dinner before a big show? This is your place. AND THE DECORATIONS ARE GORG.

Where am I going this year for pre-church high tea you may ask??? That... will be revealed later on! It’s a new location for me as well, which makes it EVEN MORE EXCITING!

I hope this guide guides you through downtown on a snowy shopping day and keeps your belly warm and your sugar levels high. I really can’t get enough of Chicago during the holidays and I’ll be damned if I don’t document every tree I see. Have a happy, safe holidays and I’ll try to get anotha post out before the real madness begins.

Until next time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie

0 notes

garethmateblog · 7 years

Text

Winter in the Netherlands

Just over a year ago, I decided to take part in an early 'Brexit' and move away from my motherland, the UK and begin a new life in the Netherlands. Since then, I have settled into my new life, job and feel very happy within my new surroundings.

My move was relatively straightforward. Firstly, as the distance isn't too far, so I can visit friends and family, when I wish and it is actually very similar to the UK in many ways. I like the language, humour and weather to name just a few, so the transition has been relatively smooth.

Also, my partner is a 'Dutchie' and to build a better future together and establish our family life, it was only right that we were situated in one place. As a result we now reside in the land of cheese and clogs.

Since moving I have feel I have become a little bit more like myself again, more like the person I want to be, perhaps just fully enjoying life and making the of things that come my way. Now I cycle a lot, run a lot and probably rediscovered a part of me that was lost for a while.

I have been really pleased with my new home and surroundings. The Netherlands is a lovely place to live and I feel lucky to be part of the country and the many wonderful things that are on offer. The scenery, the culture and the customs, it is all good.

Moving here is a little bit of a contrast to where I'm originally from. Fair enough, there is no mountains here and a ruggedness I'm so used too. It hasn't really bothered me though, as I now live close to the sea and as the country is relatively small, you can reach almost everywhere within a few hours.

Besides being slightly obsessed with the outdoors, being outdoors and doing outdoors, I'm also slightly disturbed by my fascination with the weather. I think I do have some answers. I'm a Geographer at heart and feel happiest being in the outdoors seeing and experiencing this that working hand in hand with nature.

The Winter is a season I love. I really like the cold, snow, frost, low light and effect this has on the landscape. To have a proper winter is something I really look forward to and when it happens, I like nothing more than putting the appropriate gear and just getting out there an experiencing our beautiful world.

Sadly, in recent years, it has been well documented that global warming is playing its part and with the ever changing jet streams, it means that what was once a pretty much guaranteed cold and snowy winter, now becomes mild, grey and a little uninspiring.

Thankfully, winter here, has not been like last years and it has certainly been a great delight to see some cold, frost days. Recently, the weather has been cold and clear for a long period, which has lead to some brilliant opportunities to not only discover my surroundings a little more, but also capture some potentially great photographs.

As I continually highlight, I'm not a photographer and everything I do is either through learning from others, being inspired by others, or simply learning from my mistakes. I have a good camera, but predominately take images (out and about) on my smartphone. This winter has given me another chance to experiment with those potential opportunities and where possible I have tried to do that while either being out on my bike or out on a run. It might sound bizarre, but it is good to multi task and due to the fact I'm slightly obsessed with both cycling and running, it seems only natural that I take a few images along the way.

After taking a shot, I generally have to look at the editing process. I'm really not the best at editing a photo, but it is something I have learnt to improve overtime and with the use of many popular apps and computer based software, I come up with something I'm happy with. To bore you with the overall editing process is a pain I wish not to put you through. I personally find it so boring listening to others telling, writing or vlogging 'how they edit a photo' and if that 'floats your boat' then I will leave that upto the 'so called' experts. For me, life all about finding things out for yourself and learning from your mistakes? My job is to teach and develop young minds, by taking control and influencing too much, can diminish creativity and as a result everything just turns out the same.

Maybe it's really just me, but I prefer to be different and I like it to remain that way. I'm not one to follow the crowd or make out to be something I'm not, there is no point, as you only get found out in the end. Go figure!

Being armed with a bike and camera is a pretty lethal combination, as sometimes the opportunity or moment arises where the perfect shot is just being laid out in front of you. With that in mind, I don't particularly go looking to shoot, basically I don't have the time. I just take the chance while cycling to work or completing a training session at the weekend, and to be perfectly quite honest, I like it that way. I work hard in the week (educating and inspiring others) and I really look forward to good family time at the weekend. It is so very valuable, as we're always so aware that life is so short. Therefore, I actively seek every chance / opportunity to utilise my time management wisely.

I also like the feeling of just living my life, in the moment or I guess, in the context of photography, just capturing the moment. In my opinion, for what its worth, capturing the moment means that if I see something spontaneous that appeals, I will try my very best to capture it, as opposed to purposely going out, setting up and taking some specific. I would be good if I could work that way, but I'm personally someone who doesn't live there life by a plan. Of course, I have some routines, but I feel when you do go out looking, you don't always end up finding what you are looking for. Of course... others might see things differently than me and of course have their opinion, but... that is just me, using the time I have.

The landscapes here in the Netherlands always offer some great opportunities to take an abundance of water shots, with the many inland waterways and lakes scattered all around the country. Lonely trees, sitting in the wide expanse of an open flat polder and many long, straight cycle paths, that help to give a wonderful sense of perspective and point of view, of the wider surroundings. I live in the South of Holland, so it is predominately flat and exposed to what nature throws at it. Further to the East there is fantastic array of woodland that stretches to the German border. Here too some wonderful images are also be captured and on a regular basis, by talented photographers, who maximize the natural elements of light and shadow, within their beautiful surroundings.

Since moving here I have realised that the winters in the Netherlands can be rather spectacular, as (high above) when the air masses naturally collide, there can be many days where there is an abundance of lingering fog, ice encrusted landscapes, fields, trees and bushes covered in thick frost and snowfalls that can create a wondrous scene, especially in the woodland areas.

Last year, the weather just seemed to be typically the same. With prevailing winds from the south west establishing a gloomy, grey facade that pretty much lasted all season long. As a result the weather was windy and raining, pretty much all of the time. So much so, that it was nasty at times and annoying when I was out and about cycling. Thankfully, so far this year, we have been really lucky and had a varied conditions, that have generally been a great mix of almost everything.

Images of Winter

The above images are some of the many images that I have managed to capture, while out and about on my travels, during the winter months. So far, it has all been pretty good, with a range of weather types, over the past few months. With that in mind, it has simply been wonderful to just experience some days of lingering thick fog, around Christmas and more recently, a long week of hard frost and beautifully clear skies.

For me, that has been really great to see and something I'm sure everyone visiting here, would love to see too, once the ice arrives and the canals begin to freeze over. The popular winter pastime of skating takes hold. I think the the depth of the ice has to be measured and once the all clear is given, everyone takes to the ice, even pretenders like me.

As previously highlighted (further up) it is definitely something I have never witnessed before and actually seeing it take place in small provincial villages on the route home from work and also in some random places is perhaps what you wouldn't expect to see someone on a cold winters day. In fact the other day I was cycling along, next to a narrow canal, when a man passed me on his skates. He was probably going home from work or doing the shopping, but it was out in the middle of nowhere and just seemed so strange to me.

Whatever the reason, it is a fabulous sight to see and seeing people come together and enjoy something collectively, as a community or club is a pretty good vibe. Unfortunately, what snow we have had this winter has been relatively sparse. I live in the city of Rotterdam and also we are closely located near the sea. Here the winds maintain a warmer feel to things and if I want to see some substantial snowfalls, I would probably have to head to the higher ground near Limburg or even across the border into Germany. Hopefully before the winter is out, I can get to see something of these areas, as I have only visited once in the summer months.

Thank You

I would like to extend a big thank you for taking the time to read my musings. I don't have all the answers and certainly don't profess to be an expert at anything I do. I again just live my life to the full and want to experience, as much as possible.

For me, writing a blog is a way of not only sharing thoughts and topics with my friends and family, but also perhaps appeal to a wider audience, that may choose to read, listen and comment, sharing there views.

With that I fully appreciate any comments, support or criticism. I look at it all with an open mind and of course use it as a vehicle of not trying to improve my work, but also a source of inspiring me to attempt something new.

I will not only 'forge my own path', but I'm significantly inspired by others and the things they do, achieve or their own unique view on things. With that in mind I would like to share some others in the Netherlands, who consistently produce work that not only inspires me to greater things, but also captures the wonderful Netherlands in their own personal way.

@claireonline

@vincentcroce

@rjansen1967

@erikhageman

Of course there are many others out there and many I also admire, but in particular these are the people that have significantly influenced me when living in the UK and also now that I live in the Netherlands.

For more of their inspiring work, please click on the links above.

Next month, I travel back to the UK and hope to document something new then. Please look out for some future posts.

Instagram Feed

Latest images from @gm8ty

Social Media

If you are not already doing so please feel free to follow me on the following social media platforms.

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Strava

#Netherlands #Weather #Seasons #landscape #Life #Living #outdoors #Outdoor Living #Cycling #Hiking #Europe #england #Experiences #Photography #Perspective #POV #Inspiration

0 notes