Manic Monday | It's sanni-licious

Sep 22

[Please click *here* to see my Creative Photography entry and Weekend Snapshot]

Formula

My formula for perfect relaxation:

Book a flight, pack your bags and loved ones - and get away from it all. If you have something to celebrate during your escape it’ll be even more fun…

We escaped rainy Germany last week and went on a relaxing journey to Varna, Bulgaria, celebrating my parents 40th anniversary and my dad’s birthday.

Varna lies on the same latitude of the famous Atlantic resorts Bayonne and Biarritz in France, on a large, flat and high terrace on the northwestern most curve of the bay. It is the gem of the Bulgarian Black Sea, situated at the end of the big Varna Bay, with a convenient and well conserved water area. The city’s peculiar sea charm is sublime and moving. You’ll find ancient, medieval, renaissance and modern cultures mingle throughout the city.

We’ve been on a few sightseeing trips through Varna and the surrounding area, but spend most of the time in the Grand Hotel Varna, St. Constantin - Bulgaria’s oldest Black sea resort, located 10 km north of Varna. The hotel is situated in a fine old park with cypresses, lilies and fig trees. I’m still dreaming of the sunbeds around the pool… and the fantastic spa

Not to forget the delicious Bulgarian food and drinks. It’s a wonder I didn’t gain weight during that vacation! I could take a bath in Shopska salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, roasted peppers, white brine cheese), popara (traditional breakfast dish), baklava (very sweet pastry) and Mastika (a tasty liquor to wash down all that delicious stuff).

I’m pretty sure there will be some additional Varna posts in the future… feel free to lurk into my Varna album on flickR where I’ve added some photos, to kill time.

Now tell me, where did you spent your summer holiday? Or, if you didn’t travel this year, which was your favorite destination so far?

And now…
… our moment of Homer J.:

Homer: There’s your giraffe, little girl.
Ralph Wiggum: I’m a boy.
Homer: That’s the spirit. Never give up.

Aug 18

Go wax yourself!

[Please click *here* to see my Creative Photography entry and Weekend Snapshot]

WAX

While you’re reading this I hopefully caught the plane to Mallorca, Spain. We’re off to inspect some of the houses the estate agent offered us.

You know I’m one of those “be always prepared for everything”-types so one of the last things I did, besides blogging and photographing, was getting a Brazilian waxing… just in case there might be some time to enjoy the sun. I bought the most ugly bikini existing on this planet last Thursday… because my favorite bikini still looks crappy on my after pregnancy me.

It so had to be an ugly bikini to make sure I still want to reach my goal of looking hot in the old bikini instead of accepting me in the new one. That does sound weird? Somehow I can relate.

However… going to the beach in my ugly bikini with some kind of hair no one wants to see is far too much ugliness to cope with. That’s why I got my wax.

Just in case you wonder about the Brazilian bikini wax, don’t know all the details and remain a little shy about asking the proper questions… you know I’m not the shy away from such topics kind. Don’t worry… I won’t post any photos. *g*

Many different styles of Brazilian exist, so you need to be very clear about what exactly you’re wanting. One style includes removing every bit of pubic hair from the top, the bottom, and everywhere in between, while another leaves a kind of “landing strip” or a small triangle of pubic hair. There’s the “Mommy Brazilian”, which entails leaving your frontal pubic hair natural but removing everything from the bottom and between. Then there’s the straight Brazilian, which simply involves getting a nice wax around your bikini line.

Yes, it is uncomfortable - there’s no way around it.

The cardinal rule for any kind of wax is knowing where you are in your cycle. There’s nothing more painful than waxing right before or right after your period. Your skin is extra sensitive, which increases the pain and might increase the likelihood of major irritation and bumps.
Exfoliate all the areas you plan to wax. Use “Tend Skin” between waxes as another preventative measure against ingrown hairs.
Brazilian waxes are not for everyone, so if you’re not ready to be bare down there, take it slow and start off with the “Mommy Brazilian”. There’s nothing wrong with keeping things a little natural and comfortable. Pace yourself.
Most women I know absolutely do not regret removing all the “bits and pieces” from between and behind. That is usually the part most beginners are nervous about exposing and waxing. It doesn’t hurt like you think, and everyone seems to prefer how fresh they feel afterward.
In order for your waxer to remove all the hair, they’ll ask you to get in some very “compromising” positions, so make sure you find someone you like. Ask your friends for recommendations.
If you’re uncomfortable being completely naked during your wax, you’ll have the option of wearing a disposable paper thong, which you’ll be asked to hold taut during the waxing. Once you get to know your waxer, none of this will feel quite so awkward.
Brazilian waxes can be painful, especially the first few times, so I recommend taking an anti-inflammatory an hour before your appointment. The process is fast and the pain is fleeting. Frequent visits will cut down on the pain factor, but I won’t lie to you: the first time hurts.
If your skin appears a little red and swollen after your wax, don’t be alarmed. Removing the hair at the root can ’shock’ the area; however, after a few hours, the redness goes away
After she’s finished, your waxer should give you a cream to apply immediately, which will help soothe the skin. Definitely use it!
Be prepared for the bill: Brazilians can cost up to $50, depending on where you live and where you go. Don’t forget to add a gratuity! A good waxer definitely deserves it!

Yes, obviously women spend a lot of time and money taking care of their hair down there. We trim, shave, endure the agony of Brazilian bikini waxes, do electrolysis, even undergo laser hair removal.

It takes a lot of dedication to have a well maintained bikini area, so do you think guys should do the same?
Tell me, ladies, where do you stand on guys who manscape? What about you, gents? Do you manscape?

And now…
… our moment of Homer J.:

Homer: There’s your giraffe, little girl.
Ralph Wiggum: I’m a boy.
Homer: That’s the spirit. Never give up.

Aug 11

My Life is Murphy’s Law

[Please click *here* to see my Creative Photography entry and Dragon Hunt #1]

BOIL

If anything can go wrong, it will…

Anyone out there who owns a “Time-out”-button? Willing to sell it? Or just borrow for a day or so??? Pretty please…

Looks like it’s not enough I’m completely snowed under, the to-do-list is exploding and I can’t find a way to extend the day from 24 to at least 36 hours… NOOOO!!!

“Splish… splash… splissssssh… splaaaaaash… splish… splish… splash…”

When this lovely sound wakes you up in the early morning instead of your kids you know there’s something wrong going on. Something plain wrong.

In this case it’s water inrush, dripping down from from the upper floor, ruining your parquet flooring, leaving some ugly blotches on the wall. Hooray!!! The sight makes your blood boil.

It’s not the clear kind of water. Nooooo… it looks like urine. Double-Hooray!!! TG it doesn’t smell.

You may ask yourself if there’s a huge incontinent elephant sitting on the roof of your house…

However… the mop will be your best friend for hours and you’ll position any kind of bucket, even champagne coolers. Whatever you try… your not fast enough. The company you called promised to show up in about half an hour.