TRAVEL INSPIRATION

A QUICK FOOD GUIDE TO STOCKHOLM

12/05/2016 by Kati | black.white.vivid. 6 Comments

Back in November I spent a few days in Stockholm with my boyfriend. We booked our flights spontaneously and hopped on the plan a few days later. We stayed at the very beautiful and super stylish Miss Clara Hotel. Unfortunately or fortunately we were only half lucky with the weather. We had lots of rain but we also had a couple if days of sunshine. Though the weather conditions and low light made this trip slightly challenging.

Photo-wise I couldn’t capture the best moments, neither of the food nor of the city. But there wasn’t a single place we ate at that we didn’t like. So just trust me on this and try all the recommendations of my food guide to Stockholm. It’s not a comprehensive list as we only spent 3 full days (and we had breakfast included in the hotel) in Stockholm. However you’ll find something for everyone. Healthy eats and sweet buns, vegetarian Swedish classics as well as veggie and acai bowls. …

A QUICK SHOPPING GUIDE TO STOCKHOLM

11/24/2016 by Kati | black.white.vivid. Leave a Comment

The last time I visited Stockholm I was in elementary school. I still remember bits and pieces like the one time we went to the outdoor museum. Or how impressed I was about the many islands of Stockholm. But my memories end here. I certainly don’t remember Stockholm’s shopping and design scene. Probably because I was more obsessed about Pippi Longstocking and soft serve than groovy clothes and stylish chairs. Fair enough, I was a kid after all.

So coming back to Stockholm in November this year felt like visiting the city for the very first time. Yes, the timing was quite risky. After all, Scandinavia is not known for its beautiful, sunny and warm weather in late fall. But we had a few extra vacation days that we wanted to spend before Christmas. And flights to Stockholm were somehow cheap. Luckily, there often isn’t much thinking and evaluating involved in our travel planning process. Usually we try to visit new countries or cities we’ve never been before. For Felix, it was his first time to Sweden and thus Stockholm. I however spent most of my childhood summers all over Scandinavia. Since my childhood is a long time ago, I now started revisiting places I went to as a child. And I definitely wouldn’t mind coming back to Stockholm during summer again. I hear the vibe is very different on warm summer days….

BEST HIDDEN TRAVEL GEM IN TURKEY

11/15/2016 by Kati | black.white.vivid. 6 Comments

I found it. Turkey’s most beautiful secret destination. The so called Turquoise coast is probably one of Turkey’s most popular destinations. It’s the white sandy coastline and azure blue water that makes this region a favorite among tourists and locals. But just on the other side of the country where the rough Black Sea meets green woods and rocky mountains. That’s were I want to take you today.

A few weeks ago we hoped on a short plane flight and flew across the country. From the outermost Northeast to the outermost Northwest, just a couple hundred kilometres from the Georgian boarder. We landed in Trabzon on a cloudy Thursday afternoon. We picked up our rental car at the airport and drove for another 1.5 hours before we reached our final destination: The Rize Province….

A HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY

11/05/2016 by Kati | black.white.vivid. 3 Comments

This post is long overdue. I’ve been back from NYC for more than a month now. But it was quite difficult for me to start writing. I didn’t know if I wanted this post to be something like “OMG! I had such an amazing time, met the most brilliant people, made wonderful friendships, finally got to know so many Instagram friends in real life and oh yes, also ate some nice food”. Or if I wanted it to be more like “I enjoyed the most delicious food, explored every corner of the health scene, tried out so many new things, brought back even more inspiration and met some nice people at the SAVEUR Blog Awards”. You probably guessed it by now. My NYC trip was neither solely about the food nor was it only about the SAVEUR Blog Awards. But let me start from the beginning….

BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN LISBON: LAPA 82 REVIEW

10/14/2016 by Kati | black.white.vivid. 1 Comment

On my recent trip to Portugal, I fell in love with Lisbon. You find some tips on what to do, see and where to eat in my “Quick Guide to Lisbon”. I loved Lisbon not only for it’s amazing food scene, hipster vibes (yes, it’s Europe’s new hipster capital) and beautiful architecture. I loved it because we were so lucky with our hotel in Lisbon too. I’ve had trips where the destination itself was wonderful but because the accommodation was crap (sorry for the bad language) and I couldn’t get my proper beauty sleep, I didn’t enjoy my holidays as much. Not in Lisbon. Our boutique hotel was heaven, a great place to come back to after a long day exploring the city.

Where: Lisbon, Lapa, Portugal
Stayed at: Lapa 82 Boutique Bed & Breakfast– Rua de S. Domingos 82, 1200-836 Lisboa, Portugal
When: End of August 2016 at 29-31°C/84-88°F
Why: A petite boutique hotel in Lisbon with delicious breakfast, stylish rooms and friendly staff. For the traveler who seeks a calm space close to Lisbon’s busy city center and appreciates a relaxing morning with freshly baked croissants in the courtyard. Lapa 82 is located in the upscale neighborhood Lapa, a residential and less crowded area that is close to Bairro Alto and Chiado. …

24 HOURS IN BUCHAREST, ROMANIA – A QUICK FOOD GUIDE

10/08/2016 by Kati | black.white.vivid. Leave a Comment

After a week of mountains, curvy roads, cute sheep herds and endless landscape beauty we arrived at the last stop of our Romania trip – Bucharest. I started my research a few days before we went to Bucharest and you usually find two kinds of opinions about this city. Either people love it or hate it. I think you should visit it but you don’t need to stay more than 24 hours. I love its dynamic and lively vibe. You’ll find lots of communist-era institutions paired with trendy cafes, an energetic nightlife as well as lush parks and an eclectic mix of architecture. In comparison to the rest of Romania, I loved Bucharest’s food scene….

ROMANIA’S PRETTIEST CITY – WHY YOU NEED TO VISIT SIGHISOARA IN 20 PHOTOS

09/14/2016 by Kati | black.white.vivid. Leave a Comment

Sighisoara in Romania is without a doubt (at least in my little world) the prettiest city of Romania. I would even go as far and say it’s the most colorful town. And thus (again, at least in my opinion) the happiest place in Europe. We stopped at Sighisoara because Lonely Planet‘s introduction to Sighisoara reads “So pretty it should be arrested”. After spending 5 min in the city centre I couldn’t agree more.

This city is one of the most beautiful and best-preserved in all of Europe. You don’t need to spend more than an afternoon in Sighisoara. Or maybe a whole day if you (like me) have to take loads of photos because every corner is just so preeeeetttttyyyyy. And because your dress matches the colorful streets and your travelite UPTOWN* suitcase goes so well with Sighisoara’s bright and vivid homes. As yellow is my favorite hue, I was in color heaven. Despite gloomy evening hours the, the city still felt like one happy place. …

A QUICK GUIDE TO LISBON

09/04/2016 by Kati | black.white.vivid. 7 Comments

For most people it might seem adventurous and exciting that I’ve been to over 60 countries. And I myself have to pinch my arm sometimes. Have I really seen so much of this world? And what is more to come? Will there ever be more fascinating places than the ones I have already seen? And that is when the downside, my very personal downside, of traveling begins. It’s like getting overloaded with toys as a little child. The first few dolls and trucks and puzzles were exciting but then the excitement slowly fades. Then you find yourself thinking that country x or city y is actually quite boring. And you wonder if this is because your mind and soul are overwhelmed with impressions and experiences from previous trips. Or is that certain city or country just not as fun as you expected it to be.

I tell you, it’s a nagging thought. It’s an unpleasant thought because you don’t want to end up with a life that seeks for the next more challenging, more thrilling, more adventurous, more exciting trip. You also want to appreciate quiet moments and soothing journeys. You want to wander a city, walk aimlessly through its hilly streets, enjoy a refreshing drink on cobbled squares, stop at the bakery to inhale the smell and a freshly baked pastry shortly after. And you want to think “Oh, this city is simply beautiful”. Then you realise that all your worries were for nothing. Because just when you thought you had seen it all and will never be impressed again, then there is Lisbon. Portugal’s quite capital. Not in terms of noise. But in comparison to other European capitals like London, Paris or Berlin, Lisbon is not the most popular travel destination. Wrongfully….

LISBON’S BEST SWEET TREATS – PASTEL DE NATA & MORE

09/01/2016 by Kati | black.white.vivid. Leave a Comment

I just got back from a short trip to Lisbon and here is a quick summary of what we did: Strolling the hilly streets, watching beautiful sunrises, marvelling over wonderful city views and eating lots of sweet treats. And by lots, I mean A LOT of sweet treats. 3 days, 1 ice cream, 3.5 pastel de nata, 3 croissants, 2 pancakes and 1 rice cake. That’s how much I ate, probably 10 times my usual sugar intake but all in the name of research. The outcome is a short guide with Lisbon’s best sweet treats….

A PICTURESQUE STAY: TAS OTEL ALACATI REVIEW

08/16/2016 by Kati | black.white.vivid. Leave a Comment

Looking for a weekend getaway from Istanbul? Or relaxing stay away from the big and crowded hotels at the Turkish sea? Head to Alacati near Izmir and stay at the ever so charming Tas Otel.
I picked Tas Otel for our extended weekend stay in Alacati because I absolutely love small boutique hotels with a unique style. Tas Otel is located at the center of Alacati and consists of one main house, a pool and garden area as well as a quaint little garden house. There is also a small and large villa that are situated right next to the hotel.

Where: Alacati, Cesme, Turkey
Stayed at: Tas Otel Alacati – 32, Yeni Mecidiye, Kemalpaşa Cd., 35950 Alaçatı/Çeşme/İzmir
When: July 2016 at 30°C/86°F
Why: Tas Otel is the oldest boutique hotel in Alacati, a place that charms its guest with adorable character and a warming hospitality….