The Inexplicable Appeal of Poppy & Barley
I am frankly quite puzzled when it comes to my attraction to Poppy & Barley. Jo Malone is in general not known for ground-breaking compositions, but this one is literally non-descript. I have spent several years smelling and describing perfume, with a modera..
September Memo: Atwood, Poppies and Bottled Glow
This is a strange autumn for me: usually, I regard September as the REAL New Year, but this time I’m a bit more subdued. Mostly, it’s because in the work context, we are all waiting for the new Commission to start in November and until then, everything will ..
16 + 1 Books I Read in August
So yeah, August was a good reading month for me – work was quiet and I spent some time alone in Brussels, which always facilitates reading. I did well on almost every front I consider important: I read books that have been on my list for a long time, I read ..
On the Unintended Consequences of Exercise
I have been working out regularly for a little bit more than a year now. I do it twice a week, with a personal trainer, for 45 minutes, at 7am. When I’m finished, I get a coffee from my favourite café across the street and walk to the office, which takes abo..
On How I Read
Let me tell you right away that this is going to be a boring post. I have already shared with you my best tips on how to get more reading done, I’ve got nothing else to give on that front. But I’ve been asked – many times – how I, personally, read. When exac..
The Dark Side of the Sun: Black in Summer, Eveningwear Edition
As I made abundantly clear in the first post of this series, I love black in the summer: minimal, chic, dramatic, casual, statement, practical, sensual – black can do it all. I have to admit, however, that after a week’s worth of black looks, I’m ready to mo..
The Dark Side of the Sun: Black in Summer, Friday Evening Edition
When it comes to going-out dresses, I’m a simple creature: I like them short and tight. I am very far from thinking that women can only look sexy in clingy and revealing things, but I also see no shame in wanting to get one’s legs (or whatever your equivalen..
The Dark Side of the Sun: Black in Summer vol 4
I have already written about my view that in the Northern-European climate, an extensive summer wardrobe tends to be unnecessary. Spending lots of money on things that can only be worn for approximately two weeks every year just isn’t the best use of resourc..
The Dark Side of the Sun: Black in Summer vol 3
There are outfits that are a joy to photograph – maybe they have an interesting silhouette or an unusual combination of colours or they just look flattering and distinct on film. Then there are clothes that are a joy to wear, but do not necessarily impress w..
The Dark Side of the Sun: Summer Black vol 2
I you were here yesterday, you are already aware that I have embarked on a week-long project of posting black outfits for summer. I know it’s already August and there isn’t much time left, but even if you are generally dubious about wearing black in summer, ..