munich

I love it not so much for the beer (nor for the Bavarians, for that matter) but for the city itself. Green parks, hugely impressive buildings and architecture, the shops (someone stop me), the open air swimming pools, the warm, soft pretzels (again, someone stop me) and of course the (very) distant, subtle yet reassuring feeling that somehow I belong to that part of the world.

We wondered around Stachus and Marienplatz where our regular haunts awaited us: they are Manufactum, Ludwig Beck, Dallmayr, the Oxfam bookstore, then first the Kaffee Kreutzkamm at Maxburg and second the Literaturhaus for another coffee and a well-deserved session of people-watching with my father. The Hugendubel, bookstore with a fantastic selection of English books, is just across the road. Perfection. No beer garden this time, we were heading for the idyllic Biergarten am Wienerplatz but got hideously sidetracked by our prolongued stroll 'round the Auer Dult, which is, my friends, the markets of all markets and was most definitely the highlight of my stay.

Now seems like an appropriate time for me to admit to my alarming and increasing attraction to the Bavarian traditional costume - "Trachtenmode" or "Dirndl & Lederhosen" to us German lot. I fear that this is proof, if ever proof was needed, of my indelible and undeniable German roots. The beautiful window display above shows the haute couture choice of Dirndls and Lederhosen as selected by the previously mentioned and superbly avantgarde Munich department store Ludwig Beck (and shows that Dirndls can be very cool indeed as well as just a bit sexy). Further down you will see a charming display found at the Auer Dult, a beautiful little tent tastefully filled with authentic and beautifully crafted traditional costumes. So delightful.

supersize

While we're on the subject of adornments, it was a pleasant coincidence when my dear friend D. came over for afternoon tea yesterday sporting amongst her usual stylish pieces, the above rather fabulous oversized ring with an incredible blood red glass droplet. I say coincidence because I've been meaning to post some XL-rings for some time now, especially since they are another one of my style obsessions. The summer sees all my colourful friends coming out of hybernation. So here are a few of them, the ones that have been worn with pleasure this summer (except the blood-red droplet one, alas!). The yellow anemone is a new arrival, some find it ridiculous, I find it divine. They are all wonderfully reliable in that they instantly upgrade and glamourise the dreariest of outfits.

keeping it simple

Some of you may laugh but it's true, I'm a low-maintenance kind of girl. Don't go to Cartier, don't bother with Harry Winston, just head down to Su Giudeu beach where you'll find the simplest, most beautiful pearls on a string. Here is my absolute favourite piece of the moment (cost me all of 8 Euros). It comes from a lovely English lady who lives in Sardinia near the abovementioned beach, and spends her summers strolling along the water's edge with her rather ingenious sandtrolley laden to the hilt with her own very special tiny creations.

basic needs

Just back from 3 weeks in a tent and now I'm wandering 'round the house thinking what to do with all the space and all these rooms? The biggest revelation of all time, was how ridiculously little we need to exist comfortably and happily. There was less of everything; less clothes, less gadgets, less clutter, less THINGS! And it felt good. Incidentally this revelation seems to slip very fittingly into the current mood - a welcome slap in the face to all that dreadful excess we've been subjecting ourselves to recently and the warm and faintly familiar recognition of what it is that really matters to us. Not only do I feel lost in these rooms, but I also feel odd sleeping in them, behind 25 cm thick concrete walls. My flimsy blue Coleman Lakeside 4 was a joy to get into every evening, with it's pale blue sleeping chambers and white mosquito net - listening to the wind, the sea, the birds and the sound of footsteps on eucalyptus leaves. Of course I heard the odd snore, some night-time chatting and countless zips being openend and closed, but they did not bother me as much as I thought they might. All of us co-existed in simple, quiet harmony, taking time to sit down for breakfast (properly), fetching water, sweeping our little patch, making coffee, chatting with other campers about the beauty of our location and which fish to grill for dinner or which beach to go to that day. I doubt whether I will ever feel the same way again about that luxury all-inclusive holiday that I used to dream of. I'm already planning our next camping trip; the only ingredient I simply cannot do without though, is the sun. So we might have to stick to summertime camping. Preferably back in Sardinia or other parts of Italy where the sea is turquoise and the food is seriously good.

My other immense campsite/beachside pleasure were books - just reading whenever and whatever I liked without snatching the pathetic 4 minutes (at most) in bed before nodding off helplessly. On holiday I manage to actually finish a book - this is unheard of at home, where it takes me a minimum of 3 months.

The above photo showing our plastic cups is courtesy of Mr R, who was very inspired by the recurring colour theme of reds and blues throughout our holiday.