Little Treats

UPDATE: I have in the meantime tested the Clarins product and am really impressed how easy its application is and how it really builds up a natural looking subtle tan without the usual nasty smell.
Yesterday I flew to Almaty with a  >3hrs stopover in Frankfurt. Well, there is only so much time you can spend in the Business Lounge without getting super bored. Plus it would be rude not to at least peek into the Duty Free store, right? Luck had it that they stocked a new "miracle" product by Clarins that I had only read about in a magazine last weekend: Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for Body (there is also a face-version that is smaller and cost 3 EUR less, but I intend to try it on the face as well) that had intrigued me. I will report back on its efficacy, but I already tried it this morning and can report back that it lacks the typical unpleasant fake tan smell. I had scanned the shelves at the VIE duty free in the morning, but they don't seem to stock it (yet) there.

The other product that caught my attention (despite the fact that I really didn't need another lipstick) was Lancome's new Shine Lover range. The colours were all in the pink and coral realm and I ended up picking the very summer pink "French Sourire" that feels very nice and moisturising on the lips. I really love the packaging too, which is slim and compact while being very elegant and posh at the same time.
Granted, neither of these products were a necessary purchase, but both of them make me happy and added a little glamour to a day of long-distance travelling.

Things that Made Me Happy Last Week: Week 21

1. Laughing and talking in a stupid fake French accent with the best dinner guests I can think of.
2. Attending a dress rehearsal of the Eurovision Song Contest semi finals on Thursday and the public viewing of the Finals on Saturday in front of Vienna's town hall: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
3. Jumping into puddles with smurf-blue gum boots like a 5-year-old.

Things that Made Me Happy Last Week: Week 20

1. That my Mum was literally up and running after an operation so quickly.
2. Doing something very "grown-up" and at the same time a little crazy.

3. The view of Wörthersee from the A2 motorway. There is a spot between the Pörtschach and Velden exits where you get a breathtaking view of the lake. I have driven this route countless times and yet it never seizes to make me happy and grateful that I had the privilege to grow up in here.

Image of downtown Klagenfurt where there currently are umbrellas on strings all over the pedestrian zones. Don't ask me why, but it's pretty anyway...

This Is What Happens When My Flight Gets Cancelled...

...and I involuntarily spend 4 hours at Vienna airport. Admittedly I had planned to buy some stuff in the cosmetics section of the Duty Free shop as I had several coupons due to my Heinemann loyalty card.

What I hadn't planned on buying was a white leather backpack (least of all from the conservative, but admittedly good quality brand, Picard - I kind of think of it as the Gerry Weber of bags), but after not only confirming that it comfortably fit my Macbook, but also the offer by the nice sales person to give me a € 10 discount AND a foldable shopping bag AND two tubes of leather polish AND a travel mirror, I pounced. I really like the combination of practical and not too sporty and my back is grateful for this purchase, too.
Oh, and it also goes nicely with the slip-ons I bought on Saturday. Winner!

Things that Made Me Happy Last Week: Week 19

1. Spending a perfect girly Saturday with the Empress (which culminated in buying a pair two pairs of "friendship slip-ons", see photo... and yes, it's a thing if we tell you so) and knowing that there will be many more of these now that we live in the same town again.
2. Getting a lovely handmade (belated birthday) gift from a dear colleague in Sofia. I might not be planing to work forever at the Firm, but I will forever be grateful for working in a company where so many colleagues have become friends over the years.
3. Getting a shellac manicure (first time in Austria after my very successful trial in Zagreb back in February) and being able to look at pretty hands again. I never said I wasn't superficial.

There's Always Room for One More

Surprisingly, I bought a bag in Lisbon. I know, I know. The shock, the horror! My decision was spurred/made easier by El Corte Ingles's offer of a "tourist card" that the friendly sales assistant with whom I paid a pair of cool linen trousers a floor above the accessories pitched to me and ended up getting for me. In my defense, it was pretty inexpensive (i.e. below EUR 100) and since I have evening dresses in both red and navy, would be THE perfect accessory for the next night out. It is by a brand that I had not heard of before, Purification Garcia. When I saw it, I could hear my mother's voice in my head saying "But you can easily make that yourself" and indeed, I got some inspiration to add to my endless list of (probably never to be realised) DIY projects: use ribbon remnants to embellish various things with. In any case: I love this bag!

Things that Made Me Happy Last Week: Week 18

1. Being reunited with my phone that slid out of the back pocket of my jeans in a shuttle bus when I was at a conference in Zurich. I only managed to track it down the following morning and it is simply pathetic how much stress and anxiety being without my only phone, abroad and a day away from my weekend-break to Lisbon, caused me. Happy does not even get close to describing my relief.

2. Averting the plumbing crisis in my flat (see previous post).
3. Enjoying a lovely long weekend in Lisbon, where I had last been as a teenager AND finding out that my flights were not affected by the TAP pilot strikes, even though worse things can happen than having to spend an extra night in this city, or two.

First World Problems and Third World Ones

Earlier this week, there were two events that brought me close to tears and made my pulse soar to unprecedented heights. One was when I was without my phone in Zurich for about 12 hours and didn't know whether it had been stolen. It is shocking how much stress this caused me and how naked I felt without it. Need to set the alarm. Oh, can't. Want to reach for my phone to check Instagram/Bloglovin/e-mail. Oh, can't. What if my parents or friends want to reach me? Should I have my SIM card blocked right away, or wait? A million of thoughts were going on in my head just because of that bloody little device. Sad, really.
The even bigger stress factor was when I had plumbers come and read the gas concentration in my apartment after the drilled gas pipe had been mended (see my post about that little Saturday morning crisis). After 3 readings they said that they can't give their o.k., which was predictable as in "over 90% of old buildings" the gas pipes are apparently not super tight. I innocently asked what this meant and they said that in addition to having to disconnect the meter right away, I would need to have new pipes installed to all devices, including having to take out my kitchen, have tiles broken off, etc. All the good stuff you want in the apartment you live in. My jaw dropped and I was close to tears. The only silver lining was that I knew I was going to be in Lisbon (with hot water in the hotel) until Sunday night. They left and just as I was about to leave for work they called to ask if I was still at home as their contact from the insurance company had asked them to exclude further factors. Long story short, after tightening some bolts near the gas heater and stove, the values were excellent and I got the o.k. You cannot imagine my relief. Phew!

A few hours later, I got an e-mail from L'Italiana where I was bcc-ed in a request to raise funds for one of her friends, who is Nepali and lost 17 (!) family members in the recent earthquake. Well, replacing your phone and having a mess in your apartment really pales in comparison and even though I don't know the family at all, I immediately donated. If you would like to donate a little even though this is not tax-deductible and you don't know neither my friend nor the afflicted family, this would be incredible. I am pasting some information and the link to the fundraising site below.

Info:

In an instant, four generations - seventeen family members including 12 mothers- were killed as their family home collapsed in the earthquake in Kathmandu on April 25, 2015.
In this incomprehensible tragedy, our best friend, Bishnu Man Pradhan, lost his mother, brother, sister, two nieces (age 2 and 4), grandmother, grandfather, sisters-in-law and aunts.  Many of those who survived were injured in the aftermath. They were all gathered for a family celebration just like any of our families do each holiday season. They leave behind shattered and grieving husbands, wives, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers and heartbroken friends from all over the world.

Just weeks before the quake, the Pradhans had hoped to bring baby Bishlex to Nepal to meet his grandmother. Now, this will never happen. Instead, the day after the quake, they rushed to return to Kathmandu, amid rubble, aftershocks, and overpacked hospitals, to attend her funeral and to help with the funerals of thirteen other beloved members of their family. 

It took nearly all of the young family’s savings to return to Nepal this weekend, and to suspend their life in America. For many years, they have worked hard and sent money home to help their family. Now, they need to provide aid and assistance to those family members who survived this tragedy. Twelve mothers were lost in the collapse. Several young children have been left without a mother or father. Many have been left without a home. 

We are asking for your help to provide financial relief to Bishnu, Shruti and their family in this time of extraordinary need. The funds raised will directly aid the Pradhan family as they try to recover from this unthinkable loss. Please help us help them. Be generous and share their story with your friends. And, above all, please keep Bishnu, Shruti and their family in your thoughts and prayers.
Many heartfelt thanks.

Link to donate!