Merry Christmas everyone

So, how are you my dears?
Today was Christmas eve and I really had a nice time.
But first, after getting up and preparing some things here and there I had to choose my Christmas outfit.
I really wanted to wear my new red dress, so it came out like that:

We first had a nice cake & coffee snack around 3pm.

That's how we usually do it:

On Christmas Eve I spend it with my parents, we drank coffee and eat some cake.
Afterwards, around 5pm we usually handing out the presents.

This year snow hasn't fallen again but we had nice Christmas music on the radio. ♥

I prepared two cakes - a citron cake and an orange-sourcream cake.

But the citron one didn't work out well... (T_T)

I had to throw it in the trash because somehow it wasn't done and you still had parts of raw pastry in it...

I don't know how this could happen but I have my suggestions.

"Nein Kuchen, ich habe dafür kein Verständnis! Nimm dir ein Beispiel am Apfelsinenschmand! DER wurde!"

("No cake, I can't understand this! Please look at the orange-sourcream... it knows how to work out well!")

Some great tasting vanilly crescents.
The upper one was an experiment with cocoa and lemon cest.

The great orange-sourcream cake.

The trash lemon cake.

So afterwards the presents were waiting for us.

This year we had a price limit because there were too many expenses but still there was a lot under our Christmas tree.

I received a nice Joke-a-day calendar (British English - i.e. British humour! ♥) from my dad, a new timer by paperblanks from my mom and the brandnew Billy Idol vinyl from both of them!!

And some very cute earrrings, fitting perfectly my red dress with dots and cherries! ♥

Really, that was wonderful. <3 Also a little makeup pouche... <3

I was so happy. ♥

My dear friend Marietta also sent me a little package with a candy cane and some... thread since she knows that I still cosplay.

And a selfmade cute Christmas card with the characters of Detective Conan (Hattori Heiji and Toyama Kazuha). ♥

Furthermore the Japan package from Azusa was finally to be opened ~♥

♥   ♥   ♥

Well, tomorrow I'll be at Lisa's.

I can't wait what she will say to the little presents I prepared. <3

We will have a relaxed and nice day. ♥

I already did some naildesign again - this time I tried out gradient nails.

It was easier than I thought - but still the left hand looks better than the right.

♥   ♥   ♥

So... and that was our Christmas plate.
You know... decorating it with sweets, candy, fruits
...
some little traditional German thing, I guess. 

♥

Have a nice Christmas!

♥

Seeing the stars over Amsterdam [2]

We slept pretty well in our bed but... there were so many mosquitos... little itchy beasts!
Hannah killed them all - not funny at all but afterwards we took care of open windows and lights on, etc.

On the second day we looked for our fine restaurant to have breakfast but we didn't manage to find it.
After an hour we stopped and... found another one: De Vergulde Lantaarn.

This would be our favourite for the next day as well!
You can choose between Dutch or British Breakfast and we chose the first one.
For 5,90€ we got a lot of buns, toast, egg and ham and cheese plus marmelade.
The English breakfast tea was also pretty great!
The waitress was so nice and the other day they gave me extra toast because I can't eat the fried egg which went to my friend. ;)

Having finally a good start we changed our plans.
First we wanted to do the museum tour on the second day but shopping was a better option - so we walked a lot and out feet really hurt with blisters in the evening!
But hey: almost-nurse and med-student know how to deal with it!

Also with extreme situations...

While we were shopping and wanted to go to another shop suddenly it smelt like smoke.

Because there was construction work on some roofs we didn't pay much attention but then the smoke became thicker and larger and everything went pretty fast from when on:

First we were evacuated from a shop, then the whole side road was evacuated and the fire brigade came with three vehicles!

But rather than worrying we stayed calm and continued looking around.
The bunch of people outside just watched the spectale and after leaving the other shop I also had to take a quick look: a whole loft was burning!

As I told you before houses in Amsterdam are pretty small but got a few floors, so it really is a problem to get in there a fireman - they just could try to extinguish the flames from outside.

After that incident we walked around the town and came to another nice district near the Bloemenmarkt.
The Bloemenmarkt is by the way pretty interesting, because you can buy tulips in every colour but also Cannabis for your home to seed...

Oh and there is a crazy Christmas shop as well with original made in China products. Haha~
But it wasn't allowed to take pictures. Unfortunately.
You should have seen this.

For a break we discovered a 360° panorama lounge in a shopping mal and went up by elevator.
We drank delicious home made ice tea and enjoy the view.

It was pretty warm because the sun was shining so much but also beautiful.

Spending some time there we headed towards the next goal:
Walking through a lof of side roads near the river and just enjoying the time.
Actually it was a "Fault in Our Stars" movie walk I planned secretly. <3

Oh and I forgot:
We took a look at a great cheese store. <3
You must know that there are a lot of cheese stores in Amsterdam - Henri Willig has got 13!

But one of these stores is pretty cool!
They have a model of a cheese making station and you can try every cheese that you can buy!
Furthermore you can try the great filled waffles and the chocolate and the saleswomen are so nice that you even can take a photo with them.

The one I got also learnt a bit German back when.
She was so lovely! ♥

"What the hell" moments

(9) 13 Henri Willig stores, selling the same cheese all over again.

(10) Lemon curd is so expensive there... but they also have Schwartau! ... For 5,90€, the S size.

(11) The Bench used in "The Fault in Our Stars" movie was taken away right after knowing about it.

Cosplay: Meg (Hercules) / Aihara Mei (Citrus)

Good evening, gals!

Today just a short cosplay view...

I spent last weekend with Risa and we decided to do some little home photo shooting since we found such a lovely manga names "Citrus".

It's about Yuzu and Mei - Yuzu, more like a Gyaru (still, Kotobuki Ran will be the Gal Number 1! ;D), 

Mei - the cool and strict type - who become step sisters.

First they don't get along at all but there's more than just being "sisters" at a moment's notice. 

Claimed as a Shoujo-Ai you can tell there this will lead.

Usually I don't read Shonen-Ai or Shojo-Ai but like EikiEiki Saburo Uta makes a good story out of this.

The photoshooting was fun - but it was hard with the self-timer... haha.

 

The next big project for me is

...

Risa, myself and others are planning a Disney Princess group for
the bookfair in Leipzig next year.
So Megara is my chosen character - I just love her.

I was first really frustrated about the hair because you see...

That's a LOT of hair and I really don't like to buy three wigs just for having
one in the end... But lucky me got a good one with a butterfly clip part.

In the photo it's a really dark colour but as you can see there it a red one in it.

Now I just have to find a way to fix the wig on my head because it's heavy. -w

I also was in the mood to try out the makeup.

Problem: Find a good purple eyeshadow without going to KIKO

and without paying too much money for it.

Really... seems to be impossible.

That you can see it here ... five layers.
Nothing more to say about.

Well I liked it and just have to do the eyebrow part a little bit more and maybe
wear a darker lipstick.

And there is also another character waiting for me...

but not this time. <3

Review: ANNY green tea growth energizer

Hello gals,

today I just want to give you a short review.
Today I went Christmas shopping and finally found all the presents.
I also had to buy a new mobile phone since my old one was dying after two years.

♥ ♥ ♥

Since I rarely go to Douglas it was pretty nice to make a stop today.
I looked for a nice little present for my mother and found... a lot I wanted to buy.

Then I looked for some nail polish by ANNY and found another interesting article.

As you may know: working as a nurse I often have to sanatize my hands.
That means that my skin really becomes dry and sensitive after using the sanatizer too much.

Therefore I have my Polish handcream and it's okay after three days.
But my nails are really brittle.
Wearing nail polish is nearly impossible since it's splintered after 2 days.

So Douglas had two options:
Having a 2-3 weeks cure with Micro cell or trying out ANNYs green tea extract articles.
The problem with Micro cell is that you have to use it 2-3 weeks at a stretch and that won't work.
The green tea growth energizer have to be done a few days a week and it's more like a massage.

Moreover Micro cell costs twice the price since you need the special nail polish remover for 13€ !

Let's see if it works!
I tried it out this evening and after treatment the nails already feels a little bit better, less brittle.

You just have to drip it on your nails and cuticle, let it be for a short while and then massage it well enough.

It's 15ml, like a nail polish, 9,95€.

The product line also offers green tea sensitive hardener and hyaluronic shot.

And another thing I really liked:

Annayake parfum! ♥

This brand is expensive - you have to pay 70-80€ for a eau de toilette at douglas and around 50€ on other websites.
Still this fragrance really hit me!

I haven't smelled something like that before - it really reminds me of a festival.
Maybe someday I will buy it... but not for 80€ - haha.

♥ ♥ ♥

This weekend I spent with Lisa ~ maybe I will give you a short view of our

homemade photoshooting the next time I will write.

In the middle of exam preps

Dear Gals,

due to the lack of time I haven't written anything for a while.
Right now, I'm also just take a short break.
I'm totally into studying since there are only 6 weeks left until the
final exam will get me into trouble.

I also have to continue writing about Amsterdam and my little birthday trip.
Hope I can manage somehow soon!

Until then: Byebye. <3

Seeing the stars over Amsterdam [1]

Dear Gals,

the last week was incredible with a lot of new impressions of a town I haven't known before.
I went with a friend to Amsterdam as a short trip since I'm on vacation and really needed to get rid of the city.

Since I watched the "Fault in our Stars" movie, I just really wanted to go there. <3

I wanted to catch up the various places of the movie and of course has some other plans to do.
I want to tell you in four parts about all the things we experienced.
Of course with photos. <3

Starting on Wednesday early morning we arrived around 1pm at Centraal Station.

It felt familiar to see the check in and out boxes for your tickets like in Japan.
For the day we didn't want to buy a ticket of public transport and walked the whole way to our hotel.
It wouldn't have been too bothersome if did know how to get there quickly.
In the end we needed twice as the usual time.

Our choice of hotel was "Hotel de filosoof".

The first obstacle you have to overcome are the stairs. Not only in this hotel but all in all in Amsterdam.
Thanks that there is an elevator at the groundfloor.
The tiny stairs aren't safe enough if you're not used to it.
After a warm welcome we went to our room directly - it was somehow in a Japanese style of painting, haha.
But there wasn't a lot of time to rest - just getting off our clothes (because the forecast told us a max of 20°C and we really had 26°!) and getting redressed we walked to the Anne Frank house.

source

That was the first stop of our trip - the Anne Frank house.

Maybe some of you have read the diary of Anne Frank that tells you the story of a young Jewish girl who had to hide with her family from the Nazis and was finally brought to Auschwitz where she died - not of lack of food or because of hard work and violence but of Typhus - just a little time before 8th May 1945.
If you read the diary you may also had an impression in your mind, imagine the house where she and the others lived.

Believe me - in our habits, you can't really imagine what it was like to live there.
The rooms were so small, the constructed furniture plan shows you that were nearly wasn't any space at all and so it isn't a surprise that Anne later often went upstairs to the attic where she could catch a glimpse of the sky and there it wasn't so narrow at all.

Walking through the floors and up- and downstairs really gave a strange feeling.
Being outside was kind of relieving but I'm thankful for being there.
You could also buy the diary in a lot of different languages in the museum's shop.

Oh, and if you want to go there - please buy a ticket online before!! 
We were so lucky to have them because the crowd is... just too long and you may have to wait 1-2hours!

source

source 

After that we just took our first round without any map.

Just wandering around we found a lot of nice shops ans restaurants and also a little one where to have breakfast the next day.
You know, foof is expensive there.
You really have to look for cheap and good restaurants or cafés, I guess.
And if you look for supermarkets - you will definitely find two: HEMA and A&H  - the last one reminds me of the German Reichelt or Edeka. Here you can find various exclusive things.
The best ones were definitely the breads - so fluffy and nutritious.
Seriously, I can't eat a lot of pure rye bread here, but the ones there are great. <3


We went to the famous shopping center Magna Plaza.

I love this building. It looks so old in a good way but also pretty... wealthy.
Inside you also will finde more expensive shops but on the 2nd floor is a bigger multimedia shop for vinyl, DVDs, CDs, merchandise.
I found two cute TFIS cups I bought later. <3

We returned to our hotel around 9PM and were so tired after all...

Just falling into our bed, talking a bit and getting up the next morning to be ready for our shopping trip. <3
So now some more photos of the day~

You will definitely find a LOT of cheese shops

Hey, hey Miffy! <3

And a bike with a lot of rubber ducks.
That was a decoration of a toys store

The small houses (max 6m width!) are too cute!
And pretty... slanted!

I said there are a lot more cheese shops!

Mistake? Japanese sweets are common there but they
are so expensive. Wanted to buy a package of vanilly Kitkats
but they cost 10€!

Famous places: Pancake restaurants!

In front of the Café American.
It's funny - the movie hotel was the American hotel but actually
was our hotel. ;)

We always had a quote of the day.
I really liked this one. <3

"What the hell" moments

(1)  Buying things at Albert Heijn (A&H) supermarket will give you an impression of paying with payback card systems. For example: You buy a bottle of water for 1,23€ (0,25€ are pledge you will get back if you return the empty bottle) and can only pay with a 5€ banknote.
Here it's common that you give coins, too, so that you won't have a large amount of change, right?
I asked, if the cashier wants to have 3 cents but she said "No, we only accept 5 cent coins". WHAT?
So the result? I paid with my banknote, and got 3,75€ back.
See? 2 cents that they don't give you back.
They round up and down if it's necessary - whatever is nearer the 5.

Okay.

(2) CannabisWe were sitting at the canals shore, next to central station and had a snack.
If you haven't known what Cannabis smells like you definitely will on your first day here!
It's so common like smoking any other cigarette here in Germany.
So, after a while two British students came around with a green disc in their hand, definitely stoned, and said "Hey, we're heading to the airport now. Do you want this?"
Okay, I don't know if it's so good that you're heading to the airport STONED but thanks guys, no.

(3) Cannabis stores?So you also will find a lot of Cannabis stores at every corner. Funny thing at the flower market: Starter kits for planting your own Cannabis plant. Eh... no, thank you.

(4) You can't get lost.If you have a main direction where you have to go you definitely find you destination.
It is just not promised that you will be there soon. Oh and walking with a city map is a little bit ridiculous. It's just irritating among all these little streets and houses.

(5) Bicycles
Really it's like you aren't worth anything as a pedestrian.
There are so many bicycles that you just hear it ring all the time.
Watch out or they will just run you down. Promise.
Now you should think: Everyone has a bike, there shouldn't be any thefts.
Eh-eh ... there are a LOT!

(6) Bicycle parking spots
At train stations you have a lot of space for bicycles in two floors!
One picture of it the next time. And if you don't find a space there... just let it be.
Parking on every pedestrian way is okay, too.
Although the shop owners see that somehow different.

(7) Being disabledThat's a big problem!
The paths are often narrow and rough. You have to walk a lot up and down.
If you live in Amsterdam you definitely have to look for a appartment without these typical tiny stairs.
On the other way around these can get you into trouble if you want to go shopping, too.
The modern shopping center of course have elevators and the shopping streets are grounded but if you want to walk the old ways... :-/

(8) Stairs in emergency cases
When we went back to our hotel an emergency occured in a house. The fire brigade was already there but were wasn't a fire. The problem: The stair cases are too narrow and too bold.
You can't go in with a stretcher, that's why you have to go by crane through the window.
On the side I wonder if that's handy because you may safe time if the technique is fast enough?