ice ice tea

Let's keep the July 1st post light and refreshing. (And aren't you terribly excited that there will be one post every. single. day. all through July...? I kind of am. It's a plan, something to focus on, but with a light heart. Perhaps I'll even get to tick some old backlogs, like the Schwarzwald trip, nearly four years later...) Let's talk ice tea, cold brew ice tea.

During the recent heatwave I decided to get serious about ice tea. And as I find it totally weird and wasteful to boil water (in a country with delicious, healthy tap water available) to cool down, I decided to try the cold brew method.

It's brilliant. Fill a 2 L jug with tap water, add 2-3 teaspoons of your favourite tea, put in fridge for 6-8 hours. Great if you have a jug with a built strainer, when you pour the tea into a glass with ice cubes (and maybe favourite fruit of choice) the next day. But I realised the loose tea managed to find its way out and into the tea anyway, thus I always ended up using an extra tea strainer when I poured it.



When you try a proper homemade ice tea you realise THIS is how it should taste, light and refreshing and nothing like those sugary nasty bottles you get at supermarkets and cheap cafes. If you'd like a hint of sweetness I guess a dollop of healthy agave syrup would work though.

The top glass is filled with orange-cactus rooibos from tea shop Tehuset Java. One of my favourite tea shops, and when things are as they are currently, I co-order with one of the neighborhood dog ladies, for free shipping. Time to get a new delightful order placed, because the amount of tea drunk these past months...

The pretty jug is from Löv tea, I first spotted it in the fab flagship store in Berlin in 2015, decided not to get one. Regretted that deeply. Shipping from France was very expensive, but then they had a special deal a couple of years ago and I got one. It's Lövely. However it also makes me wistful, and reminds me of how much I miss Berlin.

As does the second Berliner Weisse coupe glass. I actually have a few bottles left from 2015, but I want to save them for a time/times when there is truly something to celebrate. So I use it for other fine drinks. And soak my brain in melancholy memories instead.

The glass contains mango passion-fruit rooibos, also from Tehuset Java. One of my favourites. Excellent ice tea flavour.



Cold brewing tea also means you get fuller flavour and no tannin acid, so it works great on green teas too. I was sceptical but it worked. This glass is a joy of organic green rooibos Mirabelle from Kaffetheket in Västerås.

What's your favourite ice tea?

PS Remember to drink plenty of water when you drink lots of tea, not doing that and you'll be prone to constipation. I know too well, after my tea calendar bonanza in 2018, when I wasn't aware of that fact.

on the path to purpose and fulfillment

Writing about the things I do, see and live while I'm desperately trying to change direction in life (where some days feel more desperate than others) does honestly come more and more difficult. And by changing direction I obviously mean my quest for a job in line with my passion and skills, you know, the feeling that you've finally found your kind of people, with shared values, in your kind of place.

I've apparently been looking for two years now, tentatively at first, really focused this year. And still I don't seem to be any closer to that clearly illusive thing. I know, I know, what's meant to be will be, and every detour and bumpy road is a step closer to the right place and all that. But I would be lying if I didn't admit to being seriously jaded by the process now. It's exhausting. And infuriating, frustrating et al.

I really wanted to share some great news on the job front in this post. But alas I got a no today, for a job that I would absolutely have loved. Interview went great, felt like a great match. And the feedback was, again, lovely, they'd been smittened by me and had looked into the possibility of hiring two communicators instead of one, but hadn't come up with the funds for it currently. But who knows what might happen, let's keep in contact for the future and so forth. (The one they went for had a solid environmental background, which they deemed more important.)

That's all well and good, and I'm of course grateful and happy for the words, they give warm and fuzzy feelings, but it doesn't get me out of my getting nowhere-state or pay the bills.

So, back to looking for other jobs within sustainability communications. And back to crossing fingers, toes and paws with tiny claws the right place, the right company, the right organisation and my kind of people soon will cross paths with me and there will finally be metaphorical fireworks of happy heureka.

But obviously nothing will happen for about 8 weeks now as Sweden is (in)famous for closing down during the summer months. I'll do my very best trying to enjoy the summer - we've had reasonable temperatures and glorious rains so far, touch wood that'll continue to be the Swedish summer of 2019, please. I do not envy southern Europe, I remember how horrible, awful, devastating last summer was up here in the north - and continue to better myself in various ways.



Including reading books, I might even tick the box of 5 books in June. 3,5 so far. And my big goal is of course 5 books per month June, July and August. It has been quite enjoyable so far, spending time reading more than usual. That amidst everything I've actually rekindled with my reading mojo, go figure.



Since the last post I've also been to my accountant for signing of the annual closing papers - and for the second year in a row she did some kind of magic with it, as far as I'm concerned. And her dog, Maya, is of course über-cute as usual.



I've had good meals, cooked great things, met good people, walked and talked good matters, enjoyed my summer dress, there was Midsummer (which has of course never been anything I celebrate, I only appreciate its long weekend-feature) and I got myself a snazzy little red vegan handbag from Matt & Nat. Yes I'm trying to downsize what I carry in my handbag, wish me luck with that...

Oh, and I had a brief appointment with Dr Feist, a bit of an ear issue that was easily rectified. Hadn't seen her for 6 years, since all the health nastiness of 2012/13. But it was just like we've met last month, it was so nice to see her again and we had a good chat which as usual left me in a really good mood. Imagine that every doctor's appointment made you feel like that, upbeat and positive.



Even if I'm currently feeling rather disappointed about the promising job that wasn't meant to be, and struggle with a lot of frustration, I acknowledge that June has still been a rather lovely, overall month (despite the lack of blue hair). The gorgeous scent of mock orange has been heavy in my garden, Ztina has been doing better and I'm grateful for my always happy summer wardrobe of old and new (which is a superficial thing I know, but nevertheless, clothes in fabulous colours and patterns that look and feel great have always been such a pleasure to me).



In the last shivering days of the month I'm also watching Babylon Berlin, which is a very enjoyable for many reasons. It makes me miss Berlin even more, but I'm also ever so grateful I'm living here and now and not in the 1920ies. And I have a serious crush on "Zu Asche, zu Staub", magic.

This will most likely be the last post for the month of June, so thank you so much, sweet June, for all the valuable lessons you've given, for the sun and the rain, and for the treasured time to read. Another month older, another month wiser.

dressed for happiness success

Earlier this year I decided I'd post outfits more regularly on Instagram - despite hating to post pictures of myself, other than shoe per diem ones - to inspire people to dress in colours more. The world needs it. Colours equals happiness. And hopefully kindness can tag along there too.

Regularly for me means about once or twice per month. Since I find vegan food, cats and such more fun to photograph than myself. And I'm really not keen on seeing other people obsessively posting selfies either - thank goodness for the new IG mute-button... You can unfollow without unfollow, now, how brilliant is that? - so why should I contribute to that I wonder.



But then sometimes I'm pretty pleased with a particular outfit. And I'm even more pleased when I'm able to thrift something in my own wardrobe that match, the idea I have in my head.

So when my two year old budgie skirt from Palava was finally altered last week I couldn't wait to take it for a spin of course. And this is what I came up with day one.



The blouse is about eight years old, organic cotton in a folklore model, with little birds embroidered at the neck, from Gudrun Sjödén. Haven't used it for years because one of the cats tore a hole in it and I being lazy as usual when it comes to mending, altering and such only just recently mended it. (I will never be a pro on mending, but at least I can wear it now.)

The blue organic cotton cardigan I got in the Marc'O Polo store in Berlin 2011, since I tore a hole in another cardi I had with me, and it has been a faithful, much worn summer companion ever since. It's such a lovely blue hue. And I love how there often are endearing memories attached to specific garments. In this case a bit wistful, I miss Berlin and I miss M, but it was a lovely trip with good memories, as always.



And the shoes are one of my favourites, the yellow El Naturalista Tesela mary-janes from 2010. At least I can never be accused of not being consistent in style. And how utterly fab is it that these shoes, eight plus years later, still are great to look at and walk in? Quality and comfort trumps everything.

Never mind my messy hall, cat food bags and heaps of paper recycling is life too.

In 2013 I bought the Impi dress from Marimekko. I still think it's one of my best garment purchases ever. It's such a carefree and happiness instigating dress - and being very A-line you can indulge in how many cakes your heart and tummy desire without the dress showing, if you are so inclined - which I've had so much fun in over the years.



And since I happened to wear it when I stepped in to the Marimekko store a while back and their new fitting rooms are perfect for outfit selfies I snapped one. Same cardi as above, sandals of 2015 from ART shoes (still super comfortable too) and obviously the Re-Kånken. It's so sweet how no matter what colours you choose you can match everything with that dress.

Since I think it's a perfect summer dress (and yes, it has pockets) I've been meaning to turn that model into other dresses with old, pretty fabrics. But well, since I wasn't able to alter the above budgie skirt until two years had passed that is a major project I don't see come to fruition any time soon...



And since all good things come in three, here's a third outfit that makes me happy - apart from that time an idiot (clearly) snapped a selfie of himself and the seminar audience in which I looked like a super-sized, striped and unflattery fluffy pastry. And posted it on LinkedIn. Oh the joy - the fabulous Marimekko Tasaraita dress, a classic pattern from the 1960ies which is a symbol for equality. It's a very Little My-esque power dress in cotton poplin, and I hope and think it'll be an awesome dressy companion for many years to come.

Even if one of the features that makes it special, the drawstrings, gave me a slight headache a while back. One day I noticed that one of the strings had mysteriously disappeared in to the waist tunnel. And then the other one did too. I couldn't for my life figure out the construction, so I ended up having to go back to the store asking for help. Where I was fortunate enough to stumble on a clerk that had experience with the same issue.



Turns out the two pesky little strings go from left to left side and right to right side, meeting inside the waist tunnel. Which is elaborately designed below the button-up chest part of the dress. I thought the strings where one front and one back. But no, the dress is designed like those ol' gymbags with drawstrings you had in school.

Well-made and interesting, but not the easiest concept to grasp at first. In hindsight it's very logical, but not there and then. Now I can at least sort the issue myself, if it would appear again.

So at the end of this post, my question is of course,
are you already dressed for happiness success in colours or 
are you now inspired to?

the grüner smoothie

A few years back I kick-started the new year in what I thought was a brilliant way: a long, brisk winter walk (at Djurgården). Turned out that we miscalculated the distance and bridges so what was suppose to be one hour turned into three hours. My muscles were so sore the rest of the week and to be quite honest it rather put me off the idea of regular, brisk walks routine.

This year I started in a kinder, tastier way: a feast on a green smoothie I picked up at Unverpackt in Berlin last summer. Kale, mango and spinach. I've also stocked up  on kale and other greens and I plan to get back on the regular smoothie-and-juice-track. 

And be a better, diligent yoga practioner that doesn't overdo her brisk walkings.

how i learnt to love rooibos tea

Once upon a time I couldn't stand rooibos teas, I found the taste really off-putting. But then I tried it flavoured with fruit and berries or vanilla and found it was rather nice. And then I bought the tin to the left at Berlin department store KaDeWe in 2010 - rooibos raspberry vanilla - and I simply loved the round, distinct flavour. 

After that I slowly began choosing flavoured rooibos over black teas and found several new favourites. And these days it's pretty much always rooibos for me. Even without additional flavour sometimes. Now I love how you never have to deal with theine or tannin, unlike black and green teas the rooibos tea is always round and kind.

Unfortunately the tea flavour that made me love rooibos isn't sold by KaDeWe anymore, and the caramel cream I got last summer there isn't as good. But that doesn't matter much, I have so many other rooibos favourites now. And continue to discover more. Will forever be grateful for that raspberry-vanilla tin.

What's your favourite rooibos tea?

tasty brew tea timer

I've never really thought about an hour glass for brewing tea properly. Or actually, I've never seen it in a Swedish tea shop. So when I spotted them in tea shops in Berlin I first thought they were cute but a bit silly.

I then changed my mind and got one at the löv tea shop and I find it incredibly useful. Especially great for when we drink different teas that calls for different brewing times (green, black and herbal/red). Have used it every day since I got it, so it has obviously already earnt its cost. Which was about 12 euro I think.

new office equipment for prosit

I'm a firm believer in surrounding yourself with cute and special office equipment. Work gets much more fun when you look around and your environment makes you smile.

Here are a few goodies I (unexpectedly) laid my happy hands on in Berlin.



I've been looking for a snazzy cordless computer mouse for ages. Ideally I want a Marimekko Unikko one, but those are sadly not available in Europe (for odd reasons unknown). But I guess a white one with pink speed stripes will have to do. For a fraction of the cost of a possible Unikko one I'm sure. And it is really fast! And has been paw approved!



And who knew my (office) life lacked a tweetering paper clip collecting wee bird? Adorable! And, needless to say, massively paw approved.



I also got me Berlin skyline ruler - something I also have been looking for for ages, an extra fine ruler - butterfly clips for papers, a cloth to keep glasses and computer screen clean and obviously something cat related: a hugging, magnetic cat that will keep a firm hold on your stuff.

What's your favourite office equipment?

Computer mouse from the electronics chain Saturn
Ruler from Monkeybusiness
The rest from Pylones

the berlin to-do-list 2015

Just like last time in Berlin, I had a to-do-list this time too.

And I checked off at least half of the things on that list. But with a city as huge as Berlin, you will never be able to tick off everything. And the list will grow longer by the minute.



:: Have several breakfasts at Cafe im Literaturhaus - check!

:: Visit Spreepark, abandoned amusement park - check but not check one might say...



:: Roam the shoe sales - for El Naturalista and ART shoes. Again, sadly check but not check. Because A) the shoe sales were not really on yet in June, but the major reason is B) there are so few shops that sell the brands in Berlin now. So from having absolutely brilliant shoe shopping experiences before it was quite a bit of blaha now. So one pair, one beautiful pair on measly sale was my only loot on the Berlin shoe front.

:: Have innocent perfectly pink - check.



:: Revisit KaDeWe, have something to eat in the Wintergarten restaurant and shop tea - check.

:: Find quirky office supplies - check. See top pic. More of later.



:: Buy a bigger vegan bag at BagAge suitable for the computer - check.



:: Get a new pair of Birkenstock - check. Because clearly I needed a I Love Berlin-pair in another colour!

:: Visit a Berlin city beach - no check. Sadly the lovely Strandgut is no more and we didn't get around to check the other ones out + the weather wasn't all that beachy this time.



:: Visit a flee market - check. But the only thing I bought was some art postcards and the tiniest VW beetle you'd ever seen (ie a bobbaloo toy car!)



:: Have a Berliner Weisse or two - check. Also bought quite a few bottles with us home. Berlin in a bottle!



:: Buy ice tea at Tee Geschwender - check. This time I had a couple of them there and took 10 with me home. Bless.



:: Take that picture of bobbaloos at Brandenburger Tor - semi-check. Not from a proper angle just passing by in the car snap.



:: Have that glorious Hawaiian coffee at Cahoona - check! And they have soy milk and it was awesomeness in a cup. Sadly no filli vanilli donuts available this time though.

:: Ride the tram - no check this time either.



:: Have vegan dinner at La Mano Verde again - check. Fantastic. Though this time the starter and dessert impressed and the main course not so much for neither of us unfortunately.



:: Eat at several new vegan and vegetarian places - check! And it was lovely and oh my Stockholm is such a poor food place for us who are compassionate eaters.



:: Buy Aveda haircare products - check.

:: Buy lots of tea - oh yes! check.

:: Be inspired - CHECK.

the peacock island in berlin

I firmly believe that every holiday and/or trip should hold at least one visit to a world heritage site. It's usually a good reminder in this bleak world that the humankind can accomplish beautiful and keep-worthy things too.



This time in Berlin we visited the lovely nature reserve Pfaueninsel (Peacock island), which is a 67 hectares island peacefully situated in the Havel river in the outskirts of the city. It's an absolute idyll which can be reached with a tiny ferry only. On the island you're only allowed to walk, so no vars or bikes allowed. Bliss!



This time of the year the whole island smelled gorgeously of mock orange and there were a very limited amount of visitors so the whole experience was very serene without one feeling alone. Yes there are free roaming peacocks on the island, but fewer than I expected. And also other birds, sheep and horses. There were signs for buffalos, but we didn't see any alas.



There are also a sweet, little (wooden) castle and other castle-like buildings for different purposes on the island, as well as a fountain, temple, rose gardens and a cute cafe situated at a large meadow which I can imagine is full of visitors in high season.



We shared a apricot cheesecake there and it without a doubt the best dessert/cake I had in Berlin this time. Such loveliness. Befitting the overall experience. It was such a nice walk around the lush, pre-holiday season island - the perfect place to wind down, relax and get out of the busy city mode.



Very well worth the visit if you're looking for peace and tranquility. A very modest 4 euros for a ferry-ride (which takes about 2 minutes) and then you can spend as much time there as you like. I'd imagine it's a very popular place to visit in peak summer season though, so slightly less peaceful then perhaps.

løv is in berlin

Befitting somehow, that the very first tin of löv tea I bought was in Berlin 2011. I loved the red berries flavour! And I've been a great fan since.

Though admittedly, for an organic tea brand with teas that comes in pretty tins ready to be refilled again and again and... it's really odd that there are no refills in every country that sells the tea. Not available in Sweden, nope nada. And to order a refill from their website is absolutely crazy ridiculously expensive with the postage.

Thus for me, when a tin is empty it is empty for good unless I can find a refill.



So you can imagine how absolutely giddy I became when I spotted a löv tea flagship store in Berlin! (In the vicinity of Father Carpenter Coffee Brewers.) Yes I bought two new tins recently, buut the tins available in Sweden aren't the complete assortment and obviously I had to browse the shop. Besides, the rule is "you an never have too many teas".



Oh it was a löv löv lövely shop! Colourful, bright, stylish and peaceful. With a very helpful shop assistant. I could probably have bought pretty much the entire shop, but I modestly ended up with two, new rooibos tins and a refill for the red berries tin above - though unfortunately they don't sell black tea anymore (?!) so I had to opt for a green version instead - plus a really adorable tea timer. In the fab canvas bag. And I got some complimentary tea bags.



I feel another tea post coming, because the whole shopping experience was so utterly pleasant. It's not all that often that happens, as a whole. The colourful teas and accessories deserve their own post.

To be honest, I did buy quite a lot of tea in Berlin, not only these löv teas. In fact I think all the teas were actually my best buys in Berlin. Teas are always great, tasteful and tasty souvenirs. Thank you löv tea Berlin.



Yelp reviewed the shop here.