Berlin | Part Two.

Part Two of mine and Katie's sister trip to Berlin began with the Berlin Wall Memorial. It was a fascinating spot and really showed the true horror that the wall created in Berlin. It may be strange to say, but all this time I don't think I really appreciated how recent this actually was. The wall fell on November 9th 1989, at this point Katie was over a year old. That fact blows my mind. In this day and age, and especially in England, I think we take freedom of speech slightly for granted. To think that in Katie's lifetime there was still this kind of horror taking place, in a country that I (naively) thought was as "free" as ours is shocking.

After looking around the Exhibition, we climbed up to a viewing platform which gave us a gorgeous view across the city. By that point, it was definitely time for lunch so we headed back into the centre of the city. Our next stop was Alexanderplatz as we had plans to take a trip up the famous TV Tower. We managed to go up at the perfect time as we saw the sun set on the horizon, it really was gorgeous! The TV Tower is a must if you visit Berlin, its so cheap and has a really relaxed atmosphere. There is also a restaurant that revolves to give a panoramic view of the city - we didn't opt for it though, as it was a bit pricey! Enjoy the photos!

Finally, we took a walk across Museum Island and down to the Brandenburg Tor to see it at night. We managed to have stumbled upon a demonstration for the recent riots in Paris. We didn't realise at the time, but even the German President was there! The gate looked gorgeous in the night, so it was a great backdrop!

Only one more post left on our Berlin trip, let me know if you like the photos!

Aimée
Xxxx

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Berlin | Part One.

Last week Katie and I went on a Black-Friday fuelled holiday to Berlin, and it was wonderful. The weather was SO cold and rainy on our first day but we still made the most of it. After a 3am wake-up call to catch our plane, we arrived bleary-eyed in Deutschland. Our first challenge was deciphering the train system to get into the city centre, but after managing to validate our ticket we were safely ensconced on a DOUBLE-DECKER TRAIN. Yep, you heard that right! It was so cool, and occasionally made you feel like you were flying when you couldn't see the track below.

Our hotel was near Friedrichstrasse, which was really handy transport wise. Hats off to Germany, they really do public transport well. Theres SO many ways to get around the city, and to be slightly stereotypical here its super efficient! We mainly spent our first day being shunned by cafe workers for daring to try and use Card to pay for lunch (who knew cash-only cafes were such a thing in Germany!?), getting completely lost in the dark rainy back streets and being inspired by the East Side Gallery. Please now prepare for a bombardment of photos. I couldn't just choose one or two, I loved so many. It was fascinating to see how such a terrible memory has been preserved in such an inspiring way. It definitely made me reflect a lot on the importance of freedom of speech, especially in light of recent events in Paris.

Let me know what you think of the artwork! I'll be back with Part Two of our trip soon :)

Aimée
Xxxx

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5 Goals, 5 Years.

In 5 years time, I'll be 28. Thats a scary number! When I was a little girl and I used to plan out my ideal life; by the age of 28 I was married with kids on the way. Its laughable how "old" I thought 28 was. Now, I'm pushing the idea of settling down with kids to my mid-30's!

But, little Aimee did have one thing right - by the time I turn I turn 28 I would love to be settled into a career I love, with a lovely home and confidence in myself. With this in mind, I've devised 5 goals to be achieved in the next 5 years. Some will be easier than others, but with 5 years to complete I'm fairly confident!

To: Take more photos.

Out of all my friends, I am one of the more snap-happy. I love looking at old photos and being reminded of the memories they evoke. But I still don't take enough to satisfy my passion - especially when I have such a lovely DSLR. I want to get out and explore more with camera in hand, and if I have to force my friends to pose for me then so be it! I love the thought of showing my life to my children when I'm older.

To: Craft more. 

I've always been a creative person. My whole family is really - from Dad's wood skills, mum's sewing creations and Katie's artistic flair. The dream would be to have a designated craft room in my house where I could hide away for hours. Every Christmas I'll make a load of DIY gifts from Jam to knitting a scarf this year! But from now on I'd like to craft throughout the year. Not having the space or time is usually my excuse, but as something I love to do I want to make the time and space from now on.

To: Spend more time with family and friends. 

A simple but overlooked one now. I often feel very lucky to have such amazing family and friends and I don't see near enough any of them. I need to get off my arse and plan trips to see my further-afield friends and outings for the ones close by. Stat.

To: Love where I live. 

As the years have passed I've become more and more of a homebody and my OBSESSION for homeware has taken full force. It thrills me far more than new clothes do now. I got excited by placemats the other month! I'm literally 23 going on 80 over here. Myself and Craig will be moving out together this year, which I'm SUPER excited about! We just need to find the flat of our dreams to house all my pretty kitchenware now...

To: Be myself always. 

Finally, one to abide by. As with most people, the older you get the more comfortable you become in your own skin. I'd like to be my true self always, starting now, and live my life on my own terms.

5 goals for 5 years. Let's hope I stick to them!

Aimée
Xxxx

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Dreaming of the Future.

You may be wondering where the hell I've been, as I have maintained radio silence on my corner of the internet for many a month now. I've been wanting to write ever since my last Sunday Cook post, but all ideas had left me. I had no inspiration, and I could sense my heart wasn't really in it every time I sat down to attempt a post. In true cliche blogger style, I'd rather have taken the time out to recharge my blogging batteries than send mediocre content out into the ether.

But with the start of 2015, and the promise of an exciting year full of change I'm spurred on to write again.

The celebration of a new year is a funny thing really. Each and every year we announce how we will become version 2.0 of ourselves; thinner, fitter, more successful, happier, etc. But, by the end of Dry January we're all bitter and disillusioned by this so called "fresh start" and are back to our old ways.

Is it a bad thing to attempt to reinvent ourselves each new year though? I don't think so. Even if I fail every time its an opportunity to reflect and figure out what kind of a person you truly want to be. I'm not sure if i've figured out the latter just yet, but reflection is a pastime I spend far too much time doing.

2014 has had its ups and downs. I made my first real career move, moved out and fully supported myself for the first time. On the flip side; I've struggled to maintain this blog consistently and have spent many hours questioning where exactly I'm headed professionally.

I'm not going to set "resolutions", because I know I'll break them. But here are some goals for 2015:

- To establish what I love to do, and try and harness that into a career
- To craft more
- To find a new home for myself and Craig that we love
- To live a healthier and more active lifestyle

Happy New Year to all! What are your goals for the future?

Aimée
Xxxx

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Autumnal Thoughts.

Autumn is most definitely upon us. Scarves are back in my staple wardrobe, ankle boots are on and hand warming coffees are in full force. I'm in total Autumn mood and I'm loving it. Which is odd really, as 80% of the time I'm longing for summer and pretty floaty dresses! It seems that the older I've got the more I've begun to enjoy the crisp autumn mornings of October and November. With this in mind, I've compiled a list dedicated to my new-found love of all things Autumn.

- Cold mornings mean more excuses for a commuter coffee. A beverage in hand seems to be a cult on my morning train.
- The trees hit their peak in autumn with their beautiful leaves. This also means you get to crunch them soon, which is fun regardless of your age. Admit it, we've all made a slight detour to step on a particularly crunchy one!
- Cold evenings mean snuggly evenings in front of the TV with copious amounts of tea and cake. You've got to build up your winter layer of warmth after all...!
- Chunky knit jumpers. That is all.
- The countdown to Christmas officially begins once Autumn hits in my eyes. I've already bought a present, and planned my Christmas baking. Anyone else....?
- Rosy Cheeks. I may be alone on this, but I love that sort of flushed feel and look you get in Autumn when you've been outside. It almost reminds me of being a child again!
- Fireworks! I absolutely love a good firework display - though I HATE fireworks let off from back-gardens, those just terrify me! I always think they'll go wrong and end up flying at a house or person!
- Primark woolly leggings. Anyone else own these? The fleecy pyjama/legging combo that is just the COMFIEST thing ever on a cold day. They're my ultimate lounge day go-to.
- Putting on winter weight in secret, as you're constantly wearing oversized jumpers and big coats. Winning!
- Finally, a slightly strange one. That cold yet warm feeling you get when you're having a stroll in brisk air. Resonate with anyone?? haha

I've just written this list sitting in bed with a massive mug of tea, and I totally feel like I AM Autumn!

Aimée
Xxxx

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Long Overdue.

The last month has seen me realize that actually my mood can be very topsy-turvy. I thought I was a very positive person, and don’t get me wrong I’m hardly claiming to have a form of bi-polar! But, my moods are much more changeable than I thought and this month I’ve definitely been in a life rut. Not due to anything in particular, but more the cliché lost 20-year old wading through life saga.

Anyway that’s one reason for my lack of posts.

Another is not having my own laptop. I’ve been borrowing Craig’s ever since I moved out, but at the moment we’re watching the boxset of Downton Abbey from Series One and I mean priorities right?? I joke, (although I do bloody love Downton!) really I just feel mean stealing Craig’s laptop and Downton has taken up a lot of stealing time!

Also, I have been severely lacking imagination. September has been really busy in both my work and personal life so I haven’t really had a chance to get inspired! Or felt inspired by anything around me.

Regardless, I’d much rather write nothing at all than something shoddy that I’m not happy with.

But I’m back, feeling refreshed and ready to get back into my blogging mindset! Whilst away I have done a fair bit of baking so I hope you’re excited for a Sunday Bake post soon! I’m also loving the Autumnal Vibe that Octobers brought in. Considering I’m usually such a Summer girl I’m surprisingly looking forward to the cold and bringing out my jumper collection again!

What have you all been up to since we last spoke?

Aimée
Xxxx

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Travel Back Thursday | Chicago.

All in all I have spent approximately 16 hours in Chicago, Illinois. Stretched over two tiring trips consisting of 4am coach journeys from Cedar Point Amusement Park in Ohio. Despite this, its one of my most favourite cities and one that I literally LONG to go back to.

As detailed in my Flashback Friday post, back in 2011 I spent my summer taking photographs at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Ohio. I did go travelling for two weeks at the end of my stay with my sister, but I also managed to fit in a few places whilst living in Ohio. I saved up for two trips to Chicago, the second being booked as soon as I returned from the first! The trips were so tiring as the coaches pick up time was the eye watering 4am - I don't think I've ever been so adept at sleeping en route until then.

I explored with my lovely Charlotte on our first trip, and we were then joined by Liam on our second visit. Charlotte, Liam and myself all met in America despite us all being English. We had such an amazing time on both trips and tried to fit in ALL of Chicago's touristy highlights. We ventured onto Navy Pier which had the most beautiful views of Lake Michigan, feasted on Pizza and Breadsticks at Gino's East - an absolute MUST when visiting the City despite the long wait - and rocketed up the Willis Tower for the most incredible views across the City.

For a slightly different view to the City we took a boat cruise down the Chicago River. It really showed just how impressive all the sky scrapers were. It also really reminded me of London, especially with the amount of bridges we sailed under!

However, without a doubt our favourite part of Chicago was the impressive Cloud Gate.....or The Bean to most. It really is one of the most beautiful sculptures and makes the City look even more impressive. Its also ridiculously fun to take a million pictures using it as a mirror!

Chicago is a wonderful City and one that I think often gets overlooked! I'm definitely saving for a return visit in the future.

Let me know if you've ever been to Chicago!

Aimée
Xxxx

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