photos – Page 10 – that lemon life

Christmas Is Coming

Hola everyone.

First of all, sorry for not posting anything last Friday. I had my last exam of this year in the evening at 8 o’clock and I basically spent the whole day studying and preparing for the exam and then I just didn’t have any time at all, to be honest. So yeah, I’m sorry.

But the positive thing is, the exam was pretty easy and I think I pretty much nailed it and since then I’ve been in such a good and christmasy mood. Which also quite surprises me, as I felt anything but christmasy the last few days and weeks. I actually thought it would stay like that – but here I am, feeling the whole christmas magic filling up my heart. It’s actually so shocking that christmas is just around the corner. And that the year is really coming to an end. It feels like days ago that I came back home from my time in Berlin. So, so crazy. But I guess we are all also pretty much looking forward to 2018. At least I hope so, because I am, honestly. I mean, 2017 has both been one of the shittiest years for the world and one of the best years for me. So it’s kind of complicated to really decide on how to look back at this year. So I really do hope that 2018 is going to be a better, even more amazing year for me, for us, for the world. Because we really need it.

But that’s not what this post is about. It’s about feeling all christmasy, so let’s get right to it. So, my parents just came home today from their vacation and actually, yesterday, I had planned on going to a ball. I mean, I seriously have one of the most amazing dresses ever. I’ll once show it to you, I promise. And it would have been the ball of my own school, so yeah, I had planned on going. But then I basically lost every single sense of motivation I had. I remember standing in front of my mirror, dressed in this beautiful, breathtaking dress and I just didn’t want to go. So I stood there, looking at myself, and then I suddenly had a really cool idea. Because last year, when I got home for the holidays from Berlin, my parents had already put up the tree and the house was all christmasy and I loved it so much. So I had the idea to do the same for them and put up the tree myself. At one o’clock in the night. Yes, I was this motivated.

So, I took out my phone, put an indie christmas playlist on (thanks Spotify) and got to work. And it was so soothing, I can’t even describe it. Do you know the feeling when you’re just so comfortable and happy, that it feels like you’re cuddled in a big pillow made of happiness and love? Because that’s what I felt like right there and then. I mean, it still took my quite some time to finish the tree, but I enjoyed every single second of it. And now I’m sitting here, the tree right across me, sparkling with its shiny lights. And I still get this bubbly, happy feeling. I guess christmas has really got me now. And my parents were indeed really surprised and happy when they saw the tree today. And that just made everything even better.

And I, of course, had to take some pictures of the process and the tree. I really hope you enjoy them. And maybe I can transport some of my happy feelings to you through them. That would be amazing.

But guys, have you also already put up your tree? Are you feeling all christmasy? Oh, and please, tell me what you think about the tree. I got inspired for the colors when I walked past the big tree at university – it’s also blue and silver and gold. And I thought, oh wow, that really looks cool. So I just reconstructed this here at home, for us. And I am actually really proud of the outcome. But what do you think? And what do your trees look like? I’m really curious to know. And yeah, I wish you all an amazing week and I hope you enjoyed this post and the pictures and, as always, thanks for reading. x

Amsterdam

Hola everyone.

So, as recently mentioned in my last post about Martijns amazing show at ADE I was luckily able to visit myself (here’s the link), I was in Amsterdam a week ago for a short trip with my friend. And I can just tell you guys, it was freaking amazing. What a lovely city.

Okay, so first things first. We stayed in Amsterdam for four days, from Thursday until Sunday. Martijns show was on Friday so we thought it would be better to fly home on Sunday, as Saturday was our literal hangover day. God, was I tired. I think we got home at about 5 o’clock in the morning and as excited and hyped I was, I just couldn’t sleep and basically slept for about three hours that night. But oh well. Sleep is underrated, right?

Apart from Martijns show, which of course was the highlight of those four days, the trip was really really really amazing. I loved it so much. I mean, the city is so cute and you just feel so welcomed there. All the people are so nice – as you can see down below in one of the pics, as some guys came up to me all of a sudden while my friend was taking a picture of me and placed themselves around me for the picture. First I thought that they wanted to make fun of us or anything, but they actually were so nice and funny. Like, just look at the picture. How funny is that? And it came out looking so perfect, I just love it.

And the city overall has such a cool vibe to it. I mean, I’ve never seen so many good-looking people in a matter of four days. No wonder I want to move somewhere up North. And all the stores and restaurants and cafés are so cool too. They all look so modern and new and stylish, it’s nearly overwhelming. I couldn’t stop looking around in total awe. It was actually my first ever time visiting The Netherlands, but after those four days I fully understand why it’s one of the happiest countries on the planet. It was really hard for me to not smile during those days. Seriously.

What made the weekend even more special for me was of course ADE. It’s so crazy to be in a city that is filled with people who share the same love for music. And let’s not forget all the DJs that were there too. I got a teeny tiny heart attack every time I saw the yellow flags around a corner. God, I can’t wait to visit the city and ADE again and make the most of it – go to all the different shows, of course visit Martijns shows on Friday and Saturday and go to different talks and masterclasses. The festival is literally such a cool opportunity to see different artists and meet so many different people from all over the world.

And I think apart from ADE, we also made the most of our trip. We went to different museums – the museum for modern art and the Van Gogh museum -, walked around the city pretty much the whole day, went to supercool restaurants and cafés and visited basically all the important places you should see when you get to Amsterdam for the first time. I really really really loved it.

Also, I just have to mention that Dutch is such a cute language, oh my god. No is Nee there. Nee. How cute is that? And the architecture, it’s so charming. All the crooked windows, walls and houses, the cute bridges and holy moly, so many bikes. I’ve never seen so many bikes in one place. And I think that also shows the amazing mentality of the people there, because most of them use bikes or if they use cars, they are mostly e-cars. What a green city. Really.

So yeah guys, there you go. Those were the four days in Amsterdam in a nutshell. I really enjoyed my stay there and I can’t wait to come back, preferably during ADE. I can quite understand Martijn for living there and not moving to LA or something, like all the big names in the music business. Good choice.

But guys, have any of you ever had the chance to visit Amsterdam or ADE? Did you enjoy it as much as I did? And do you maybe have some tips for me what to do the next time I get there or which city I should visit next? Please don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below. And until then I hope you enjoyed this post and the pictures down below. I’m pretty sure that Amsterdam is one of the most photogenic cities I’ve ever been to, so please enjoy. And, as always, I wish you all an amazing week. Oh, and Happy Halloween. x

Oh my god

Hola everyone.

I can just repeat myself over and over again. Oh my god. Oh my freaking god. Guys. You’re not going to believe what happened in Amsterdam. Seriously. I myself am still so deep in shock, it’s overwhelming. But let me start at the beginning before I get a heart attack.

Okay, so, as some of you may know, my friend and I flew to Amsterdam last Thursday for ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event), mainly to see Martijns show on Friday. And usually I’d start off this series by telling you all about the beautiful Amsterdam and showing you the pictures I took, but I’m literally too freaking excited to keep this to myself any longer. I just have to tell you guys, really. And just to warn you, this post will feature quite a lot of me fangirling and freaking out, so read at your own risk. And please enjoy. Seriously. I can’t freaking believe I really get to tell you all of this. I’m so damn happy.

So, as already mentioned Martijns show was on Friday. It was my third time seeing Martijn in a matter of three years – let’s say I already can’t wait for next year. And the reason for us flying to Amsterdam and not to any of his other shows was actually the show in Amsterdam itself. I knew the show because as the fan I am, I watched the whole livestream of his show last year. And that included jumping around in front to my TV until 4 am in the morning. And goddammit, was it worth it. And as I was sitting on my couch at the end, happy tears glistening in my eyes and my heart racing, I thought to myself “one day I’ll see this live, one day”. But who would have guessed that one day meant a year afterwards? Not me, to be honest. Actually I’m still so baffled that this really happened. That I really flew to Amsterdam and went to Martijns show. It’s so unreal.

For me, Friday was just about counting down the hours until I’d be seeing him. The show was scheduled to start at 10 pm in the evening and last until 6 am in the morning (holy moly), with Martijn playing from half past one until 4 am. That’s 2 and a half hours of pure heaven for me.

So, half an hour before 10 pm we made our way to the venue. Thank god our hotel we were staying at had the best location ever, so the RAI, the venue, was only about 15 minutes away. Saying that I was really excited would be such an understatement, no joke. I was literally jumping around my friend with the biggest smile on my face. My heart was racing. After getting to the venue we immediately got into the queue and I got a little bit worried. I mean, not to be dramatic or anything, but Dutch are freaking tall. Holy moly. My tiny self standing behind all those tall ass men and women, not even being able to see the entrance. I knew that if we wouldn’t be able to get a spot right at the front or behind some magical dwarfs, I wouldn’t be able to see Martijn at all. So yeah, I got a teeny tiny scared.

And then we got into the venue and immediately starting ticking off our to-do-list. I wanted to buy merch, we wanted to put our stuff into a locker and then we had to look out for a good spot. First thing was merch, of course I had to buy some, especially as Martijns merch is more like a clothing line on itself and not just a shirt with his name and symbol on. I chose to treat myself a little bit and bought his new jumper, which if I’m correct is his newest piece of merch and basically clothing heaven. It may have been a little bit on the pricey side but oh well. I’m literally going to live in this the whole winter, so it was really worth it.

After that we secured our stuff and got into the venue. And holy moly, what a huge building. At first we went straight for the stage one of his support acts was playing on already but I thought that that could never be Martijns stage. And then I saw it, the stage we were meant to head for. His stage. What a beauty.

So we got closer and closer and closer and then, and I’m not joking, we were suddenly right at the barrier in the front row. Can you believe this? Front row!!! We seriously managed to get into the front row at one of Martijns biggest shows. The show in his own hometown. And let’s get this straight, Martijn has this kind of fans that wait for hours just to see him. If I would have expected anything to happen, it would surely never have been this. I still can’t quite handle it. First freaking row right next to the stage. So crazy. During the three hours we waited for him, we sat against the barrier and I once in a while had to jump up and look at the stage to realize it. I freaked out every single time.

And then, at half past 1 in the morning (what a crazy time to start a show), it was finally time. I think I went into trance the moment he walked up the stage, basically because we were just a few meters apart. I know, at that point I had already seen him twice, but being so close and being able to take everything in, his mimic, his moves, the way he works and plays his music, is something completely different. It’s mesmerizing, to be honest. And let me tell you something, this guy and his team work their asses of before and at these shows. Seriously. It’s the biggest party ever.

And of course the show was mind-blowing, as always. I truly loved every single second of it and although he played for two and a half hours, he could have gone on for another few hours in my opinion. I just didn’t want him to stop. Ever. And I don’t really know why, but somehow being at his shows and experiencing it all live lifts all the weight off my shoulders. Like, I think those are the hours I feel the freest in my life. At those moments it’s just him, his music and me. The rest of the world is gone and with it all my worries and troubles and thoughts. I scream my lungs out, sing every single lyric like it’s the last time and dance like I’ve never danced before. Now you should know that I usually never dance when I’m not alone, so getting me to dance for more than two hours really means a lot. You know, it’s not just that I enjoy being in his presence so much that make this kind of shows so special for me. It’s everything combined. The music, Martijn, the crowd, the production, everything. It’s pure heaven for me. And means hundred percent happiness. The shows are literally like my own personal drug and right now I’m on a cold turkey and it’s driving me insane. I need more.

Apart from that Martijn is literally the cutest sunshine ever. He sometimes had a camera behind him and then turned around and did a heart sign and smiled so brightly, it was like the sun just moved from the sky into the venue and was lighting up the whole room. And during the show he actually pointed at people in the crowd until they looked at him and then he did both a heart sign and put his hands together as a sign for saying thank you. I mean, how freaking cute is that? Who does that? He literally said thank you a hundred times.

I recently read an interview he did with Nylon Magazine (here’s the link: nylon.com), in which they asked him what he is looking for in an artist he is watching himself and he said this:

“I just want to see that the artist is enjoying themselves. I don’t like it if an artist is on stage, giving this attitude, like, “I don’t give a fuck who you guys are. I’m getting paid.” I like it if I see an artist generally enjoying the show. It makes me enjoy the show a million times more. They have to care.”

And that’s like so me. And describes him perfectly too. Because the moment he goes up on stage until he leaves again, Martijn makes you feel so appreciated. You can really see and feel that he enjoys and loves what he’s doing and that he’s grateful. And I think that’s so important. And it basically makes me love him even more.

So yeah, the show continued and I was so so so happy. And then he played his last song, In The Name Of Love, and I’m just going to be honest now, yes, I cried. If you ever get to experience this song live, you’ll know why. It’s literally the most beautiful part of the show, as Martijn let’s the crowd sing and thousands of people singing with him standing on his pult, smiling from ear to ear with his hands up in the air forming a heart, that’s just pure magic. You could really feel the love in the whole room.

And after playing this song he went off stage. Watse, his manager, came up and they hugged – I’m so happy that I got to see him too – and Louis, his photographer, hugged him too and then he was gone. Actually, due to the fact that I watched the lifestream last year and saw that he went down to the crowd at the end, I was kind of expecting him to do that again, but yeah, he was gone. But I was an emotional wreck anyway.

So I turned to my friend, happy tears in my eyes and suddenly there was a huge uproar and I turned around and there he was, jumping down from the stage with his security guys. And from that moment on, I can’t really remember anything else than looking at him. I don’t know how I got this amazing spot at the front, I don’t know who was standing next to me and I didn’t even notice that another DJ was already playing again. The moment I saw him the world was literally gone. First I need to tell you that, no, I didn’t get a picture or anything, but I don’t even care. Luckily for me he knew the girl standing left to me – I guess she has a fan account, because he knows those -, so he stopped and stood there for maybe 5 seconds but for me it lasted for hours. I probably looked like the craziest freak ever, I was so shocked. Thank god he didn’t fully look at me, he would have probably thought I’m the biggest weirdo ever.

Like, can you believe this? Martijn was literally half a meter away from me. I still can’t cope with the fact that I got to look into his eyes and see his beautiful smile up close. That’s just too unreal for me.

He was down with the crowd for less than a minute but it seemed like an hour for me. After stopping in front of me he proceeded to the very end of the line, taking pictures with fans and hugging some of them. I remember that I suddenly heard someone talking over the speakers and saw that it was actually him. I don’t know how but he suddenly had a mic in his hand and was jumping around with the crowd, hyping us up for Brooks, who was playing at that moment. And he looked so happy. I just stood there, admiring him and his amazing smile. All I could think and say was oh my god. That was everything I was able to articulate at that moment. I didn’t even notice the pain in my ribs as people were pushing me into the metal barriers. And I didn’t care, to be honest.

And can I just say this? He is so goddamn beautiful. Like, not just good looking. He truly is beautiful and I’m so damn thankful for everything he does and for every single time he puts a smile on my face. After he was gone I turned around to my friend and literally threw myself into her arms, happy tears streaming down my face and my whole body shaking all over. At that very moment, I felt like the happiest person in the whole universe. I think it took me about 15 minutes to calm down, I was so shocked – but in a good way, the best, actually.

I was momentarily deaf, my voice was gone and my body was numb. In short, I was completely done. And so damn happy. We then walked home to our hotel and I literally couldn’t stop talking and smiling and laughing. I think if I took drugs, I would only be half as hyped up as I was at that moment. It still makes my heart race and my eyes light up in happiness when I think and talk about it. So you can probably guess how happy I am feeling right now.

So yeah, there you go guys. That’s what happened last Friday and basically one of the happiest nights of my life. I still haven’t fully realized that this seriously happened. It’s like a dream come true. And I know, some of you may think “oh, what a crazy fangirl”, but you know what? Yes, I am a fangirl. And it’s literally turned me into the happiest person ever. I know, society has different thoughts when I comes to that. I’m used to people thinking that I’m weird for admiring someone who’s so out of reach, but honestly, at the end of the day, I listen to a song or watch a short video and get a huge smile on my face and a bubbly feeling in my stomach and that’s what matters. At least that’s what matters the most to me.

I recently came across a tweet by the account “vodkawithjacob” that perfectly sums up my thoughts: “you know… i will never regret being a fangirl even though its probably the reason why ive never had a boyfriend or a social life and people think im weird but i dont care bc while being a fangirl i’ve had the greatest moments of my life and the best friendships i could wish for”

And you know what, that’s so true. I will never ever regret being a fangirl. I get to feel emotions I would never be able to feel otherwise. And I get to travel to places and meet people I would never see or meet in any other way. Right now my heart is so full of happiness and love and you know, I’m so damn thankful for that. Martijn is a literal sunshine and he makes my world light up and I seriously can’t wait to see him again.

So, guys, there you have it. My happiness on a plate. I’m sorry that this post turned out to be so long, but I just had to tell you everything and get it off my chest. I hope you at least enjoy me babbling on about the things and people that make me happy. Have any of you ever been to Amsterdam or to one of Martijns shows? Do you like EDM? Please don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below. And until then I wish you all an amazing weekend and, as always, thank you so much for reading. x

Ps: I literally just scrolled through the pictures of Martijns show and oh my god guys. There is literally a picture online with me and him together. I mean, I’m blurred and all but you can clearly see me as I had my flashlight turned on – I forgot to turn it off – and I’m freaking out right now. You can even see my shocked face, even though I’m blurred. Oh my god.

Here’s the link: facebook.com

The new office

Hola everyone.

As some of you may know, I have a special place in my heart for interoir design. It’s a passion of mine that I kind of found out about like one year or so ago. I mean, of course I’ve always loved decorating rooms and buying decorations and furniture and imagining how I’d furnish and arrange a room, but since last year, this love and interest have somehow deepened. Especially after I got the order from my mum this year after getting back from Berlin to clean out and redecorate my room. Which I did. I threw back quite a lot of things and then replaced most of them with plants. That’s also when my addiction to plants really took off.

So, anyway, since then I’ve been thinking about interior design all the time. And thinking about how I’d decorate our house if I could change something. And then I remember walking past our office one day and looking at it and I hated it. I really didn’t enjoy looking at it. There was not a single sign of design or love or anything else. It was just a room, packed with furniture and other stuff that didn’t match at all, for the simple purpose of not having a empty room. Here’s a picture of how it looked. I know it’s pretty crappy, but I think you get an idea of what I mean.

So I talked to my mum and made it my mission to turn this horrible thing of a room into something I could really enjoy spending time and studying in. I started this summer and I finally put on the last touches a few days ago and now it’s finished. And oh my god guys, I love it. I really really do. And I’m so freaking proud of it. Because now it’s a totally cute, modern, lively and stylish office.

I covered the horrible blue of the couch with a big, fluffy blanket, bought some nice plants, removed or hid all the furniture that didn’t fit my intended color palette and then put some pictures and frames and decoration I did myself on the walls (the light bulb vases, the world map pinboard and the clock are DIY). I even printed out the design of my tattoo I got in Paris, which I think is so cool. And of course the old typewriter from my moms childhood is basically the biggest eye-catcher in the whole room. And, yeah, I think the room itself really had a huge transformation. And I’m super happy with it.

And without further ado, I present you our new office. As I said, I’m really happy with how it turned out and it’s the biggest reward for my self to be able to walk past it and take a glance with a smile on my face. I hope you like it too. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below, I’m really curious about what you think of it. And yeah, I wish you all an amazing week and thanks for reading. x

Paris Haul

Hola everyone.

I know, it took quite a while to get here, but here it is, finally. My big shopping haul from Paris, as promised. Please enjoy.

You know, I love fashion. And going shopping. I know, what a typical girly thing. Blah blah blah. But seriously, it really is a lot of fun. I don’t even need to buy something to have fun. Because it’s not really about that, at least not for me. It’s more about the places I go to and the people accompanying me. And I love going shopping with my mum, we always have such a great time.

Anyways, although Paris is basically the city of fashion, I didn’t actually buy as many things as I thought I would. Probably because, and that’s no joke, I already have everything I want and could wish for. At least I do now, but we’ll get to that. As always, there was far much more on my list than just clothing. Plants, books, bags and so on. Those are usually the things I’m going for. So, let’s jump right into this haul.

Clothing and accessories

Okay, so clothing-wise, like I already mentioned, I wasn’t really feeling it. I mean, I was, but having planned to buy some Doc Martens, which aren’t really the cheapest pair of shoes, I actively stopped myself from buying a lot of other things.

Okay, that was the plan. Yey to the plan. But the theory is always easier than the practical part, right? So, exactly that happened to me. Mum and I walked into Zara, which was basically the coolest Zara I had ever stepped into, and then I saw it. This amazing, mind-glowingly dope ass jacket. Hanging there, just waiting for me to try it on. And then I looked at the price… 70 €. Great. Now what? Long story short, I just had to try it on. And the second I had it on, I didn’t want to take it off ever again. Did I ever mention that I have the best mum ever? Here’s another reason why. After I had walked around with the jacket for about 15 minutes, mum looked at me and said: “You know what, take it. I’m buying it for you.” I nearly freaked out. God, I was so happy. What an amazing mum, holy moly.

So yeah, I now have this incredible cool jacket hanging in my wardrobe. It’s made of black velvet and has this amazing, delicate embroidery all over it. I just love it so much. On the one side it’s so damn elegant, but when you wear it with black skinny jeans and a pair of Docs it suddenly turns into this rock chic and I love it so much.

And speaking of Docs. Yes, I got my second pair of Doc Martens. This time some short black ones. I actually had purposely waited for our trip to Paris to buy them there, because what’s cooler than a pair of Doc Martens? Exactly. A pair of Doc Martens from Paris. And yeah, I love them and I’m so happy that I get to wear them in the summer too as they aren’t as warming as my other pair.

And accessory-wise, I got two things. A supercute, little necklace in gold with the word Merci on it and a plain tote bag with Van Goghs painting “The Starry Night” on its front. I immediately fell in love with it the moment I saw it, seeing as I love the painting too. It’s just so beautiful. And I love the artsy aspect of it.

Books

Of course I had to get some new books. Of course. And I think I don’t even have to mention anymore why. So let’s get right to the titles.

The Romantics by Leah Konen
Truth Or Dare by Non Pratt

The Romantics is pretty much the book I’m most excited to read. After I have finally finished the Harry Potter series, I’m getting to the end of the fifth book right now. I got both books at this historical bookshop called Shakespeare and Company which I already mentioned in my post about our trip to Paris. I really really loved this shop. It’s super old and so quirky. And they actually stamp your book when you buy it, which is so cool.

Plants

Last but not least, of course I had to get some plants, especially as I had intentionally searched for interesting, cool plant shops in the city. We got the first plant, or how I call it our own little egg, from a shop called The Green Factory. They are specialized in manufacturing these amazing little and also quite big terrariums, which is so unique to me. So I just had to get one. And the second plant, the little cacti, is from a shop called “Les Succulents Cactus”, which, as the name already hints to, solely sells cacti and succulents. You can probably guess that I felt like I just stepped into heaven when we got there. And there were so many plants to chose from, the decision was really tough for me.

So yeah, there you go. Those are pretty much all the things I took home with me from Paris – apart from my tattoo, of course. I really, really, really loved my time in Paris with my mum and I’m already looking forward to traveling to Paris again in the future.

I hope you enjoyed this post and my haul and the pictures. I you have any questions or anything else, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below, I’d love to hear from you. And until then, I wish you all an amazing week, and, as always, thanks for reading. x

Monet’s Water Lilies

Hola everyone.

As some of you may know, I love art. So freaking much. And in the past years I’ve become more of a fan of galleries, museums and art overall. So when mum and I planned on traveling to Paris and I prepared our to-do-list it was a must for me to put one museum on it – the Musée de l’Orangerie.

You might know one of the works presented there – Monet’s water lilies. Basically it’s one full floor, two round rooms covered in 8 huge paintings. All drawn by Claude Monet, of his waterlilies from his own garden in Giverny – which I visited two days before visiting the museum and seeing this amazing pieces of art myself. To be honest, it’s pretty crazy to see the garden and the plants and flowers in reality which inspired and basically represent this unbelievably awesome paintings. That was an incredible moment for me. Even more so when I finally walked into the this round rooms, covered these paintings. I was so speechless.

I think I could have spent the whole day in there, looking at every single aspect of the paintings, every single flower and every single brushstroke. I loved it so much. And as I enjoyed this experience so much, I thought I’d share it with you guys too. Especially as I think it’s pretty cool to compare both the pictures of the garden and the pictures of the paintings (here’s the link for this post: Monet’s garden). So, please enjoy this amazing art. I really hope you do. And please don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below. And, as always, I wish you all an amazing week and thanks for reading. x