Cristiland

Postcards from Berlin

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 10:11:00 +0000

Brandenburger Tor, Pariser Platz

Delicious currywurst (of course!)

Berliner Dom, Lustgarten

The weather was amazing, summer like I would say. So after a long day of exploring we decided to enjoy the sunset with some German beers at Görlitzer Park.

East Side Gallery, a most visit!

Canal at Kreuzberg

Holocaust Memorial, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Victory Column (Siegessäule), Tiergarten

Gendarmenmarkt

February 2018

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 18:33:00 +0000

Spring, where are you?

After so many chilly and windy days during this month, I'm so ready for spring to arrive already. But not going to lie, looking snowfall and covering the ground is still one of my favorite things to watch. It makes the city of Copenhagen look like a fairy tale land.

Another favorite during this season was seeing the inner city lake frozen! People were walking and playing on the icy lake.

I can't wait for warmer days to come. Spring, pretty please arrive to this icy land.

Winter Wonderland

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Sun, 04 Feb 2018 11:06:00 +0000

Sometimes little things like this are what makes my day so much better. After a few rainy grey days, snow finally arrived and made the city look like a winter wonderland. It was so cozy to go outside to the park and walk in fresh snow on the ground. Not bothered at all by being covered head to toe with snowflakes. Now, I'll just brew some coffee and take in the view from the warm inside. Have a nice Sunday!

100 days

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 15:04:00 +0000

I finally visited my family and friends in Puerto Rico 100 days after the passing of hurricane Maria. It is a relief to say they are safe and healthy, but just like many in the island they were affected by the damage caused from this natural disaster. Not only the architecture and surroundings look different from destruction but how their everyday life has changed. Things are progressing but at a very slow passe, the majority of the island is still without power, people have lost their jobs and many professionals and students have left sadly for better opportunities abroad. It really hit me when I arrived how things were not the same anymore.

I just hope things get better with time and the people in need receive the help to find home and safety. Even at this difficult times people are still marching forward and that was a beautiful sign. It was nice to hear people were helping each other with their needs and support during the first few days, which were horrible without communication to know about your loved ones. But as for today lets keep things positive and not let this get us down. Everyday is a new day, the sun still shines bright, the trees are growing and the birds are still singing. That is very nice, indeed!

Summer Snapshots

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 19:24:00 +0000

Favorite moments from this summer:

My mother & sis visiting for two weeks in the month of June. It was my sister's first time in Copenhagen and I so happy to show her around my favorite places.
Roskilde festival, of course, was the highlight of the summer
Visiting GL Strand to see the Tove Jansson exhibition. Lots of Moomins! But overall, her art is very interesting and learned a few things about her biography. Now, I want to visit again to see the Stanley Kubrick exhibition which just opened.
Last but not least, I enjoyed very much celebrating friends graduations. August was such a joyful month with lots to celebrate (and too many drinks), but at the same time a very stressful one.

Thank you summer 2017 you were a good one!

Kanelsnurrer

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Sat, 23 Sep 2017 18:57:00 +0000

Baking season it's finally here so I had to try to make this babies- kanelsnurrer or cinnamon swirls. I thought it was going to be a challenge to make and for a rookie baker like me I found it quiet easy. I followed this recipe which you can follow here (dansk version) and try it! This is great for a weekend stay in baking time with family or friends. But it should not stop you if you want to bake alone, you can give it away later on since this ones hold pretty well for a few days. This will be my breakfast for the next few days. It goes perfect with a warm cup of coffee.

Autumn has arrived

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 13:01:00 +0000

Autumn has official arrived in Copenhagen. You can easily get all seasons in one day, cold mornings, rainy afternoon, throw in a little bit of hail just for fun and a really sunny evening because why not, let's finish the day on a good way. Thank you Denmark! Tak for det!

On a serious note, I love autumn in this city. Like how all the leaves turn in beautiful tones of orange and burgundy. I'll definitely will miss the flowers and greens that the summer brings but it feels very hyggelig to stroll around the leaves laying on the ground. Also, very hyggelig (okay I'll stop) to have a quiet evening and enjoy the colder evenings with tea and candles. Best way to finish the day!

Also, it means Christmas is around the corner! xx

Postcards from Rome

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 14:56:00 +0000

all roads lead to rome...

& when in rome, do as the romans do ;)

Selinevej

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 06:29:00 +0000

For the last glimpse of summer in Copenhagen, I had to go get some flowers before they vanish with the winter cold. It was a not surprisingly windy and grey summer day. But picking flowers around the field like a child with a friend - priceless!

The Orange Feeling

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 07:33:00 +0000

Summer is here, either with sun or rain we dance until our feet hurts and with some dose of glitter as well

Dejlig Aarhus

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 09:35:00 +0000

Spring 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 09:23:00 +0000

Scandinavian Winter Light

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 15:59:00 +0000

It's mostly dark and grey, but if you get the chance to see the sun it makes everything look very magical.

December 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 10:32:00 +0000

October 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 09:32:00 +0000

Autumn is an exciting time for this Caribbean girl.

I saw an apple tree for the first time
Saw the sunrise at 7 am and sunset at 4 pm. Winter is around the corner!
Foggy days!
Went for a walk at the beach...with a coat and scarf (that's not usual)
Brown leaves on the ground, brown leaves everywhere
It has become now an habit to drink two cups of coffee a day for two reasons - one to keep me warm and two for keeping me awake after 5 when it gets pitch black
Had a Star Wars marathon..yeap all 6 movies in one day. Not ashamed to admit this. hah I can't remember the last time I watched them. Now I'm very excited for the new one!
Booked airplane tickets to celebrate Christmas at home
Went to 'Kulturnatten' or Culture night in English. It was fun and freezing cold. Walked a lot and eat some hot dogs along the way... I'm still a "tourist" you know!

And that was October for me. Hello, November!

P.s. I uploaded a video on YouTube that a accompanies this post. It's not great and with free music...but oh well. I just didn't want to let this footage go to waste. Watch here :)

Hello Autumn!

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 10:40:00 +0000

Hello Autumn! It's finally nice to meet you...

It's so great to finally feel the change of seasons, something I only imagined and looked from afar through pictures and movies. So it's finally here! The air feels colder even if the sun is out and that it's a very weird feeling. I love the warm colors around me, the trees are changing and everything looks magical. Leaves are everywhere on the ground and it just makes me want to run and threw them to the air - just like in the movies, you know?

Now, in this cold and cloudy day I sit inside with a cup of tea to warm me up and wearing a cozy sweater not bothering to go out at the moment. I've noticed the only down side of autumn is that the days get shorter. For the first time it did bother me a bit that the sun was not out by 6 in the morning. I'm slowly getting ready for whats to come in the winter...my first winter! But at the moment everything is great and beautiful.

Leather, Leather Everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

It's leather weather! I mean sweater weather...both?

I did not get the memo that a leather jacket was a essential here in Copenhagen. Like it's literally everywhere and I'm not complaining - I love it! I went out on the look for a nice fall/winter coat, since it's getting colder and the jackets I own are almost useless. The first thing I noticed is how a sea of people were wearing a black leather jacket. It was interesting....

I decided to go to Zara for a quick look (bad idea) and the next thing I know I'm looking at all the options and styles of leather jackets. To be completely honest, I'm pretty sure I can not pull off the "cool-sleek-bad-girl" look...like no! But I decided to get one anyway. They just look so nice and I think they can add something interesting to an outfit. So off I went, didn't think it twice (you can not think twice!), got the one that I liked the most, checked the price (to not get a surprise) and off I went to checkout!

La, la, la, la...oh wait! I still need that winter coat...off to the shops soon! Hopefully I don't get drag into buying another "essential" piece. Oh, dear...

Hello from Copenhagen!

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 17:01:00 +0000

I don't think we're in Kansas anymore... or more correctly, Puerto Rico. It's been officially a month since I arrived and still haven't got used to the new place I would call home for the next two years. Studying abroad has always been one of my dreams. Another one was to visit Europe, so I thought "why not do both? visit & study" Of course, easier said than done. It has been a more than a year work. Started with a bit of research of what I wanted to study and where. For days I stared at the computer screen searching, reading information about programs from different countries and universities. Until I found a few that I liked, next step was to send applications and hopefully get accepted. So long story short - I ended up here! The program was exactly what I was looking for and Denmark was on top of my list of places to visit. At the same time coming from a small island, I liked the idea in living in a small city close to the coast.

It's been none stop work since I landed here. Have explored a little bit around, have gotten myself lost a few times and learning the transportation systems it's...something. At the moment I'm almost settled, still looking for a place (the rumors are true, wow it's difficult finding a place to live) and still without a bike in a city of bikes. Got to get myself together hah! Even if studies take a lot of my time, I want to have some fun when I can! Traveling to other cities it's on the agenda for the future. At the moment I'm just exploring the city. If you have visited Copenhagen before and have some recommendations, let me know!! Very excited to see more of this beautiful city and hopefully I can share more of this adventure.

Postcards from Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 18:53:00 +0000

Bonjour! Well, no, actually it has been over a month now since I was in this lovely city - Paris. Just making a few dreams come true. First: Traveling to Europe! (oh, hello first stamp in my Passport) Second: Paris. Do I need to say more? My excitement levels were out of this world.

To write the whole experience it's not entirely possible. But I can say that those five days felt like a dream. I just could not believe I was actually there. Everything was so surreal, different and unexpected but at the same time a lot of things lived my expectations. Like the architecture, flowers on the balconies, crêpes and coffee in the morning, macarons, the cafes...I can't put everything into words. And to be honest, I spent most of the days exploring and really observing everything. Capturing everything with my eyes and not so much with the camera. Just took a few photos, enough to capture a bit of my days. Hopefully I can go back very soon! Five days were to enough to explore everything.

More photos coming soon...

Life Update

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 22:33:00 +0000

It's Summer! And I've been away from here for three months. So here just a peek of what has happened in that time:

Finished the semester
Received acceptance letter from my preferred Masters program *happy dance*
Graduated from University (I'm officially a graduate student)
Went on a family road-trip (and all my photos from this trip are gone...forever. I don't want to talk about it.)
Flew to New York City for only four days (and my love for this city grew even more and now I'm sad because I wanted to stay)
Now I'm home, trying to make the best out of this summer before my studies starts and waiting for my student visa to be approved...because I would be studying abroad! *fingers crossed*

Hopefully you're having a great summer! I will try to keep this blog updated. I had so many ideas for blog posts that I left on process three months ago...I need to work on that.

But just in case, most of the time you'll find me on Instagram @cristiland

Spring Wishlist

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 14:16:00 +0000

SPRING 2015 WISHLIST

Well, hello there! It's been awhile, but don't worry I'm still here surviving my last two months of the semester! So, there are a few things that have been running around my head recently and some I've had them written down on my wishlist for a while. I think the time has come to make a few purchases that I will call them to be necessities, just things that I really like and others that I really do need them.

BEAUTY

There is always something new going around the beauty department and a lot of them I want to try out. But let's start with eye cream, which at the moment I have none. I never was into eye creams until very recently, I just never found them useful when I was a teenager. Around a year ago I picked up from my mom's the Kiehl's Creamy Eye Cream with Avocado and just had the curiosity (just a tiny bit). Oh boy, did I feel in love with this product. It such a good moisturizer and even saw a slight difference with the small lines that I get sometimes from lack of sleep. This product helps me so much with that and it makes my eyes look less tired, you know more bright. This is definitely going to be purchased on my next shopping trip.

Another thing I'm out off is my beloved Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara. My lashes are pretty long so most of the time I stay away from "volumizing mascaras". But they do need a little help in adding color and definition. It doesn't matter how many products of mascara I try, I always come back to this product. It's just perfect for what I need, plus it doesn't irritate my eyes!

Last on this beauty list, the Revlon Nail Polish in "Checkmate". I never seem to get along with nude or very pale nails. They always tend to look weird, that's why I always stay with darker shades like black, gray, reds and burgundy. But I really like this shade of nude, at least it looks amazing on others. So I'll see how it goes with this one - it might be the winner for nude nail polishes.

WARDROBE

The extreme hot weathers are coming and there is almost no sleeveless tops in my closet. I do like the look of the high neck, not extreme turtleneck top of course. They would be nice to have and pair them with practically everything - shorts, jeans, skirts.

Next on my list are glasses. It's already past a year since my last glasses update and I'm ready for a new style. I saw this Persol Typewriter edition ones a few weeks ago, tried them on just for fun and very weirdly I ended up liking them...a lot. It's actually advertised for man, but oh well no one will know. The color it's pretty similar to my Ray-Ban's, but I don't know - I just like the vintage style of these. I'm still thinking about it because even if I like them, I'm still not sure if I could pull them off.

Last but not least, some metallic shoes that I really don't need but I still want them. I like these ones Silver Patent Blucher from Zara. I know, I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but I just have a thing for shoes that are metallic, sparkly and shiny. They just add something fun to a very boring wardrobe, if you ask me. Plus, it's spring! Let the crazy shoes out!

Have a lovely weekend!

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Motivational Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 07:00:00 +0000

Should I say Thank God It's Friday?

It's official that I'm half way threw the semester and sometimes routine can be exhausting. I'm so glad that spring break has already come. I have like a need to breath and have some space before continuing with my routine. I don't mind it most of the time but it's always nice and, I think, even healthy to take a break from it. Maybe even reflect on what going on and change a few bits. In moments like this where there are lots of work and uni exams, things can easily stress me out. In those moments it's kind of easy to loose track and forget why I'm still doing what I'm doing. Those are signs that I need to leave what I'm doing and go to the nearest beach. Listen to the sea. The other good alternative, have a very long tea break (with some Netflix, please and thank you). So for today I decided to share some positivity over here not only for myself, but for anyone who needs it as well.

SOME MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES

"I'd rather have a life of 'oh wells' than a life of 'what ifs'"

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says "I'm possible""

- Audrey Hepburn

"Great achievements involve great risk."

"With every sunrise you are given another chance to make your life shine even brighter! Take on the day!"

"Life is very interesting. In the end, some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths."

"Do not give up, the beginning is always the hardest."

THINKING POSITIVE

Instead of going for what I dislike, I need to remind myself of the little things in life that make me happy. Sometimes I feel like I take things for granted. It's better to appreciate what I have and love.

a good cup of coffee · my dogs playing · looking up the night sky · challenging myself to things that scare me · arriving home in the afternoon · having a warm shower · tea before bed time

WORDS TO NEVER FORGET

Bloom where you are planted

°
Exist to be happy, not to impress

Hope you have a very lovely & positive day!

Silver Hair

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Sat, 14 Mar 2015 18:15:00 +0000

Who else is loving this hair trend?

It seems, for me, that recently a lot of people are going for this look. I'm not only talking about in the blogging community or models on magazines. This last week I've seen at least like four people with silver dyed beautiful hair. I find it interesting. I never thought that I would have ever love this kind of color. Platinum blonde - yes, but silver?

For years I've wanted to try platinum hair, just for fun and to experiment. Someday I'll make it happen and check that out of my bucket list. But all this beautiful pics are making me want to go to the hairdresser, bring one of this pictures and say "Yes, that please!. Oh, those thoughts are horrible! And just when I thought I would keep my natural hair for a while.

Entertainment & Lifestyle | What I've Been Loving Recently?

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 18:15:00 +0000

WHAT I'VE BEEN LOVING RECENTLY

➀ "Yes Please" by Amy Poehler. I've never been someone who's interested in autobiographies or memoir books, but since I read Not That Kind of Girl I decided to give this one a shot. I love everything that has to do with comedy, so to pick this book was a no brainer. I'm still a few chapters away from finishing it, but I like it so far. I recommend it if you are into sarcasm and not taking things too seriously. It is a very entertaining book even if you don't know much about Amy Poehler or a huge fan of SNL.

➁ Music need to be included on this list because it's part of my life. Also, I love discovering new music. Lately I've been putting this few songs on repeat. I find them very soothing and perfect as a background music while studying or just relaxing at the end of the day.

Quiet Nights - Catching Flies

Infinite Cities - The Bright Light Social Hour

Long Night - Guster

Awake - Tycho
Big Jet Plane - Angus & Julia Stone

➂ Waking up early. This one is huge for a night owl like me. But since January, studies and work has made me realize the importance of going to bed early and waking up very very (very) early. I noticed that I don't feel the same through the day if I don't have my usual morning rituals. For example, I need to have my daily intake of caffeine, a good breakfast and to take my time to get ready. And I can see a huge difference in my performance through the day comparing it when I used to wake up late and rush everything in the morning. That it's not good, I end up being tired and annoyed by noon. Waking up early has made me more productive, more alert, and overall happier. Of course, then Friday comes and I have a little happy dance because I can enjoy a good long sleep!

Hope you're having a lovely day!

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My Spring Must-Have Items

noreply@blogger.com (Cristi) — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 18:25:00 +0000

I always find it sad to say goodbye to winter. I know, I know lots of you might be thinking I'm crazy. Just by looking at the weather forecasts and news from different parts of the world I might think lots of you are very excited for spring and summer to arrive. In my case, winter here in the tropical Puerto Rico is great! I'll say it's the perfect weather - not too hot and (of course) not too cold.

But anyway I'm not here to talk about the weather, I'm here to write down a few spring clothing items I've been checking out. I did a spring-cleaning already very early in February and while I was re-organizing, I wrote down things that I needed in my wardrobe and now all I need is to hit the stores. This list is pretty much basic items to mix and match. Another thing I noticed is how many are from Zara, this post might be called as well "Zara Wish List".

LEATHER SHORTS

For months I wanted some "leather" pants/trousers or leggins. They always look nice and makes the outfit look edgy without it being too much or risky. But then comes the downside of living in a humid weather. Just by seeing it made me sweat! Every time I saw them at some store, I would pick them up, marvel at them, try them out (take a sneaky picture) and leave them there. I don't know what happened to me until now...uhhh, how about leather shorts? YES!

Options I Like: H&M Imitation Leather Shorts | Zara Faux Leather Tie-Waist Shorts

LOOSE-FITTING TOPS
Do I need to explain? I just find them perfect. I can never stand too many fitting or tight clothes.

Options I Like: Zara Halter Neck Layered | Sleeveless Top with Pocket | Sode Cut-Out

LEATHER JACKET

There is not such thing as too much faux leather items! In reality I do need to pick up a new jacket. One I had for two years already broke down (literally, it did fall to little pieces!). I do admit it wasn't the best quality, so now I really want to make a good choice. I love how it always goes whether you want to go casual or even for an elegant night out outfit. I think it's a must in everyone's closet. Especially in mine since I tend to be kind of boring so adding a leather jacket always helped to make it a bit interesting.

Options I Like: H&M Biker Jacket | Mango Zipped Biker Jacket

KNEE-LENGTH DRESS

I just need a classic plain dress either be black or white (or both). I have way too many dresses with prints and it's kind of difficult sometimes to style. Something basic that can go with anything and anywhere. Make it more for the cut and details. I'm very into an open-back without showing too much skin. That would be nice for those coming hot days in the spring and summer.

Options I Like: Zara Double Layer Gathered Dress | Mango Halter Neck Jumpsuit | Cut-Out Detail Dress

Do you have any tips or other recommendations? Let me know!

Have a lovely day and nice rest of the week!

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