Ever since I was a young girl, I knew I wanted to be tattooed. Perhaps it was the influence of my artistic mother, but I always appreciated beautiful things and the idea of having something beautiful on my body forever held a strong pull. I spent my childhood going through all kinds of temporary tattoos while I waited until I was old enough for the more permanent variety. I got two small ones during my college years and while I always wanted more, I never got further than creating a ample Pinterest board of body art inspiration. In recent years, especially once I learned we were moving to Berlin, capitol of some of the world's most talented tattoo artists, I felt the intense desire to add to my collection.

A few years ago, a good friend complimented my strength at a time when I was filled with self-doubt and I knew this was a reassuring reminder that I wanted to carry with me in a permanent way. I had played around with ideas and different languages for a tattoo of words, but nothing felt quite right. It wasn't until I was in the hospital earlier this year, that I was reminded again by someone that we are braver than we think we are. Laying there, looking at my bandaged and IV-clad arm, I was struck with what I wanted. So often we are told to 'be strong' when things are bad, but bravery isn't something that we call upon only when confronted with an obstacle, it's something we harness in a proactive pursuit of the things we want in life as well. It has an almost heroic connotation. It's more than just strength during the hard times, but optimism that we will succeed in the good times as well.

While I liked the word 'brave', English lacks the romance and timelessness that I wanted, so I looked to the language that is the foundation for so many others: Latin. 'Fortis' can be used to mean both 'strong' and 'brave', which seemed to fit perfectly. Antsy to make it happen, I quickly booked an appointment with an artist recommended to me by a Berliner who has script tattoos that I admire.



In the more than a month until I was set to be permanently inked in the most visible place I had been tattooed yet, I agonized over exactly what I wanted it to look like. The words themselves are only one piece of the puzzle. This was art, very permanent art, that needed to look as good as how strongly I felt about the words themselves. After many hours of font research, writing samples and several test runs with a black semi-permanent marker, I finally felt I had hit on something. I had taken a font that I liked, reworked the elements I didn't like, linked the words together and extended the beginning and end for that linear look I was going for... and came up with something I thought I would be happy to look at every day for the rest of my life. It was pretty when I looked at it directly, but I almost loved it even more when looking down my arm at it. Seemingly compressed, the rise and fall of the script almost resembled a heartbeat. The way it wrapped around when I twisted my arm gave it beautiful movement.



My artist, Ela Pour at Pech & Schwefel, was very patient as we finalized the design details in my less-than-stellar German at my appointment. She was careful not to push me in any direction with the decisions, but was very diplomatic in offering her artistic opinion as we worked on finalizing the design. The last time I had been tattooed was over a decade ago and I admit when we first got started, I had forgotten how painful it was. In all fairness, during my research I had read that the inner arm is among the most sensitive places to get tattooed, so I wasn't too hard on myself about it. Though my latest piece is still relatively small, I did start to feel what I have heard from many who have had much larger pieces done, in that after awhile, you almost 'zone out' from the pain and become rather numb to it. Even so, I'm definitely going to need to channel the reassuring mantra that is now forever in my skin whenever I decide on my next piece of permanent art.



Pech & Schwefel Tätowierungen
Mehringdamm 81
10965, Berlin-Kreuzberg
U6/U7 Mehringdamm
030 22509264

It's funny how when you move to another country, you are so focused on the big stuff - visas, residence permits, communicating day-to-day in a new language - that you can forget about the little things you have to adapt until you're standing in front of a drugstore shelf, tirelessly translating the key words on the fronts of bottles until something sounds like what you are looking for. That face wash you depended on since your teens may not be available in your new home, or as I found out, your skin has changed so much in a new climate, it has a whole new set of requirements.

It can be daunting to embark a major journey for new products that will work for you, let alone in a language you are still working to master, but I've compiled a list of my favorites after nearly five years here from the German equivalents of CVS or Walgreens to help. So if you're unsure of what's worth grabbing at your local dm, Rossmann and the like, take a look at these recommendations to see if there's something that might help fill a need in your beauty line-up.


Essie nail polish

Essie polish is one of the few US treats that don't pass the high cost of importing onto its customers. Bottles of OPI are an ungodly 16€ here, while Essie remains at a reasonable 8€. Still relatively new to the drugstore scene, the color selection is not comprehensive and the displays often go unreplenished for long periods of time, but at least it's quality polish at a good price. This perfect urban grey, Chinchilly, is one of my favorites, but it's hard to go wrong with other classics like Sugar Daddy or Wicked.


Essie apricot cuticle oil

Yes, another buy from Essie, but this is my new favorite product find. It doesn't soften my cuticles as much as I would like, but it makes my nails - especially manicured - glossy and beautiful. Plus, it smells deliciously like apricots.


Neutrogena Norwedische Handcreme

A long-time staple for me in the States, I was thrilled to discover this was sold here in Germany as well. Super thick and rich, this is a must for dry German winters, though my dry skin drinks it up year-round. The regular formula's scent is quite pleasant, but I stock up on the perfume-free version to have at our bathroom sink, my bedside table and in my bag at all times.


Loreal Elnett Haarspray

This European stylist favorite had been smuggled into the US for years before some retailers started to wise up and worked out a deal to sell it to us Americans directly - at a price. Now living in the glorious European Union, where this hair magic hails from, I can get it at a fraction of what they charged to import it in the States (for some reason, it's also much cheaper in Germany than it is in France). Even better, it comes in a multitude of variations - dry hair, colored hair, extra volume, extra strong hold - so you can pick just the right one for you. If you have used it, you love it. It's everything a hairspray should be (soft, lasting hold) and nothing it's not (hard, sticky or gross).


Syoss classic hair color

For the few years that I was a redhead, I relied on Syoss hair color for frequent color refreshes and root touchups. It's super cheap and I found the color was surprisingly better than more expensive hues. When I changed things up to a darker brown, I was equally impressed by the color performance. While I now leave my new platinum locks up to the professionals, if I ever go back to the auburn or brown shades, this will be my go-to.


Alverde NATURKOSMETIK AugenBrauengel

Strangely enough, I discovered this German beauty brand product through a French fashion and beauty blogger. A huge fan of her style, not to mention any beauty recommendation that really works and doesn't break the bank, I was floored to see someone in France importing a drugstore product from Germany because it was that good. I was never a big user of eyebrow product as I always found it either streaky or crunchy or fake-looking, but this product was a game-changer. It's the perfect balance of subtle color and gentle hold that takes your brows to the next level - without looking like you tried too hard.


Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner

Admittedly, I'm not usually a fan of drugstore cosmetics, mascara aside, as I find they under-perform so drastically compared to more expensive brands. So when I picked this stuff up on a whim to replace some of my favorite dried out Bobbi Brown gel liners, I didn't have very high hopes. Boy, was I surprised. Not only is the color strong and easy to apply, but it stays on all day like its more expensive counterparts without fading or flaking.


Bi-Oil

I originally picked up this reparative oil for my legs that are overly sensitive and irritated from my shift from waxing to shaving last year, but then discovered that it works wonders on my face. Granted, my daily sunscreen routine since my teens has left me with only minor wrinkles thus far, but this stuff seems to smooth and repair what damage my facial skin has endured. I use a couple of drops around my eyes and on my forehead under my face moisturizer and at night, but my skin has shown definite improvement for the year or so that I've been using this. Better yet, it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin the way almost every anti-age product I've ever tried has.


Nivea honey & oil creme seife

Basic, creamy, superb-smelling soap. I rarely will use anything else and even my mother stocks her suitcase with these bars every time she comes to visit.


Garnier Ambre Solaire Sonnenschutz-Milch

A faithful Neutrogena sunscreen-wearer in the States, I quickly learned that Garnier was the European drugstore gold standard for sun protection. Great formulas and range of protection options, I always have a bottle of this stuff with me when I'm headed out in the sun.


How about you? Are there any German or European drugstore products you can't live without?



Stay tuned, as I will be showcasing more beauty buys I count on from the Apoteke (think high-end drugstore) and department/specialty stores...

I had been hearing about the merits of Grunewaldsee for some time, but it wasn't until überlin wrote this post that I made up my mind we had to go - and soon. So once the weather finally looked like* it might be amenable for such a trip, we packed into the car and headed across town with the hopes of giving Bailey something to replace the swimming pool and great big ocean we left behind in California.

After a brief rainstorm upon arrival that threatened our commitment to this outing, we headed into the forest under relatively clear skies in search of this oft-talked about dog lake. But first, we encountered a retriever hell-bent on retrieving - a 'stick' that was actually more of a small tree. We watched and laughed at his determination for awhile, Bailey thoroughly confused since in her mind sticks are made for whittling down to toothpicks rather than carrying proudly. After what we had just witnessed, we continued on, eager to see Bailey's excitement at this new place so clearly dominated by all that makes dogs happy.

Upon first seeing the beach, Bailey raced ahead of us, straight down to the water where a large group of dogs were already running, swimming and playing with each another. It was like a doggy playground, a secluded forest and lake just for them. Bailey eagerly resumed her favorite water game of fetching the stick - which she only does in water, on dry land, forget about it - her eyes gleaming in anticipation of every throw that meant she got to dive back out into the water.

In addition to watching our dog have the time of her life, Grunewald was a treat for us as well. Like so many other green spaces in Berlin, it's a place to get lost in the trees and the quiet, forgetting that the big city lay just outside of its borders. On a hot day, it's a paradise of shade and cool water for both its two-legged and four-legged visitors.



* This is almost always impossible, as Yahoo weather will say overcast while it's bright and sunny outside or even leaving one's apartment in decent weather doesn't guarantee that alternating rain, pounding hail and hot sunshine won't confound the weather report for the length of the journey, as it did for us the day of this outing. Oh, Berlin weather...

Coming from the US, trying to create a home in Germany is hard. The whole install-your-own-kitchen (and lighting and window coverings and bathroom cabinets...) way of doing things can be a shock to an American renter's system, not to mention bank account. But it was the lack of a middle ground in home furnishings that really challenged my interior design sensibilities. It was either that ubiquitous Swedish superstore or specialty shops where light fixtures could run in the four-figures. Where were the German equivalents to retailers like West Elm and Crate and Barrel? As far as I could see, there weren't any. Or at least, any with designs worth putting in a stylish home. There's a reason so many European apartments are filled with Ikea.

Sure, after moving to Berlin, a whole world of opportunity opened up with the plethora of shops, boutiques and flea markets, but the abundance of choice, and time needed to scour said choices, can feel overwhelming. So after nearly five years of unfinished home projects, I've been eager to find a one-stop-shop to fill the remaining holes left in my interior design plans. Something modern, clean, homey. Something not Ikea. Enter Urbanara.

I happened upon its pop-up booth inside Bikini Berlin while exploring with a friend the other week and was immediately drawn to some of the light fixtures hung inside. Just what I had been looking for. A look at the price tag left me slack-jawed. This stuff was affordable. No 500€ light fixtures here. As if I needed to be further sold, the woman there told me everything was online and that my first purchase could be had at a 10% discount. I left with a brochure and visions of Tom Dixon-esque copper lights and graphic throw pillows dancing in my head. Making our home everything I had hoped it would be finally feels within reach - without sacrificing the rest of our lifestyle.

What is a good summer sale binge if new summer shoes are not part of the deal? While I'm quite loyal to my Birks this year, it wouldn't hurt to add some other styles into the mix. These are a few of my favorites, some of which I've been stalking since they first came out, others I only just discovered with the onset of the sales. From simple flats to sexy wedges, there's something for every summer occasion.

Here's to warm weather, bare toes and shoes affordable enough to properly celebrate the season!

slouchy sandals | leopard espadrilles | platform sandals | equestrian flat sandals 

snake-print wedges | cross-over strap sandals | lace-up wedge sandals

double-strap sandal with studs

The great thing about fashion is its early jump on the coming season. What that means for summer - at least here in Berlin - is that right when things are finally starting to warm up a bit, ice cream shops start to stay open a little later and daydreams about sitting on a beach sipping piña coladas persist with a vengeance, all the great stuff to help you look your best while indulging in the gloriousness of summer are going on sale. These perfect pieces are all 25-50% off right now, taking much of the guilt out of indulging in some new things for the season, just because. With all this savings, there's got to be some budget leftover for at least a little summer getaway, right...?

Faux-leather shorts | Part tough, part playful, I'm loving the idea of the leather short. This faux version with understated, monochromatic details makes the trend attainable for less.

Hair slides | Whether you're growing your hair out like I am or just want to tuck stray strands back from sticky to your sweaty summertime forehead, you can't go wrong with simple bobby pins. Less fussy than barrettes and a step up from drugstore bobbies, these will make even a hasty summer 'do look pulled together.

Marled coat | I've had my eye on this Isabel Marant-wannabe since it came out. So now that it's half-price, it's hard to fight the pull any longer. Light enough for chilly summer nights, it'll also be a transition piece for autumn.

Pleated top | Not usually one for peplum tops (does anyone else feel like a human flower in them, or is that just me?), the higher cinching and longer drape on this one has a much more flattering shape. Plus, the delicate straps and breezy pleats are picture-perfect summertime.

Tropical print bikini top and bottom | Printed swimsuits can so often look tacky or chintzy, but this classy, tonal print is just the ticket for a summer holiday. Now to decide on a destination...

Ripped white jeans | After buying my first pair of white jeans a few months back since oh, sometime in the '90s, and miraculously not spilling red wine on them yet, my confidence level in the quintessential summer pant has vastly improved. I think a ripped pair for a little more edge would be the perfect next step.

Picnic blanket | Even if you can't get away to a tropical island, taking this palm-print blanket to a nearby park to bask in some summer sun might be the next best thing.

Striped knit scarf | This massive, cozy-like-your-favorite-t-shirt scarf would be the perfect summer travel companion. Wrap it up for a neck-warming scarf when it's downright cold, or drape it around bare shoulders to fight the evening chill.

Leather clutch | Sold as a clutch, it's also the perfect size to act as a travel wallet for money, passports and boarding passes. From plane ride to beachside evening bag. What a coincidence.

The whole 'ugly shoe' phenomenon in high fashion and the subsequent resurgence of Birkenstocks is no longer new (after all, the informal kick-off with Celine's fur-lined pool slides was spring 2013), but it wasn't until a year later that I have finally come over to the dark side - also knows as, the Arizona sandal. Yes, I had the 'training-wheel' Gizeh Birks for years, but thinking back to those thick, two-strapped, black suede monstrosities I wore in high school with ill-fitting acid-washed denim and flannel shirts à la Kurt Cobain had me ready to break out in hives. Really? Were we going back there? Funny thing is, the more I saw these fashion bloggers and cool Europeans rocking them (see above) in ways that felt nothing like the Birkenstocks I once knew, I started to wonder why I was fighting so hard. These ladies actually looked pretty darn chic, so who's to say I wouldn't as well?

Sure, they're not the most attractive, slimming shoe in the footwear universe, but there's something distinctly European (in a good way) about them and these days, they seem more often paired with a Celine handbag and leather shorts than gypsy skirts and dreadlocks. I mean, how cool does this girl look? It's fashion without trying so hard. Add to that the comfort factor for all the urban trekking I do and the comparatively easy-on-the-wallet price tag here in Deutschland, I figured it was a bandwagon worth jumping on.

Not that I was ready to go all in right away. I spent some time fighting hard against the original ugly shoe - the Birkenstock - by trying a myriad of possibilities that might spare me any associations with their previous life, at least in the US, as a schleppy, hippie shoe. First up was Zara's all-black, patent leather version with pretty buckles.


The look was all-right, but everything else was all wrong. The fit was terribly small and the stiff, sharp edges cut into the skin of my foot just walking around my apartment. At 69€, it was just too much for such an under-performing shoe. I'm young enough to want fashionable footwear, but too old to settle for shoes that require adhesive bandages just to keep from looking like an Edward Scissorhands victim. Back they went.

And so I tried again, this time with an & Other Stories chic and simple pair.


Once again, they fell short of my inflated hopes. They looked OK, but as far as style went, I just couldn't shake the Calvin Klein ca. 1992 vibe, so I felt rather dated in this version. Ultimately, the deciding factor was quality. They smelled so strongly of chemical rubber and squeaked horribly with every step I took. So, I struck out again.

After more online photo stalking to convince myself and receiving a generous coupon for an online shoe store, I was won over by the pull of the masses and conceded in trying a pair of the original, throwing caution into the wind and opting for the white that is trending right now.


At first, I couldn't get past the vast amounts of white surrounding my not-so-small feet and the resemblance to medical professionals' footwear. But the more I tried them on - and after some very crucial adjustments to bring in the width from Fred Flintstone-esque to a more reasonable and nearly feminine silhouette - the more I started to feel these were what I had been looking for all along. It didn't hurt that they were half the price of the previous ones I tried, not to mention a mere fraction of what these are going for in the US right now (tip for those in Germany: avoid the inflated prices of fashion website and stores, these can be scored for much less elsewhere).

Much like Chucks or Vans, I think these are comfortable classics that, no matter if they're trending in the fashion world, they will always have staying power. Now that I'm 100% on board, I'm ready to dive in with some black pairs as well... (I can practically see my mom shaking her head from halfway around the world already)

If, like me, you are apprehensive about the trend, there are all kinds of variations and knock-offs that can help ease the transition...



Vagabond Erie slides | Clarks Romantic Moon sandal | Whistles Holly sandal | Sam Edelman Adora sandal

Here's to the summer of the Birkenstock and comfortable feet!


top image credits (clockwise):
Kaitlyn Ham of Modern Legacy
Jessie Bush of We The People
Sabrina Meijer of AfterDRK
J.Crew spring lookbook