“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt

My bags are packed, my boarding pass in printed and my goodbyes said. My Mom has just whatsapped me asking how I feel and honestly...odd.
Crying my way through the airport  and getting on the plane over a year and a half ago I never would have envisaged being here today or even to be moving back to the UK with Stylight.

Anyway I had this idea a few weeks ago and decided to share...a fun little list of just a few of my experiences in the Mighty Munchen (one for every month of living here);

1. My first solo flight.
2. An authentic German Christmas market - if you're from Birmingham you'll be familiar with the wonderful German market we have each Christmas and this  point feels like a little lie as that is also authentic but Tollwood is another level. This was also the first time I found myself picking up the language when I subconsciously said 'Entschuldigung' in the crowd and turned to a friend to ask what it meant!
3. German classes - even if I am still a little rusty! - I had never spoke a word of it until I moved here.
4. My first New Year away from home.
5. Graduated - all be it I  wasn't in Germany but it happened in this time none the less, and I'm pretty darn proud of it!
6. Went from Intern to trainee and made the slightly larger decision to stay in Munich on a much more permanent basis!
7. Ski-ing - imagine Bridget Jones ski-ing, then times in by ten...ich bin nicht gut!
8. Brezel and Lebkuchen - my weaknesses which led to the following point...
9. Weight gain - I was one of those fairly lucky souls that could eat whatever she wanted...and then I moved to Munich. Sitting at a desk all day is not good for me or my chocolate consumption, which led to the next one (talk about smooth transitions!).
10. Joined a gym...until Feb 2013 I had.never.stepped.foot.in.a.gym. Ever since that fateful day we've had a roller coaster of a relationship, I started off keen but then point 11 happened and motivation was lost...
11. A real summer, the Englischer garten, outdoor swimming pools and swimming in rivers - the Isaar to be precise. When its 30 degrees and your lay in the Englischer garten nothing compares to jumping in the Icey water to cool off (although do be careful its a pretty strong tide). Somehow I don't think I'll be diving in the Thames this July!
12. Many visits to Austria,Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck...and multiple times.
13. Brought (and learnt to love) a Dirndl.
14. Experienced the infamous Oktober and Fruhlingsfest. And acquired a little taste for beer.
15. Fell in love.
16. Went to Amsterdam for the first time - of many I hope. I freaking love that city!
17. Visited Berlin - it was a complete fly in visit but I had the best experience. I really want to go back but I don't want to  ruin my memory of it.
18. Realised how incredible my friends and family are, when they jump on a plane at the drop of hat.
19. Met some absolutely wonderful people whom have completely made my entire experience, I feel lucky to have friends from all over the world and to have made some true friends for life. I think I'mma have lots of visitors in London town!
20. And finally (one for luck!) I will be heading back to London a Manager!

Turns out getting on that plane wasn't such a bad idea after all.

I wanted to include some photo's of all the memories I have made here but it turned out there are quite a lot so I thought this made more sense...

Enjoy & Ciao.

'You look at me and you reach for the free blue sky
I look to the stars as they flicker and float in your eyesAnd under these wings of steel the small town dies' -David Bowie

"oans, zwoa, g'suffa..."

Oh hello...its been a while.

These photos’s are actually from a couple of weeks ago; Rebecca and I's last Sunday in the city together. 

After six months of living in the mighty Munchen, would you believe Miss Cohen had never stepped foot in the infamous Hofbrauhaus?!...being the good friend I am I stepped up to the mark and offered to make the introduction before her impending departure.

I'll follow the road, That will take me, take me right back home.

Walking home at 6am this morning, the sun was up, the birds were tweeting and I had pretty much wrote my day off.

However my body had other ideas, waking up at 11am feeling fresh as a daisy, I hopped out of bed  and  made myself a cup of tea. I won't lie there was a slight diminish in my enthusiasm where my beds gravitational force got the better of me however nothing a shower and slick of make up couldn't  fix!

When Rebecca messaged me to grab a bite at Ryans Muddy Boot, I was itching to 'sport' my new baseball shirt (a little Cohen inspired pun there!). 

Frühlingsfest...Ein Prosit, ein Prosit Der Gemütlichkeit, Ein Prosit, ein Prosit Der Gemütlichkeit!

Happy hump day!

 So as I mentioned in my last post, I spent my Saturday indulging in some real Bavarian culture at the popular Fruhlingsfest. It is the little sister of Oktoberfest and to be honest a much more manageable take on any kind of Bier festival for little old me. I'm not a huge beer drinker but looking über feminine, I manned up and took on the challenge! - I am such a martyr!

Rebel Rebel.

I realize I have been a little lackadaisical these past 2 weeks when it comes to blogging, so when I woke up late on Friday, I didn't expect I would  be taking any outfit photo's. However I brought these sunglasses when I was in Innsbruck a few weeks ago for the bargain price of 3 Euro's from Primark...yes Primark! and I thought they were worthy of some screen time. Luckily the photo's turned out alright...I absolutely LOVE my hair in these, so much so I am debating dying it lighter for the summer! What d'ya think?

A mountain...a manifestation of forces we are not capable of dealing with.

So this past two weeks has been pretty hectic.

I'm currently sat writing on a delayed plane back to Munich at Manchester airport. In the past 14 days I have taken 10 train journeys (not including the countless tubes) 4 planes and 2 coach journeys. I've covered 2 countries, 5 cities and to be honest I’m looking forward to a weekend in Munich enjoying Fruhlingsfest (more on that to follow!).

'I re-invented my image so many times that I'm in denial that I was originally an overweight Korean woman.' - David Bowie

This week I've been in London with work so I thought I’d share some outfit photos of me playing the part!  Aside from my fun loving jokey side I do actually work in Business Development and this week I was in London attending Fashion Digital and meeting with a few partners before heading over to a networking breakfast this morning

  This is when dinosaur, despicable me, hot chocolate loving Lauren steps aside and professional, networking Lauren comes into play. This week has been all about multi-channel, dual screen purchasing and the infamous big data debate. The fact I work for a German company is always a conversation starter and I absolutely love getting to know the face’s behind so many huge brands.

Vitamin C & some 60's soul.

So its Sunday afternoon, I’m sat in bed listening to Lee Moses ‘Bad Girl’ and may even follow it up with a bit of Carole King...I’m generally feeling much better than I have done all week as unfortunately I have been ill.

I thought I’d share a few of the things that have kept me going these past few days (aside from the Doctor).

80's vibes; 'Mom' Jeans.

To kick off this post I thought I’d point out the subtle nod to Mothers day (in the UK); with these ‘Mom’ jeans from Zara.

 I spent Mothers day in Munich’s beautiful Botanical Gardens with the lovely Cohen... we basically did the whole Mother’s day thing without the Mama’s.*

*NB: All Mothers and Grandmothers were called and or Skyped after the making of this post!

‘Sometimes you stumble across a few chords that put you in a reflective place’.

OK so turns out writing a blog is a lot more daunting than I anticipated, and has consequently led to my two previous posts being pretty nothing’y.

 I’ve wanted start this blog since I moved out here to Munich, wanting to document my experience and share it with those back home – and anyone that might be interested!

Work leggings & pattern play!

Something I think most people working in fashion can relate to is differentiating between their work and play wardrobe. Luckily I work in such a dynamic and relaxed company that whether I go to work in a skirt and shirt or a dinosaur tee, there’s no problem – great at 8am on a Monday morning. But there comes a point in the day when you look in the mirror and contemplate; ‘really?!’  I imagine a lot of people can relate to the fact that ‘8am you’ and ‘1pm you’ are generally in completely different head spaces. There’s a saying related to not making decisions when you are mad and; for me at least; this also applies when tired. I am one of those chaotic sleepy types in the a.m, so some kind of planning has to take place for me to look vaguely presentable by midday.

PJ's in the park!

So here it goes a quick intro into me, why I’m here and probably not any insight into where I’m going...because where’s the fun in that?!