Fun is good for you, and the more the better!

Main square in Bruxelles.

Lots of partying going on!!! Europe in christmas time really is beautiful! I took a few days off from Nicoland and went to Bruxelles... was GORGEOUS!! Everything is going beautifully. Really. In fact, so beautifully that I'm holding my breath as if not to create too much wind.

I love it! and I still have a week here at Nicoland!!

And BTW, want to wish everyone great partying for new year's eve tonight!!!

Baci!

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Happy Hollidays Everyone!!!

Enjoy yourselves to the max. Enjoy the family, friends the food and the drinks!!!! (not too many drinks)

I used my own picture this time... Its Piggy and Froggy!! They're friends and they hang on my tree! (Get it.. hang, as in hang out- aaaaaahaha)

kisskiss!

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I'm completely incapable of having a serious conversation.

No, really, seriously!

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Crema what!!???

I've been busting out my cookbooks out of the cupboard and actually trying some recipes. "Practicing." Trying to gain as much "bargaining power" as possible... You know, since I'm trying to get Nico to do my laundry I'll have to sweeten the deal for him too.

Anyway, I made Crema Catalana... (which in fact is very sweet) and I know, I've had my issues with Barcelona but why mix politics with FOOD!? So, here is the result:




















All I have to say... I'm looking forward to lots of progress this vacation. I am not sure how ambitious I should feel, but Grandma did tell me that one can get very far with sugar.

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I need you... to do my laundry!

I'm going all domesticated and stuff... What would some people call it? Trying to "make a nest". What the heck am I? A freakin BIRD?!?? I'm not a BIRD! I may be a fox... but even that doesn't go... I'm not trying to dig a fox hole...

Whatever "it" is, the symptoms are:

• looking at Home Decor Magazines
• acquiring cook books
• opening those cook books

Its really becoming this new obsession of the moment type thing! Maybe I'm just realizing that my mom won't do my laundry forever... (and incorrectly she does it too!!!) So the survival instinct is telling me that it may be time to start securing the next person that will do my laundry. (Perhaps upgrading to someone who'll do it correctly.)

What does this nonsense have to do with Home Decor Magazines and cook books?? Hmmm... donno... Maybe its like a "set"; the moment you start thinking about the future... (as in who shall do my laundry in the future!???) a whole number of other questions and ideas start poping into your head... Who will cook for me? Who will clean my house? Who will decorate my house? Who will....

Beh! Yes I know I sound very "dependent". No, it's not being dependent, its just being SUPER LAZY, can't function unless someone is kicking my ass LAZY!!! Hey, everyone is different, you just have to know your weaknesses and make specific adjustments. That's what I'm trying to do.

Hm... I wonder how are Nico's launderer skills...




Its funny when your friends happen to be totally on the opposite page. Here I am trying my best to sign someone up for my laundry gig and Wallstr could not care less about answering such important questions about the future.

Like the other week Wallstr and I went out to this great bar in the city that has many international beers on tap. The bar was completely crowded inspite it being just barely 6pm. We were barely standing by the bar, hanging on to it actually... and there were these tall, good looking guys next to us.

I was curiously watching as the cutest one with a sparkling white shirt with rolled up sleeves kept trying his best to get Wallstreet's attention. He was talking really loudly, turning around trying to catch her eye, finally just simply BUMPING into her!!! I don't know but to me he seemed like a perfect candidate for providing some laundry services not to mention the possibility that he may just have an ice cream maker at home. (!!!!) Wallstr on the other hand was getting rather annoyed at his idiotic display of affections... since apparently one of his pushes caused her to spill her beer down her chest...

Ale: How's your Leffe Blonde Wallstr? Don't you just LOVE IT!

Wallstr: Oh, yeah... its great, just great... (then looking over to the tall admirer) Though it would be MUCH BETTER IN HIS FACE!!!

She said that pretty loudly... hahahaha... poor Romeo MUST have heard it because he immediately started sulking... awwwww... there went his chance to do Wallstreet's laundry!!!

Lesson #1: If you want to convince someone to do your laundry you must at least bring the detergent.

Lesson number 2: If you like to eat ice cream every day chances are SOONER OR LATER you'll get dirty and will have to do the laundry...

are you with me still? heheheeee

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Behind the caffeine veil

How cute is this? A pretty nice little gift for a hostess or so... And you don't have to go to the museum to buy it! The Moma shop is not even located in the same area as the museum! (Haha, just kidding, museum is not so bad too! ...or so I heard.)

I've been into 'designy' stuff lately... I think I'm just getting old and realizing that there are no GRAND schemes to life, just pleasure in details. EWWWWWW BARFFFFFF!!!

Don't worry, no depressing stuff here, but HEY! Why not chase down the grand schemes AND pleasure in details as well!?

Sempreprimavera is about having it ALL!!! That's right! No guilt, no excuses! FORWARD my people!

My coffee was especially strong and wonderful this morning! Aaaaahhh!

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Give me a finger and I'll take your head off!

I absolutely LOVE the holidays! I love the parties, the family get togethers, the decorations, food... just everything!!! Since I'm spending the holidays with Nico, I was trying to get a feel for how he treats the holiday season. (Never mind the overindulgent pet names...)

Ale: Sooooo sugar, do you usually decorate your house!???

Nico: am.... well, not really, I do like the decorations at other people's houses, but I don't really do much...

Ale: No tree? lights... anything??

Nico: ...well I DO have a little mini tree to put on a desk that my mom gave me... I coul'd set it up if you want

Ale: Oh noooooo darlin, I don't want to disrupt any of your ways... its OK, we can just celebrate the way you normally do! Its OK, I'm not picky or anything... but... if its not too much trouble and you don't mind, yes the little mini desk tree you have might be a nice touch, why not, bring it out!

Nico: Oh will not be ANY trouble!! For you, anything! I think I remember where it is...

Ale: Ohhh Yey! and can we also perhaps have just some lights around the window?

Nico: ...um... yeah.. sure, why not what the heck

Ale: YELLOW AND PINK AND BLUE!!!! YEEEEYYY!!!! AND maybe a BIG tree to match the little one! WITH BIG SHINY BALLS and fake SNOW FLAKES and GLASS BEED GARLANDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and GLITER!!!!! EVERYWHERE!!!! GLITTEEEERR!!!!!!!!!!

Nico: ..hm... you know, I'm gonna pop by the home mega store and pick up a few things I guess, anything else in particular you'd like to see on the BIG tree?

Ale: oh, just whatever you think looks nice honey, you have such great taste.... I'll send you a qick list of some of my suggestions though... will probably arrive in a few parts due to size...

***
OK, OK, perhaps I'm exaggerating just a liiiiiitle bit... the conversation went more like this:

Ale: can we have a tree, and lights and glitter and snowflakes!?!????!!!!!
Nico: No
Ale: Pleeeeeeeeeease!!!
Nico: ...No
Ale: PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeEEEEeeeEEEeeEEEEEESE!!!!
Nico: Ok
***

Speaking of cute holiday decorations, I'm so envious of my friend from Denmark... everyone knows that they're famous over there for christmas gorgeousness!!!

Check this out! Aura 4 Laura totally rocks.. look:

Well these vintage capuccino machines ornaments from Home Depot! are actually kinda cute:











note to guys: if a girl says I like ____! She basically says: Give me ____!
note to girls: if you want a guy to give you ____. You must tell him: Give me ____.

You're welcome! (once again)

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To Wear or not to Wear

Most of you are probably bored to tears by this subject and actually I am too in a way. Yes I'm talking about the 'outfit' scheduling for my Winter trip. This one is different since it'll be for 2 whole weeks and since it is the holiday season, many different parties will be involved. I'll just do a quick list of all various events and the look I'll be trying to project.

Festive:
1. quiet dinner party - nice, neat and friendly
2. large, family dinner party - very put together but still approachable
3. fancy family party - super polished yet demure
4. nye party - sexy but not too much
6. casual birthday party (though you know its never casual) - casual sexy
7. private dinner party ;) - very, very sexy

Other:
1. Museum day out in the city - sophisticated sexy
2. Sporty day biking - sporty sexy
3. Sightseeing day - comfortable sexy

Well, there is definitely a "sexy" theme going on. Basically any occasion outside of family get togethers is a chance for sexiness. Also, with longer trips like this, it is also very important to have 2 "surprise" just in case outfits. One a very dressy one, and the second a very casual one. You just never know what may come up... I also suggest to bring a bathing suit with you whenever you travel. There may be a sauna or a pool that you may not be able to resist. I'll be visiting my friend Rosalie in Belgium for a few days and she was good enough to tell me that we'll be going to the pool! (She knows I looove a casual dip in the pool for a lap or two!)

btw: that's an ikea closet on the picture- looks nice... and neat! I think the reason closets get messy is there is not enough room for all the stuff. But then again... my purses over the years have gotten larger and large and I still manage to accumulate a big mess in them regardless the size...

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Frame of mind

I started this blog because my never ending complaints about NYC were getting unbearable (for me and everyone else). I decided to start sempreprimavera to write only NICE things about NYC. Everytime I have something negative to say, I'd turn it into something positive in a post.

Many people told (tell) me that how I see New York just depends of my frame of mind. Obviously, I'd say, that's the only way to explain how people can LIKE nyc.

Sempreprimavera experiment definitely worked. And worked wonders, because I always say, being positive creates positive things around you! So its all good. But still I wonder, is it REALLY a frame of mind???

I mean, its a fact that there are WAY too many women in NYC. Its not that I'm in a negative frame of mind so all I see everywhere are annoying girls giddy with themselves and NO good looking guys, its just that in NYC there really is a 5:1 women to men ratio. Its not my negative imagination, its how it is.

The moment that I would step over the border, whether state or international, I'd immediately find PLENTY of guys to like. Especially if it was the border into Italy, where I found myself liking ALL the guys.

My 4 hour commute. Sorry, but there is just nothing to do to disguise the horror. Yes ok, the Staten Island ferry is pretty, but not THAT pretty. And I didn't like living in manhattan its just not my style. I like to be the crazy one, and here I feel like the only SANE one! (And that is scary trust me.)

Without further regurgitation of all the stuff I don't like about NYC. Let me just simply conclude: I think it sucks!

I say it with a sober mind and realize (with the help of sempreprimavera) that me not liking NYC has nothing to do with the "Frame of Mind" I just don't like it no matter how I frame it.

But in the words of Phillas Fogg (Around the world in 80 days) "There is a solution to any situation." And thank goodness for that truth!

Thus- the house in Florida is building... and building... and delayed... bastards! Otherwise honestly speaking I'd be over there 6 months ago. And not even Miami, a small town on the coast. Sunshine, beach, palmtrees and oranges! What else does one need!

And another thing! I hate when people say "Oh its just that grass is always greener on the other side" Well guess what!? GRASS IS GREENER in Florida!!!! OK!?!? And you don't have to frame it in any special frame, it IS GREENER!!

And with these encouraging thoughts I wish you a happy weekend!

Oh and today's lessons to remember:
1. certain things are NOT normal regardless the frame of mind
2. grass IS greener in someplaces
3. Mistakes are never time wasted, but time spent on proving yourself wrong - IS time wasted!!!

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Fuzzzzyyy!!!

How awesome! Went to the Holiday Shops at Bryant Park and actually they're splendid! But WARNING! They're VERY VERY CUUUUUTE! Don't go there unless you're willing and able to spend money! Excellent place to buy fun gifts for your favorite people... (that would be: me, myself and I).

So here is what I got:

Hand made from mohair and wool so its warm yet soft! And I like the bad-ass buttons! Raarr! Its going to match my super vulgar long white coat so I can resemble a snowflake! Wheee! :)
















I just love the way it sits on my head and feels good to know there aren't 50 million other people in the world that wear it!

I should have asked what Volang meant... but didn't, and now I can't find anywhere on the internet a translation. I do believe its a Swedish word though. Anyway here is the website: www.volang.com and you can shop online!

I also got some very beautiful gold plated ornaments from Russia. Hey why not! The tree wants to be vulgar too!

On the other very important note... I'm going back to Nico's in just about two weeks. I would like to think up some crazy tasks for him to do/plan to keep him busy until my arrival (and make sure he is thinking of me 24/7). Hmm.... what shall I ask him??? What is something that's time consuming yet only mildly annoying??

Hmmm...?

Why I'm doing this? Just to instill the notion that being away from me is even more work and trouble then when I'm actually there! Simple Watson!!!

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Fortresses, Castles, and Towers ... oh my!

Nico: Lets buy a Castle!?

Ale: Nah... too cold and damp... (your apartment would do JUST FINE!)

Nico: Hmm... ok, how about that nice tower with canal views?

Ale: Well... a bit narrow... we won't be able to BOTH be in the same room at once.. (your apartment on the other hand is just FINE to accommodate both of us!!!)

Nico: Ok... how about the Grand Palace then, its spacious, I'm sure there are fireplaces to keep it warm!?

Ale: YOUR APARTMENT would be GOOD enough for ME OK!!!!!!????!!!!!!

Nico:....???...... wow... no need to get violent and aggressive... your highness...

Ale:... oh ops... was that out loud? ....

Ale: You know... maybe that big Castle won't be so bad after all, is it serviced well by Public Transportation?

(Yes in fact! Trolley B37 goes by!!)

Don't you just LOVE the Royal Life!?! Ahhhh....!

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Your Elf Name Is...

Freckles Tinsel Toes

What's" Your Elf Name?

Oh that Cousin, always comes up with something new!

BTW scroll all the way to the veeeeery bottom... new countdown!

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The main square... No these are not toy houses, they're real! They do look like they're made out of Gingerbread cookies!!

Just makes you want to crumble and crush doesn't it!?

Happy weekending everyone!
I'll be at the pool all weekend doing some laps to make sure I have a perfect body so that Nico will want to permanently install me in his house. (Um... and to work off all the beer calories I will get tonight!!!!!!!! Wallstr and I are going to have our own Belgian beer night!!!!!!!)

ps: wow, December 1st already!!!

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