Buy a mobile phone

In my home country, if you don't have a house or flat and you don't pay your own bills, you can't buy a mobile phone from any of the telecom companies. So it didn't matter that I had a good job, as I lived in a rented apartment, I couldn't have my own phone, it had to be obtained by my parents. I moved to another country and decided to buy an independent phone, then go to the telecom company with the best subscription plan and get it all set up. I'm really proud that after long years I finally have my own phone and subscription plan paid with my own earnings. Somehow it made me feel independent.

Do you own anything, that gives you a sense of independence? What acquisition of yours are you the most proud of? Let me know in the Comments below!

Try turkish delight

I love trying national or local specialties. This time my Greek friend brought back a box of Turkish delights from her visit home. It was amazingly delicious and though it was just a bite, I suspect, it works like the English pudding: it's so rich, that a bite is more, than enough. In colour it was brown and contained bits of walnut. :) I can only urge you to try it!

Do you enjoy trying local specialties? What's your favourite of the foreign foods you've ever tried? Let me know in the Comments below!

See fireworks live!

I wanted to see the national day fireworks, so I talked to a friend, because I didn't want to go alone. We stood at a safe distance, so we could breathe and we weren't crushed, yet our hair still ended up full of debris. It was a very interesting experience. The show of course was beautiful. If you're considering watching a fireworks show live: safety first!

Find time for inspiration

It's amazing how it improves my life when I make the effort to find time for inspiration. This goal is one of my resolutions for 2012. So, it actually took me more than 2 years to achieve. Inspiration is like air for me. So you can imagine how achieving this goal has improved the quality of my life. I find inspiration in people's stories and blogs on design, gastronomy and travel. And at this moment, my life is full of inspiration. 

 

What helped me achieve this goal was my positive attitude and creating time for myself.

 

Where do you find inspiration? What blogs do you read for inspiration? Let me know in the Comments below!

Socialize

This goal comes from my resolutions' list for 2013, so it took me a bit more than 1 year to actually achieve it. I totally believe in interest groups. I'm a member of a women's networking group and a knitting circle. Both have gifted me with some amazing people. I'm also taking part in a performance, which is great fun and again, has brought some fantastic people into my life. And at this moment of my professional life I network like crazy and due to this I get to meet inspiring people from whom I can learn a lot. And yes, sometimes I'm very very tired, but it totally is worth it. Should you want to go out and mingle: go out and even if you don't feel like opening your mouth, smile!

Visit a design studio

I love behind the scenes or backstage experiences, so when I heard that local designers would open their studios to the public, I knew instantly that I wanted to go. I visited a branding studio, where I talked to an older man, who was quite bitter about the situation of getting work as a designer, and where they ignored me for several minutes. So despite the awesome philosophy of the studio that I checked before online, I had a negative experience. Then I visited another studio that does research about your target audience and had a fun time. Here the guys were very creative, I really liked their service and we're still in touch.

Have you ever visited a design studio? Who are your favourite designers? Let me know in the Comments below!

Get the French wardrobe

This is a goal in progress...

I'm a classic elegance kinda girl, so naturally, when it comes to building the perfect wardrobe, I aim for the timeless French style. Black and red, navy and white. So far, this is what I've managed to achieve:

A black dress: this is not The LBD yet, just a simple A-line dress with a fantastic cut, that I can wear both for the office and for a night out. I found it in a second hand store that sells brand new pieces, as well.

A pair of black shorts: well, this one was actually a mistake. I was so desperate to have a pair of shorts I could wear to the city, that I completely ignored, that it was not the right fit. Usually, I don't do things like that, so that just further proves my desperation. Actually, I could totally ignore this item and leave it off my list of acquisitions, as I practically never wear it.

3 red tops: I was so desperate to have something red, that now I have 3 red tops. Unfortunately, they're all long-sleeved, so now I need a red T-shirt and I really wouldn't mind a red skirt either. Or a pair of red shoes. Or leather gloves.

2 sailor striped tops: I used to have a navy-and-white striped pull, and I'd love to have one again. Well, these 2 are not pulls, just a long and a short-sleeved top, but I'm very very happy with them. I love wearing them with my vintage burnt orange pleated muslin skirt.

So far, so good...

What kind of wardrobe are you building? What are your favourite items in it? Let me know in the Comments below!