Busy Silent Period

Dear readers,

sorry for the silent period. I am still busy, de-cluttering my closets and wardrobe, making room for air and some new entries in 2016.

And in the pauses I give my kitchen some TLC

You can't go wrong when you shine your sink.

I have to say it's way easier to say goodbye, when you spend a decent amount of time for "saying goodbye", f.e. by taking photos. I use the photos for ads on a local 2nd hand platform.

Gone are the "Fürnkranz" times in Vienna.

And gone is the closet time for this coat at the Paula Residence:

No need to decant wine at the Paula Residence. The wine decants by the slow speed it's consumed. Days, weeks ... I know!

 Not my life: the life of a woman with single long stemmed flowers 

Hehe. Who did NOT want to change his/her hair? 

I used to use the flat iron for curling my straight hair. Worked wonders, killed my hair.

Now, years later, I might use it for straightening the increasing frizz. But those hair killings the iron had caused in the past have not been forgotton. Goodbye!

Hm. Sure. I would just have to lose 3kg and we would become friends again. Until then this skirt morphes me in to a Bavarian Weißwurst sort of. No, thanks.

Yes! This. Is. An. Actual. Helmut. Lang. Skirt. from 1994

"Good old" aka vintage  ...

... vs "Bad old" aka worn out

The photo above and the photo below better keep their distance. Seeing them so close together causes mild stress. Dirt vs. Shine or:

old_worn out vs. new_perfection in every detail

Au Pays des Oiseaux Fleurs / design: Christine Henry

I could look at those birds, flowers and trees forever. Birds make me smile.

Yes, seeing all the old stuff is kind of boring. No worries, there is not much olf stuff left. New stories to come soon. :-) But what I can say for sure: I've come a long way:

No, this. was. NOT. Halloween.

ROFL

This outfit is supposed to be way outside any possible comfort zone. What can I say, I loved it. The vest was one of my favourite piesces. What was I thinking? Next time I should title this posting

 "The return of the suburbian reptiloid from outer space"

Have a great weekend! I'm off to the city centre, picking up some new loden.

Paula

Mid Week Medium Format

Hello!

a mid week "photo of the day".

It proves: nothing supports a double chin like a medium format camera.

Ms Paula in the wetlands / spring 2016 / © lukkalk

Cleaning Out The Closet

Hello!

A fair amount of my belongings suits a "me" that has nothing in common with the actual "me" that I am. Sounds complicated? I let the pictures speak for themselves. 

All the items pictured below have been gifts in one way or the other. 

not me (I would not mind the consercative Loden, but it's impossible to wear while riding a bike)

not me (if only my friends would marry more frequently)

not me (table ware for a very romantic couple)

unfortunately not me

Let me show you some more eyecandy, since this cuff is such a nice vintage gem:

there is "me" -> in the background, the leg wearing grey trackpants. haha

I don't know. Am I really that hard to satisfy *sigh* I would love to receive gifts that make me as happy as the person who chose the gift.

As a consequence I've developed a skill gift over time: the gift of being able to gift myself, which is not something that can be taken for granted.

"me", to my surprise ("Balade en Berline")

There are many ways how to successfully clean out a closet. My new strategy is simple and effective: Get something new and beautiful. It will develop a magical anti-magnetism and shoo away all those old unloved items, that have been sitting in your closet far too long. It works. Even with the stuff that comes with emotional strings attached.

40 years ago I loved to hide under my mothers cape (1st photo) during cold winter days, while we were waiting for the train. Like penguins, maybe.

Happy Autumn Season!
Paula

Venice Travel Diary 2: Eyecandy

Hello!

Before I went to Venice in May, I checked out a recent Bond movie, since I had no clue about Venice. In "Casino Royale" (2006) James and his love cross the lagoon. In the movie the lagoon looked fake. I was certain the images were rendered, because I lacked the imagination that Venice today could be anything like a Sean Connery-1960's idylle. 

Well ... I was wrong, because Venice does look like a 1960's idylle: 

Venice, May 2016

You know this feeling, when you feel an emotion in your chest, when the beauty all around you is overwhelming: sight, breeze, sound, scents. Perfect, perfect moment.  

The waterbus route Lido-Arsenale is fantastic. While crossing the lagoon with the waterbus (Vaporetto) you get to see 360° eyecandy. 

Venice, May 2016

Aperol time at the Arsenale aka 5pm

Museo Storico Navale and chique men

Venice – City of Lions

Not a myth: boys playing soccer on a church square in the evning
There is a 2nd ball flying through the air, can you spot it?
(not pictured: the boys' grannies sitting on a bench under a tree, chatting)  

Waterbus stop in Venice. NOT static.

Italo-modern architecture always catches my eye

Lido di Venezia on the brink of high season

I have no idea, why no one was interested in the Lido in the evening end of May. Oh wait, I forgot ... San Marco. Rialto. Cafe Florian. Harry's Bar. Canale Grande.

Downtime at the Lido di Venezia

Late May the Lido becomes a candidate for a "whereabouts in Venezia" categorie

A night out in Venice aka "Germans know how to party." 
sidenote: waterbusses cross the lagoon all night long 

Projects are keeping me busy this weekend, that's why I don't tell long stories and leave you with this eyecandy ...

... and a Baci,
Paula
#teamLido

photos:
Kodak Portra 160/camera YashicaMat124G
JPGs out of cam/Sigma DP2 Merrill