SIMPLE PICS FROM AROUND by Birgitte Brøndsted | a photoblog + words

Icy nature

2012-02-12T21:12:00.004+01:00

While most of Italy and Europe is covered by snow, in Florence we are still waiting, so for now here are some pics taken a few years ago in San Vincenzo a Torri on an ice cold morning.

Some very true words on photography...

2012-02-10T13:28:00.001+01:00

"Photography is not a fleeting passion, it is not an infatuation, it is not a crush. Because once you are taken by it, once it grabs you, it will stay with you for the rest of your life. Maybe you will neglect it from time to time, maybe even for a long period, but afterwards you will return to it, because you know it is yours and yours alone. Because the photo you have taken, or will take, belongs to you: it represents what you saw, felt, sensed in one particular moment, which can almost never be repeated".

(Original Italian text from National Geographic Italia)

My vision board (and inspirational women)

2012-02-09T08:22:00.003+01:00

Don't you just love vision boards? It had been quite some time since I made one the last time, but the other day I finally took out my big black Moleskine binder, where I keep articles, photos, postcards - all kinds of visual stuff, which in some way appeal to me. I also grabbed my scissors and some old magazines, which were on their way out. This is something I always do. I only keep very few magazines when I'm done reading them, and before I throw away the rest, I quickly run through them and tear out images and articles, which I want to keep. In this way my Moleskine has become the perfect scrapbook, where I keep the best of the best from all the magazines I have read throughout the years.

And so last night I finished my new vision board. You like? :-)

What about you? Do you make vision boards?

PS: Don't ask me what Katie Holmes is doing not once, but TWICE in my vision board. I can't explain it, but there is just something about her, just the way I have a thing for Charlotte Gainsbourg, Gwyneth Paltrow and Helena Christensen, not to mention those of another time; Anaïs Nin, Frida Kahlo and Karen Blixen.

New prints in my Etsy shop - 40% off 8-10 February

2012-02-08T09:13:00.000+01:00

Below are some of the new prints I listed in my Etsy shop last night. I hope you will have a look. I'm still offering a 40% discount, but only for the next three days, so now is the time to shop. And remember that the shipping fee is the same no matter how many prints you buy, so... the more the merrier :-) Other sizes are available upon request. Just send me an e-mail.

Little hands

2012-02-06T22:40:00.000+01:00

10 things that make a blog fantastic - part II

2012-02-06T13:33:00.000+01:00

As promised here comes part II of my "10 things that make a blog fantastic." If you missed part I you can read it HERE.

6) Get social

Let's face it: Facebook, Twitter and Co. are here to stay. While I think it's very important not to dive into too many social medias unless you really have the time to update all of them all the time, I think it's impossible to avoid them. Personally I use Facebook and I have a Facebook page for every blog of mine. The important thing about having a page on Facebook or a Twitter account is that you use them regularly. However, if you are a regular blogger you can always link to your latests post on your page, but the more you manage to write the better. Social medias are a great way of getting readers and it also gives you a more concrete idea of who your readers are. (Ps: While we are at the subject, have you joined my FB page? If not just click on the image below and make the little click on LIKE. You will make me happy!)

7) Google analytics

Get an account immediately. It's free and you get to know all about the traffic on your blog. Where it comes from, which sites link to you, what countries your readers are from etc.

8) Networking with other bloggers

I just recently started networking with other bloggers. I should say that I'm not the kind of person who likes to network just for the networking. However I am good at giving compliments to people I admire. I think this is important and I'm usually not afraid to do it even when I'm giving them to someone way over my own blogger/photographer level. I have this idea that we all like to receive compliments. Personally I would love to have them and it doesn't matter who I get them from. They all make me happy. And the great thing about giving compliments is that you can never loose. Some people will not react on what you have written to them, and so what. It didn't cost you anything anyway. And trust me, most people will be so happy for what you said and get back to you and thank you and this is a nice feeling too. And who knows, maybe they will start following your blog or mention you on their own blog etc. But DON'T do it to obtain something. That's just bad style.

Another way to network with bloggers is to feature them on your blog. Write a post about your favorite blogs or maybe just your favorite posts for one week and inform the bloggers you mention about their feature. Again, they will probably be very happy, and maybe they will even repost your post on their own blog thus creating visibility for your blog as well. But again: Do it because you want to write about them, not because you want them to write about you!

9) Give and get comments

The same way I don't like networking for networking's sake, I 'm not good at asking questions in my blog posts just in order to get comments from my readers. I know this is a number one blogging rule, but I can't bring my self to ask things like: How are you? How was your weekend? What are you doing tonight? When I ask something in my posts, I do it because I really want the readers' opinion or because I want to use the information on my blog. On my travel blogs I would love to have more interaction with my readers, I would love it, if they would write their own experiences with the places I mention or other places, and I am currently trying to talk them into doing it :-)

Anyway, this number 9 is definitely something I myself have to work a lot on. On the other hand I'm not very good myself at giving comments. I do it when I feel I have something to say regarding a post and then I always write one of my blogs together with my name in order to make a little publicity among the readers of the blog, where I have left my comment. This has generated some traffic and comments on my own blogs, but it is also very clear that part of this traffic only has the scope of promoting other blogs. So my advice is this: Ask questions and give comments when there is a reason to do it. In the end the readers that stay with you, are the ones who are really interested in your blog and I think this is the most important thing, much more important than numbers.

10) Blog on a regular basis

There is nothing you can do about it. Succesful bloggers are the ones blogging often. People loose interest in a blog that stays dead for weeks or even months. You don't have to blog every day (I actually think it can be too much sometimes when people blog every day), but try to be there a couple of times every week. Again: Less is more. I prefer two or three great posts a week rather than 7 not so good posts. It's like the photos: One bad post can easily ruin the image of your whole blog. Keep quality high and if necessary, quantity a bit lower.

Or am I wrong?

Now, THIS is a post where I would LOVE to hear your opinion. Please let me have all your comments!

10 things that make a blog fantastic - part I

2012-02-05T09:38:00.000+01:00

So, as you know I'm going to be a speaker at The Hive - the first European Blog Conference, which will take place in Berlin 19-20 May 2012.

This got me thinking about what makes a blog a great blog. My blogs are still very small, so I know for sure that there are many things I can do to improve them in terms of content, readership and visibility and I am constantly working on this, learning from other bloggers and reading about blogging, but most of all I follow my instincts.

My overall idea of creating a great blog is this: Do the things you like about other blogs and don't do the things you don't like. Right? If you just scroll over certain posts on other people's blogs then chances are quite high that other people will do the same thing on the same kind of posts on your blog. Of course people have different tastes and opinions (fortunately), but I do think there are some common things that most people will agree on when it comes to blogs no matter the subject.

So here are the first five out of ten things I think are necessary in order to have a great blog.

1) Photos

Blogging is about writing, but let's face it. You can write the most interesting and fantastic post on your blog, but without a photo most people will abandon it as soon as they see it. Photos are crucial. Personally I prefer to read posts that contain several photos. One or two is usually too little. On the other hand you shouldn't exaggerate. I don't like posts where I have to scroll down for five minutes before I reach the end... Finally there is the question about the quality of the photos. This should definitely be as high as possible. And remember that in this case less is always more. If you have five photos and only three of them are really great, then don't include the last two. They will ruin everything including the three great photos. Photos should be of the same artistic quality and match each other in style. If you are not a good photographer a little trick can be to use your iPhone and the Instagram app. An ordinary photo will always look better after having passed through an Instagram filter. It's a cheap trick, but it works.

2) Profile picture

Speaking about photos...Make sure you have a photo of yourself on your blog. I find it very hard to relate to a blogger I can't see. It's something I just realized recently and it made me put a photo of myself on all my blogs. Really, think about it. Aren't you curious to know how the person who writes looks like? Well, we are curious to see you as well!

3) Blog layout

I think that we all have different tastes as to what makes a blog layout beautiful, but I think there is one thing all bloggers should do as much and as best as they can: Customize, customize, customize. I only know the Blogger templates, but I think it's more or less the same with Wordpress etc. You can do so many things with these templates in order to create an individual blog with your own style and look. Nothing is more boring than landing on a blog with one of the standard templates. It takes some time to learn how to adjust everything, but it can be learned. Personally I have learned all I know by myself looking at other blogs and, most of all, writing a LOT of questions on Google in order to find the answers. And trust me, the answers to all your layout questions are out there... All you need to do is ask.

4) Post lenght

I'm not sure if this is just me or if I'm speaking on behalf of most blog readers, but personally I prefer blog posts that are not too short nor too long. Really short posts can be a solution if you haven't got time to write a real post but want to give your readers something also in order for them to keep on being there, but I think it's dangerous to do it too often. Personally I get so disappointed when I click on a post from a favorite blog and it takes me 2 seconds to read it. On the other hand I think that really long blog posts are a no go. If I see that the post is very long I sometimes abandon it immediately unless the subject really catches me. If you have a long blog post then split it up and make it a part I, II and III. This is also a great way to get readers to come back for more. And remember to keep an appropriate number of photos compared to the text. A longer text requires more photos...

5) Make it personal

Again, this may just be me, but I like blogs that are personal. Not necessarily in all posts, but I'm curious about the blogger, what life does he or she lives, what does the person like, what does he or she do etc. You don't need to share your whole diary with me, but it's nice when you can feel there is a real person behind the posts even if the subject isn't personal.

_____________

With reference to no. 4: I have to stop here :-) Now this is a post where I would really love to hear your opinion. Please let me have your comments on these first five.

Tomorrow I will write about 6-10: Get social, Google analytics, Networking with other bloggers, Give and get comments and Blog on a regular basis.

10 photoblogs that inspire me - Part II

2012-02-04T14:34:00.000+01:00

So, I'm going to continue with part II of my "10 photoblogs that inspire me". If you missed part I click HERE to read the first post.

U n mar de Sueños by Spanish photographer Agus Albiol

I must admit that Agus Albiol's blog isn't one of the blogs I know best. I discovered her photography recently and started following her blog, but I still have to explore it, also because it's in Spanish and even though I have lived in Madrid for one year and understand quite a lot it requires some effort for me to read posts in Spanish. However, as you know, photography is an international language, and I can assure you that what I have seen on Agus' blog is nothing less than beautiful. Here are colorful pictures as well as black and white photographs of interiors, beautiful Christmas photos, lovely children's portraits, landscapes, nature...It's difficult to put a label on her photography since it seems she's able to do it all. A really inspiring blog which you'll have to visit.

Eye Poetry by Canadian photographer Irene Suchocki

I think I discovered Irene Suchocki on Etsy where she is one of the top selling fine art photographers. I think I faved quite a bunch of her photos before moving on to visit her blog and website. Irene is such a brilliant photographer. I have a thing for Paris photographs, and Irene's shop - and blog- are full of them. Her style varies a lot, but many photos are vintage inspired, her nature shots are incredible and so are her series with wild horses, which you have to check out, not to mention her cityscapes, which besides Paris also include Venice and other Italian and French cities. Eye Poetry is definitely a perfect name for this blog, which is so full of beautiful dreamy photographs from and of amazing places.

Casi en serio by Venezuelan photographer Jackie Rueda

I don't know what it is about these Spanish language photoblogs, but there seems to be a lot of them on my blog roll and they are all great. Jackie Rueda is a Spanish/Venezuelan natural light portrait and fine art photographer living in Canada. The photos on her blog are a great mix of every day details (made incredibly beautiful after passing through her lens), places and portraits. Jackie is also teaching photography through her many online courses. You may have noticed by know that I adore photographers that are able to take all those little ordinary things from our every day life and make them pretty through their cameras. Well, Jackie definitely belongs to this group.

Isabel Pavìa Photography by Spanish photographer Isabel Pavìa

Isabel Pavìa is a Spanish photographer who takes lovely pictures with an almost childish touch. The colors are lovely and motives include landscapes, children - including her own - every day details (there we have it again!), nature and so much more. Her blog posts are often build up around one color or tone which just makes the photos even more beautiful. Have a look at this post, which I really adore. It's about the place where she is from, Peniscola, and I think the photos are just amazing. Especially the first and the second one from the beach...

Alicia Bock Photography by American photographer Alicia Bock

I had wanted to buy something from Alicia Bock's Etsy shop for a long time, and so, as a new year had begun, I decided it was time to invest in a new desk calendar. I ordered a 5x7 "Classic Paris" calendar with the most beautiful photographs from the city of love, and today I fully enjoy it while working in my office. Paris is just one of the cities immortalized in Alicia's photos. You also find New York City, lots of carousels and carnivals, nature and much more. Something that really impressed me recently on Alicia's blog were these portraits of her daughter. I love the dark tones and the, at least for me, very unusual style. I believe that Alicia is an amazing artist.

Lunch at Piatti e fagotti, San Domenico, Florence

2012-02-03T23:15:00.000+01:00

10 photoblogs that inspire me - Part I

2012-02-03T15:44:00.000+01:00

Today I'm going to share with you 5 out of 10 incredible photoblogs which are of a great daily inspiration to me. Behind them are 5 very talented photographers - all female. Stay tuned for part II, which will come soon.

Here goes:

Lingered Upon by New York photographer Alice Gao:

I absolutely love everything about Alice's photography - the perfect light she always manages to catch when photographing interiors, especially in little coffee shops in New York, and her portraits (which include wedding and engagement sessions) that are so full of life and quite different from what you usually see. Another specialty of Alice is food photography, a passion which apparently goes perfectly hand in hand with her passion for great food. Therefore not only do you often find beautiful photos of delicious food on the blog, the images are often accompanied by a detailed description of what is actually on the plate.

Divas and Dreams by Danish photographer Christina Greve:

Christina is a Danish photographer who has gone from being a life coach to being a successful photographer specialized in diva-like portraits of women. Christina manages to bring out the best of every woman she photographs and her portraits are stunning. What I also like about her photography is her ability to create such different looks and styles in her photos. Besides being a brilliant photographer Christina is also a fabulous teacher who isn't afraid of sharing what she knows. Through her newsletter and on her blog you can get so many great tips and advice on how to become a better photographer, and if you want more she offers online courses and has even created a posing guide which helps you to become a better portrait photographer.

The Sweet Light by American photographer A. Jarrett (Gabrielle Kai Photography)

The first photoblog I ever read was Gabrielle Kai Photography's blog. I can't remember how I found it, but I do remember that I fell in love immediately with the beautiful vintage style photos on the blog. By then the blog was a different one than the one she (A. jarrett) has now, however the new one is just as beautiful even though I think her photography has changed quite a lot during the time I have followed her blogs. Today she is very much into film photography and the photos have moved a bit away from the vintage style. One thing she continues to use brilliantly is the light. Natural light, of course. I love how she takes ordinary every day things from her own life and turn them into incredibly beautiful motives in her photos. Btw, you may soon "meet" Gabrielle Kai Photography. Five of her gorgeous vintage photos are going to be sold at Ikea as postcards. I strongly recommend you go get them!

Elena K Photography by German photographer Elena Kloppenburg

Elena K is a German photographer living and working in Rome, Italy. I got to know about her from a postcard I found in the fabulous baby and maternity shop The Milk bar in Rome. As I myself am trying to get started on children photography I thought I could learn something from an expert already working in this field. Therefore I hurried home and visited her website and blog, and I wasn't disappointed. Elena is a great photographer who is specialized in children's portraits and maternity portraits, but she also does wedding photography and other portraits. Her portraits of children and babies are a mix of classic baby/children portraits and more alternative things (Check out her photo of a newborn in a Louis Vuitton bag. How cute is that?) Elena K has been on my blog roll for a long time now and I'm always very enthusiastic to see what she comes up with.

Euge de la Peña Photography by Argentinian photographer Maria Eugenia de la Peña

Argentinian photographer Maria Eugenia is the proof that a great photographer can make everything, even completely ordinary things and places, beautiful. Maria Eugenia lives in Hamburg, Germany and many of her photos are from this and other German cities. I love the colors and the softness in her photos, the way she manages to take quite ordinary places and landscapes and turn them into extremely beautiful motives. She is also a fantastic portrait photographer, but most of all Maria Eugenia is a true artist!

Come and meet me at the first European Blog Conference in Berlin 19-20 May

2012-02-03T09:12:00.002+01:00

I have a big announcement to make: I am going to be speaking at the first European Blog Conference, which will be held in Berlin 19-20 May 2012. I was invited by the organizers to speak about being new in the blogosphere and how I have created my blogs from scratch. I am very honored - and quite nervous - about this, but I am also incredibly enthusiastic about it, not only about being one of the speakers, but definitely just as much about going to the conference, meet people whose blogs I have been following for a long time and most importantly: Learn a lot of useful things about blogging.

I think it is going to be amazing. You can read more about the conference HERE.

Rundetaarn in Copenhagen

2012-02-02T18:03:00.002+01:00

Just wanted to share some pics I took in 2009 inside The Round Tower in Copenhagen. I went there in the end of the day, when the sun was about to go down. As you can see it turned out to be my luck. The light was amazing...

Remember to stop by tomorrow where I will share some of my favorite photoblogs with you.

Tivoli

2012-02-01T12:08:00.006+01:00

Today I want to share some pics from last summer when I went to Tivoli in Copenhagen, the perfect place to go crazy with your iPhone and the Instagram app.

If you love Copenhagen don't forget to join my travel blog My Sweet Copenhagen.

Ps: A little bit of snow has arrived here in Florence. I'm still waiting for the REAL snow though. As soon as it gets here I'll be out the door with baby and camera. Stay tuned for snow pics...

Rione San Niccolò Florence

2012-01-28T13:42:00.000+01:00

Just a few Instagrams from my walk yesterday in the charming San Niccolò area here in Florence. Have a wonderful Sunday!

Sunday banalities from Florence

2012-01-27T11:10:00.001+01:00

Just a few , I admit, very banal photos from Florence taken last Sunday, when spring was in the air and we went for a lovely walk after having eaten the best brunch at Cuculia.

A girl and her bucket

2012-01-25T09:18:00.001+01:00

Children's portraits - a very lovely girl

2012-01-23T17:48:00.001+01:00

Here are three pics from a series of portraits I did last summer in Denmark. Isn't she gorgeous? Remember that I am available for children's portraits. I live in Florence, but you may book me for photo sessions all over Italy and in Denmark. You can see more portraits on my website. Click HERE.

New prints from Venice in my Etsy shop

2012-01-21T21:38:00.001+01:00

Tonight I'm having fun listing new items in my Etsy shop. Nine prints from Venice in lovely soft pastel colors. Have a look.

Going out

2012-01-20T16:42:00.001+01:00

It's Friday and I'm actually going out with the girls for the first time since I had my daughter. I can't wait. Dinner and vino...

I hope you'll all have a great weekend!

Torino - just another beautiful Italian city

2012-01-20T13:50:00.000+01:00

I have been to Torino - sorry, but I can't bring myself to use the English Turin, somehow it just doesn't fit as well as the Italian name - twice and I fell in love immediately. It's hard to say why. Torino hasn't got the beauty of Rome or Venice, it hasn't got any particularly impressive monuments (although it does have the fabulous national museum of cinema which is really worth a visit plus you must go and see, shop and eat at Eataly).

Torino, as you may know, is first of all industry. FIAT, chocolate, Martini and much more, but what I love about this city is simply the atmosphere. Everything here is very calm, even though we are in one of the largest cities in Italy. Shops and buildings make me think of France, in an Italian way :-) and the people are really nice. Nordic minded with a warm and open Southern mentality. What more can you possibly ask for?

Here are some photos from my two trips. (I'm still cleaning up my archives...) As you can see Torino is extremely photogenic, even in the rain!

La boulangerie del Rifrullo | Florence

2012-01-19T17:59:00.001+01:00

Went here this morning for a cappuccino and a slice of apple pie.

See more about Il Rifrullo HERE.

Roma...

2012-01-18T21:44:00.003+01:00

I just came back from two days in Rome. If you haven't read about my crazy love for Rome you may want to start HERE.

And the rest of you can enjoy these Instagrams which show a little part of the beauty of this city which is a perfect mix of gigantic, historic monuments and all the little details, which are so very much Rome.

Enjoy!

1: Bread from Antico forno dei Serpenti in Via dei Serpenti (Rione Monti)
2: Yellow Vespa (love them!)
3+4: Bar del Fico, where I had lunch today (pasta con fagioli - pasta with beans)
5: Piazza di Spagna
6: Altare della Patria in Piazza Venezia
7+8: Classic Roman...

How can you not love Venice?

2012-01-16T17:14:00.000+01:00

I'm currently cleaning up my photos meaning that I'm throwing away some things, tagging and reediting originals in Lightroom, and - the best part - rediscovering old pics.

Here are some old favorites from Venice. Venice is probably one of the most photogenic cities in the world, but at the same time it can be a real challenge to take great photos with all the tourists constantly occupying this beautiful spot on earth. Here is my advice to you: All you have to do is get up early. At 6 am, even at 7 am, streets and squares are practically empty, and the city is all yours. On top of it you have the marvelous morning light and, if you're lucky, a bit of Venetian fog. Good luck!

My new website!

2012-01-15T17:39:00.000+01:00

It's finally here! I'm so excited and very happy to present my new website which you can find at www.birgittebrondsted.viewbook.com

Have a look and let me know what you think!

Smoke and light

2012-01-15T17:15:00.001+01:00

This is my view in the morning. Every morning the smoke from the chimneys blends with the morning light creating this lovely dreamy atmosphere.

Vintage

2012-01-14T20:04:00.000+01:00

Do you like vintage? Today I went to an antique market near my home here in Florence. I'm one of those persons who love to look around at all the funny stuff you can find in these places, but somehow I never end up buying anything. There is something about the smell... :-) However, vintage stuff is great for photos. So here are some of the things I saw today.

Enjoy your weekend!

Right now: 40% off in my print shop

2012-01-13T10:02:00.000+01:00

Dear readers,

I'm trying to boost the sales in my Etsy shop. Therefore I have decided to apply a 40% discount on all fine art prints. All you have to do is place your order and at check out use the coupon code 40OFF. And remember, if you have fallen in love with a photo not listed on Etsy, all you have to do is send me an e-mail with your request and I will put it up for you (still applying the 40% discount!)

I hope you will stop by and find something you like!

Working

2012-01-13T08:54:00.000+01:00

Goodmorning out there!I'm currently busy working on my new website and portfolio. I have found a great host which offers beautiful and simple templates at a very reasonable price so now all I have to do is create everything. I'm hoping to be able to share it with you within a week or so.

Until then let me share an Instagram, I took the other day, when I was out running. I hope you like it.

Have a great day.

A few favorites

2012-01-12T12:00:00.000+01:00

Mini guide to Barcelona | Part I

2012-01-11T09:56:00.002+01:00

To me Barcelona is the most perfect city in the world. It's not my favorite city (Rome is, but Rome sure isn't perfect!), but it's in the high end of my city list and as already mentioned it's really a perfect city.

Barcelona is full of small cosy streets and squares, but at the same time it has a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Wonderful shops, great restaurants (even though I have fallen into the tourist tapas trap a few times) and, not least, the wonderful architectonic works of Gaudì, which pop up around the city like small fairytale palaces. My favorite is La Pedrera, where I could spend hours on the roof among the funny- and a bit scary- chimneys with a view to another masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia.

I would love to try to live here for a longer period. To have a life in this wonderful city where everything meets in a perfect mix with a metro that works, clean streets, the beach, warm weather, great design, great architecture, and great restaurants (many of them with an international cuisine and many vegetarian and organic)

Below are some of my favorite places in Barcelona. I have a few more coming up, so stay tuned for part II, which will be posted soon.

Ps: Before going, don't forget to watch Woody Allen's Vicky Christina Barcelona. Great movie with beautiful people and a beautiful city.

Churros

When visiting Barcelona (or Spain in general) there is one thing I willrecommend everyone with a sweet tooth to try at least once: churros ychocolate. Churros are deepfried and are best when served warm. Youdip them in the cup of thick warm chocolate which comes with thechurros. They are crunchy, they are extremely fattening, they arefantastic... You can find churros in breakfast places and bars, but ask before you goin. Not everyone have them. The best places to eat them are the realchurrerias where the churros are the speciality of the place. MyStyle City guide mentions one of these places. I haven't personallybeen there, but I find it impossible that a churreria shouldn't begood, so let me share the address with you.

Xurreria Trebol, Carrer de Córsega 341. T. +34 932179595

Kowasa

If you like me are into photography, a visit to Kowasa bookstore is amust. This little shop is exclusively dedicated to photography, whichmeans that you can get the best and most beautiful books onphotography in here. You will also find professional books on thetechnical sides of photography, and on the first floor you finddifferent photo exhibitions. Kowasa is a place where you riskleaving a lot of money if you have the passion for photography-otherwise this might just be the place where you will find it - thepassion!

Carrer Mallorca 235. T. +34 932158058 www.kowasa.com

Vincon

Vincon is a classic among Barcelona shops. You find this big interior designstore on Passeig de Gràcia, North of Placa Catalunya. Vincon hasEVERYTHING you didn't know you needed. Here you find the world's bestlabels within interior design. Vincon is one of those shops where youjust have to buy something even if you don't need it. But don'tworry, since they have everything in here you won't have a problemfinding a small symbolic thing without getting ruined. I bought agrass green Pantone box for 16 euros and I felt great afterwards!That's the thing about shopping, sometimes it's the little thingsthat sadisfy you the most...

Passeig de Gràcia 96. T. +34 932156050 www.vincon.com

Hotel Banys Oriental

I discovered this hotel years ago when I read the Style City guide onBarcelona, and after a short visit to their homepage I fell in loveimmediately. Banys Orientals is situated in El Born district which isvery cosy, very Barcelona and very central. The hotel is small andcosy with an interior that is kept in a simple, minimalistic design.Prices are cheap: 99 euros + 7% tax for a double room and 30 more ifyou want a really nice suite. Be aware that breakfast is notincluded. If you want breakfast you should add 10 euros. I recommendthat you pay a visit to their homepage. The music that welcomes you,managed to put me in a Barcelona mood immediately and I just had togo... Did I mention the free wi fi connection and the fridge withbottles of water free of charge for the guests?

Carrer de l'Argenteria 37. T. +34 932688460 www.hotelbanysorientals.com

Bar Lobo

I discovered Bar Lobo walking around the small streets of Barcelona. I instantly knew that
this would be one of those places I would love. I went for a coffee in the morning and decided to come
back for dinner the same night, as the menu seemed very promising. I wasn't disappointed. Bar Lobo has both Catalan and international cuisine on the menu. I had fried artichokes as a starter and wild rice
with vegetables afterwards. All very delicious. The interior design is very cool. Modern but cosy at the same time. Bar Lobo is situated in a little nice square with other restaurants. We were there in
November so we ate inside, but I can imagine that the place will be even better during summer time, when you can eat outside and maybe continue your evening with cocktails after dinner. Remember to also try the tapas of the place. They are amazing.

Carrer del Pintor Fortuny 3. T. +34 934815346 www.grupotragaluz.com

El Corte Inglés

When I lived in Madrid I had the gigantic Spanish shopping centre El CorteInglés just around the corner from my house. As I didn't work I wouldoften be around the city exploring shops and cafes, and almost everyday I stopped by El Corte Inglés. Maybe it's because this shoppingcentre was almost my home for one year or maybe it's simply because Ilove shopping too much...The fact is that I absolutely adore El CorteInglés. This place is so gigantic. In here you can really findeverything, from everyday things to expensive designer labels. Andthe supermarket in the bottom of the gigantic buildings that usuallyhost El Corte Inglés is fantastic (even though quite expensive). Inhere you will find all kinds of Spanish and internationaldelicatessen.In Barcelona I went to El Corte Inglés in Placa Catalunya and I visited the cafeteria on the last floor of the building.Ok, I admit it, the cafeteria could be better, but a wonderfulsurprise awaited me when I arrived here: In thecafeteria they have put big panorama windows half way round thebuilding, so while you drink your coffee you can actually enjoy aperfect view of all of Barcelona. I was stunned! What a great idea. Youcan find lots of El Corte Inglés in most Spanish cities.

Check outthe website for addresses. www.elcorteingles.es

Habitat

I loooove Habitat. I remember having it in Rome several years ago but Iactually don't think it's in Italy anymore. What a pity. In BarcelonaI went to the store in Placa Catalunya and I loved it. Here you findall kinds of interior at reasonable prices and in a great design.Forget about Ikea. Habitat is so much better (and, fair enough, alsoa bit more expensive). I could have bought so much more than Iactually did (and I did come home with candles, passe partouts,magnetic frames for the fridge, a teddy bear for my then unborn child, andsome kitchen stuff...). I love the colours and the minimalisticdesign. I love Habitat.

Placa Catalunya 4. Tel. +34 933017484 www.habitat.net

Vueling - makes flying a pleasure

I went to Barcelona with Catalan Vueling and I simply need to writeabout it here, because I realised how different this company iscompared to many other low cost companies. First of all I havetravelled with Vueling two times now back and forth between Rome andBarcelona. That makes a total of four flights all without anyparticular delays. But actually what I realy like about Vueling arethe little things. I like that the menu is Spanish and different frommost other airline companies. First of all prices are veryreasonable. With Vueling you can have a breakfast menu including onehot beverage, one muffin or croissant and one orange juice at theprice of 5,50 euro. This may be normal in a bar, but not when you arefar up in the sky! Another great thing about the menu is that itcontains several quite healthy things. You can buy a little bag ofsliced apples, corn bisquits, nuts, musli bars, and for lunch you caneven choose between several vegetarian sandwiches, pasta salad and avegetable soup! Vueling even has a small selection of wonderful teaswith names such as Loving Tea and Working Tea, and the menu informsyou, if what you are about to eat meals that contain gluten or nuts. A littletree indicates that the dish is suitable for vegetarians. Finally there is the classic in flight magazine. The Vueling versionis simply called Ling and of course it is printed on recycled papermaking it even more lovely to read. The cities described in themagazine are of course Vueling destinations, but the great thing isthat you don't find the usual guides to ordinary tourist attractions,markets and festivals. In Ling magazine you can meet unusual peoplein unusual places from around the world, mostly Europe. This makesthe magazine a lot more original and you actually feel like taking itwith you when you leave the plane. Finally Vueling is cheap. I got a two way ticket Rome-Barcelona at the priceof 114 euro. And that even includes ordinary luggage of 23 kilos + a10 kilos hand luggage! So if you are going to a Vueling destination,do yourself a favour and book your ticket with this company.

www.vueling.com

Coquette - born to be beautiful

Coquette is an extremely coolshop in El Born. Oh, I fell in love with this place as soon as I sawit. Great clothes and especially one fabulous black leather bag,which I still fantasies about. In here you find greatdesigners and labels such as the Danish Custommade, Black Lily,Isabel Marant, See by Chloe and many more. Do yourself a favour andstop by here, even if you just need to dream for five minutes. Andremember that Coquette has two other shops in Barcelona. I didn'tvisit them, but I'm sure they will be just as fantastic as the one inEl Born.

C/ Bonaire 5. Tel. +34 933103535 www.coquettebcn.com

My three travel blogs (Rome, Florence, Copenhagen)

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Hi there,

Today I want to make a little publicity for my three travel blogs My Sweet Rome, My Sweet Florence and My Sweet Copenhagen. These three blogs guide you to all the best local places in three cities that I know very well.

Below are the latest posts on all three blogs. I hope you will stop by and visit them and maybe join their Facebook pages for updates.

My Sweet Rome: Ego Yoga

If you are going to be in Rome for a longer period and you are a yoga addict, there is one place you have to visit and where I'll bet you'll return to again and again once you have tried it.

Ego Yoga is the only yoga center in Europe where you can take classes in True Power Yoga certified by American yoga guru Mark Blanchard. This kind of yoga is extremely hard and thus very effective, and teacher (and owner of Ego) Max Grossi is amazing. The center also has Ashtanga on the menu, but personally I prefer True Power Yoga.

I haven't been to a yoga class here for way too many years, but I still remember those one and a half hour every Tuesday and Thursday when, after work, I went here to clear my mind and use every possible muscle in my body. Needless to say you feel amazing after a class of True Power Yoga.

Via Cola di Rienzo 162. T. +39 06 68807652 www.ego-yoga.it

My Sweet Florence: Valdichiana Outlet Village

Yesterday we travelled to Valdichiana to visit the outlet there. I had never ben there before so I wasn't expecting anything but it was actually quite all right. The Valdichiana outlet is very similar to the McArthurGlen outlet at Barberino, but I think this one's a little bigger. The outlet was not surprisingly overcrowded as it was the first Saturday after sales had started in Florence and sales fortunately also apply to outlets. So all the shops in Valdichiana had an extra 30-50% off the ordinary outlet price, which meant that I was the lucky buyer of a classic creme colored sweater from Stefanel. Shop price 99 euro, outlet price 65 euro, sales price: 32,50 euro. Not bad.

There are more than 140 shops within the outlet village and labels include Sisley, Nike, Adidas, Puma, Calvin Klein, Guess, Piquadro, Samsonite, Stefanel, Replay and many more.

If you have kids the outlet in Valdichiana is especially good since it has a huge playground with all kinds of entertaining stuff for the little ones who probably don't care too much about shopping. In the meantime you can shop cute children's clothes at Gap, Replay or Benetton.

On our way back we also paid a visit to The Mall in Leccio (which you can read about HERE). We only had 30 minutes before the shops closed, so I didn't have time to look very thoroughly for good stuff, but I did pay a visit to my favorite shop, Stella McCartney, where I found a wonderful pair of shoes at only 135 euro (and of course not in my size). To cut a long story short: We didn't find anything to buy here, but I did notice the new and gigantic Prada store, which I had never seen before. Must pay a visit here next time.

Via Enzo ferrari 5. Foiano della Chiana (AR) www.valdichianaoutlet.it

My Sweet Copenhagen: Wettergren & Wettergren

I once read that this shop is one of the Danish top model and style icon Helena Christensen's favorites in Copenhagen, and I can see why.

Wettergren & Wettergren is a little jewel in the center of Copenhagen, where you can find amazing bags, clothes and jewelry. Owners are Lene and Julie Wettergren (mum and daughter). Julie is a jewelry designer and you can find her amazing things in the shop.

Besides selling jewelry Wettergren & Wettergren sells clothes from e.g. Julie Fagerholt, bags from Liebeskind and perfumes from the Florentine label Santa Maria Novella. The style is classic casual and the interior of this shop is nothing less than beautiful. Very cosy and elegant.

Læderstræde 5. T. +45 33131405

Instagramming Florence

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Books and cats

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Just a few glimpses from my morning. Mornings are my favourite time of the day. I make myself a smoothie, I drink a cup of soylatte and I dive into my Mac reading blogs and news, editing photos and writing posts. My daughter plays on the floor and my cats... do absolutely nothing.

Have a wonderful day. I'm off to see what the sales in Florence have to offer.

Happy New Year and New beginnings

2012-01-08T20:20:00.000+01:00

My dear patient readers,

I have been the worst blogger on this blog. I have changed my mind about this place a hundred times, deleting posts, reposting things, then deleting everything once again, and I have written about things that were to come and never came (I'll get back to this one in a little while). If you are still here I can only say one thing:

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!

My problem is definitely one: Perfection. I want this blog to be perfect. I want it to be interesting and I only want it to show my best pics. Another reason why I have been a little cruel to this place is that I have had too many things going on. My three travel blogs, my baby, my camera, my Etsy shop, Facebook... and all the rest which in other words means: Real life. It ain't easy!

Well, I can only do one thing: Breath and reboot (yes, this is a Carrie quote :-)).

So here I am. Breathing and rebooting. With two new Instagrams post edited in Lightroom.

What do you think? I took these pics yesterday at the Valdichiana Outlet Village* here in Tuscany, where we went shopping for the sales. I came back with a creme coloured sweater and these two images. Not much, but we had a great day and shopping with the eyes can actually be very stimulating!

I mentioned things that had been announced on the blog and never came. Yes, I am speaking about my 365 simple pics from around project. A project that I started and abandoned last year, and which I wanted to restart this year.

Well, I'm not sure why, but I seemed to have forgotten why I had already abandoned this project once: As fun as it may seem and probably is for many people, to me this project kills creativity. I cannot take photos on command. I need to be inspired and I need to have a motive that means something to me. This is why the project never turned up on the blog (or Flickr or Facebook).

So here's to a new year, to a new beginning and lots of new posts on www.simplepicsfromaround.com - on a regular basis and of a high quality!

Happy New Year to all of you.

Birgitte

*Click on the link to go to www.mysweetflorence.com to read about the place.