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

Rione San Niccolò Florence

2012-01-28T21:51:00.000+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!

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...

Torino - just another beautiful Italian city

2012-01-16T23:41:00.002+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!

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.

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)

2012-01-10T10:18:00.003+01:00

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

2012-01-09T20:32:00.000+01:00

Books and cats

2012-01-09T18:17:00.000+01:00

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.

Welcome!

2011-10-28T12:00:00.000+02:00

Welcome to my photo blog, where you can follow my photography work and my every day life in pictures, and where you can browse through my portfolio. Feel free to contact me for information on wedding photography, children's portraits and more. I am based in Florence but take jobs all over Italy and in Denmark. Below is a quick preview of some of my favourite pics.