Chocolate à chuva

dresden

2012-01-24T09:08:00.001Z

Who hasn't heard about Dresden, the city that was so blitzed during WWII ? This was as much as I knew about the place, and I also knew a lot of reconstruction work had been made, but nothing prepared me for how beautiful it turned out. Old Town Dresden is enchanting, especially during December with all the Christmas markets in full force.First things first ... back in Prague we woke up early to make it to the train station on time. As all of you who ever traveled with a baby probably know, it is hard to ever be on time for anything. In fact, we almost didn't catch our flight in Lisbon, and this time we got on the train as the doors were closing. Yes, that close.Arriving in Dresden we checked in at our apartment near the Frauenkirche. Again, very pleasantly surprised at the quality of the apartment. It had plenty of space for Sara to run around, a nice bedroom and large living room and very functional kitchen. Also, it was located at the start of the pedestrian zone, and within walking distance to all the main attractions (and a 10 minute tram ride from the train station).
We were hungry, so decided to take a brief tour of the Christmas market next door, and then headed to Paulaner's where we had the best meal of the whole trip. It was full when we came in so we grabbed the last table by the door, but it was fine. The waitress even brought a baby chair for Sara although she had to sit below the table. She loved it though, and ate quite a bit of that spaghetti. As I said, delicious meal, great service, and really good beer according to A.

After lunch it was time for a bit of museum time. There are two major museums to visit in Dresden, the Residenzschloss and the Zwinger. We had purchased the Dresden card which allowed for free entry into some of the main exhibits, and decided to visit the Residenzschloss first because it would be closed the next day. So we toured the Neues Grunes Gewolbe and the Turkisch Cammer, both very good and quite interesting. Luckily Sara fell asleep quickly so A. carried her around in the Ergo during the whole visit.

Later in the afternoon we went to the main Christmas market at the Altmarkt: the Striezelmarkt. We had dinner there (Thuringer rostbratwurst, what else ?).The day after we explored a bit more of historical Dresden and the rest of the Christmas markets (this deserves a separate post coming up next).During the morning we went up the Frauenkirche and admired the views.

We also strolled near the river and the Kunst Halle.

And then visited the exhibits at the Zwinger, which we quite enjoyed in particular the Old Masters' Gallery.

Another stroll through the main market, and then we were tired so found a really nice café to rest for a while. It was the Einstein Café, right across the Altmarkt. A hot chocolate and a warm cappuccino were exactly what we needed.

Dinner had been booked the day before at Sophienkeller, which I think is mainly a thing for tourists, but the atmosphere is quite unforgettable. The food was OK, not exactly memorable but not bad either. I had the Weinachts menu (duck breast and almond maize for dessert) and A. had the sucking pig (the house specialty).

book review: the devil in the white city

2012-01-23T14:50:00.001Z

My first read-along of the year, and a non-fiction book as well, so I thought I'd make a proper review. Also, this book was quite a surprise, in a good way, and deserves to be recommended.

The book is question is "The devil in the white city", by Erik Larson.

The book interested me at first because it was about the World's Columbian Exhibition, something I'd never heard about before. This was organized to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the New World, and it took place in Chicago in 1893. Throughout the book there are several comparisons to the Paris Universal Exposition of 1889, where the Eiffel Tower was unveiled, and that one I knew about, of course, so it's really mystifying I'd never heard of this other so important world fair. It was called the White City due to the color of its buildings, and in contrast to the Black City, which was Chicago itself (and the pollution surrounding it). It was considered the grandest exhibition of its time, and it drew close to 26 million visitors, which is a staggering number for that period.

There are two parallel stories going on throughout the book, and although you'd expect them to intertwine later in the future, the fact is they never do, except for the fact that they take place in the same location and during the same period, and one can be considered a direct consequence of the other. The main story is about the construction of the exhibition, and later on its opening and daily operation till it closed down 6 months later (it ran from May to Oct. 1893). The parallel story is about H.H. Holmes, an alias for Herman Mudgett, later known to be one of America's first serial killers. He built a hotel which was very close to the exhibition's grounds, with certain singularities that made it easy for him to commit his murders.

There's also a third story, although shorter, about the mayor Carter Harrison and his murder by a fanatic called Patrick Prendergast.

So, what I loved about this book: the whole architecture discussions and details, not only of the exhibition's buildings, but also of the architects involved. I was very sorry that there were no photographs accompanying this book (I read it the digital version, so maybe the printed version has them) because it would've made the reading even more interesting. And the way these buildings are discussed and described by the author, it really made me want to see them for myself. For a non fiction book it almost felt like reading a novel. Daniel Burnham and Olmsted, the exhibition main directors and central characters in the book (Burnham was responsible for the architecture, and Olmsted for the gardening and landscaping), were sympathetic enough and their stories interesting to read about, but didn't quite get my attention entirely. The description of their works were much more fascinating to me. Also, I loved the part about the Ferris Wheel.

On the other hand, the people on Holmes story made more of an impression on me. The victims' loneliness and vulnerability, all those young single women that arrived in Chicago hoping to build a better life, they were such an easy target for Holmes. He reminded me of a giant venomous spider, with the hotel as the center of his web. He's described as being an extremely charismatic man, full of personal charm and able to convince anyone that he was someone to be trusted. It did scare me a bit, since it makes me wonder how many Holmes might be out there, and are never found out.

I was quite sorry to learn at the end that the much of exhibition's grounds were burnt in a fire that occurred a few months later. Although the architects decided earlier on (due to time constraints) that the main buildings were to be temporary and therefore not built to last, I think it would've been a wonderful sight to see, even by today's standards.

Prague - day 3

2012-01-15T23:12:00.000Z

We found 3 Christmas markets in Prague: the main one in Old Town square, then a smaller one near Wenceslas square, and another even smaller near the Palladium shopping centre. On our last day there we explored the two smaller ones, starting by Wencelas square and the streets around it. It is a great shopping area, much more than Old Town, and not as crowded. I loved this particular chocolate and tea shop ...

For lunch we spotted a nice Thai restaurant while on our way to the tower nearby.

We strolled around to the Municipal House, checked the smaller market around the Palladium and had some gluhwein to make us warmer. The Municipal House had a grand café inside, it looked so nice we would've stopped there if we hadn't just had lunch (and all tables seemed booked and looked incredibly busy, so we didn't even try to). Prague does have some very fantastic cafés, I must say. Not only the grand art-deco establishments which looked like the kind of place that Poirot might've favored, but also very modern and minimalist ones. I wish we could've had time to visit them all, but I don't think an extra week would've been enough.

We finally visited the Old Town Christmas market during the day to snap a few decent photos ...

Our favorite market delicacy was Trdelnik, a traditional Czech and Slovak sweet pastry. As you can see, it is made of rolled dough around a metal stick and then grilled with sugar and almond. It is so good it melts in your mouth, literally ...

And then it was time for our chocolate fixture.

After such treats we decided to skip dinner and went home to pack. One last stroll through the bridge to take some photos. Prague is a beautiful city, especially at night.

Prague - the toy museum

2012-01-15T23:11:00.002Z

Definitely Sara's favorite museum of the whole trip. We hadn't planned on visiting it, but it was right there after we finished lunch so we decided to go in on an impulse. The Barbie exhibition was a bonus, luckily Sara fell asleep halfway through so I don't think she was very interested ...

I especially loved the miniature houses. The one above even had an elevator (it had two floors), so it was quite sophisticated. And A. said that the doll below reminded him of Angela Merkel ...

Barbie number 1 ... not exactly as I had imagined it.

The period ones were definitely my favorites, particularly this one below ...

new year's smocking cowl

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000Z

Happy New Year ! I hope you all had some nice holidays, and may 2012 bring you all you wish for.

Christmas and New Year's went by in a blur, a lot of time spent with family and friends and so much good food, which is how it should be. Not much quiet time, but I managed to start and finish this cowl somehow. Actually it only took a couple of hours, I think I spent more time deciding on the pattern than knitting it. I only had one ball of yarn - something someone sent me from a swap years ago when I didn't think mustard yellow was such a fabulous color - and in the end decided on a simple smocking stitch. Directions are below if you wish to make one for yourself (consider it a New year's gift ... as I said, it only takes a couple of hours ;)

(E para quem perguntou, os sacos de celofane vieram desta loja do ebay. Cá em Lisboa infelizmente não sei onde se podem comprar.)

Yarn: any bulky yarn, about 100m(I actually made this cowl using 80 m which was all I had, but it depends if youwant it larger or longer)

Needles: (short) 9mm circularneedles (you can also use DPN's or magic loop on longer circular needles, depending on your preference)

Abbreviations: RH (right hand), LH (left hand), CO (cast-on)

Directions:

CO 56 sts (or any multiple of 8)

Join in the round, placing onemarker at end of row. Purl 1 row.

Start smocking pattern:

R1: *K2, P2, K2, P2, repeat from* till end of row.
Knit 2 more rows following theribbed pattern.
R4 (smocking row): * insert RH needle from front to back betweenstitches 6 and 7 on LH needle, pull a loop of yarn and place it on LH needle.Knit that stitch and the next together. K1, P2, K2, P2. Repeat from * till endof row.
Knit 3 more rows following theribbed pattern.
R8 (smocking row): K2, P2, *insert RH needle from front to back between stitches 6 and 7 on LH needle, pulla loop a place it on LH needle. Knit that stitch and the next together. K1, P2,K2, P2. Repeat from * till 4 stitches after the end of row.
Knit3 more rows following the ribbed pattern.

Purl 1 row.

Bind-off.

(For a longer cowl just repeat R4and R1 another 3 times before knitting the final Purl row).

a handmade christmas - fruit jam

2011-12-28T21:00:00.000Z

For family the bags of cookies were paired with fruit jams. We made three varieties this year: strawberry, pear and berries. With very little sugar and a lot of fruit. For the packaging I chose a red gingham fabric (always a favorite) and matched it with the color of the labels (which I designed and like to think it didn't turn out so bad).

on books :: the best of 2011

2011-12-28T11:21:00.002Z

Somehow I don't think I'll make it this year, do you ? I guess I was little too ambitious (after all I read 71 last year, and will probably read about the same this year), but as in most things quality is better than quantity, so I'll leave you with my list of best reads for 2011.

Fiction/Historical:
- Major Pettigrew's last stand, by Helen Simonson
- Fall of Giants, by Ken Follett
- Clara and Mr. Tiffany, by Susan Vreeland
- The Priory, by Dorothy Whipple
- Mariana, by Monica Dickens
- The Shuttle, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Diary of a provincial lady, by E.M. Delafield
- Cold comfort farm, by Stella Gibbons
- Between shades of gray, by Ruta Sepetys

Comfort reading:
- Daddy long legs, by Jean Webster
- The girl who chased the moon, by Sarah Addion Allen

Young adult:
- The Penderwicks series, by Jeanne Birdsall
- What happened to goodbye, by Sarah Dessen

Fantasy:
- Twilight robbery, by Frances Hardinge
- Fire, by Kristin Cashore
- The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas under red skies, by Scott Lynch
- The cloud roads and The serpent seas, by Martha Wells
- Troubled waters, by Sharon Shinn

Now, on a side note, 2011 was the year I converted to electronic reading. I never thought this would happen, but there you go ... out of the 68 books read, 51 were e-books.

What about you ? Any good reads this year you would like to share ?

a handmade christmas - ginger and spiced cardamom cookies

2011-12-28T09:13:00.000Z

This year for the first time we decided to bake cookies for Christmas gifts. After a bit of research we settled on two recipes: the spiced cardamom cookies by Martha Stewart, and a ginger cookie recipe I was given by a friend. We made a trial run a few weeks before Christmas, tasted them and decided on a few changes (more spices, and less baking time). The final batch we made a few days before Christmas was much better, but already we're thinking of ways to perfect it next year. The packaging was much harder though, and above you can see a few of the ideas I had for that. The gingerbread house labels are also by Martha Stewart, and the minute I saw them I realized they were perfect for this.

Prague - day 2

2011-12-26T13:00:00.000Z

Second day in Prague we planned to do the touristy thing and went up to the castle area. It's a nice walk from where we stayed, and lots of fabulous viewpoints to take photos from. Actually we walked everywhere in Prague, I read somewhere we should take the subway at least once but we never did.

It was crowded (it was Saturday) so we didn't go visit any of the museums and prefered to enjoy the sunny weather outside. We took a peek inside St. Vitus Cathedral, and then decided to go up the tower for the panoramic views. It's a looong way up but worth the effort.

On our way out we spotted the Lobkowicz Palace and the lunch special at the café inside. We sat outside with yet another great view of the city and enjoyed some warm food. I had a pasta dish that was delicious while A. enjoyed another goulash.Then we spent a good couple of hours inside the Toy Museum in front, but that deserves a post of its own.

We crossed Charles Bridge once again, this time with barely enough space to move.

But just in time for another sunset.

We headed to the Choco Café, which besides having the best hot chocolates we ever tasted (check out this menu), it turned out to be Sara's favorite café of the whole trip (I think that elephant slide might have had something to do about it) ... we didn't have a reservation this day, but were lucky that a small table soon cleared up (and quickly decided to make a reservation for the following afternoon)

Then another stroll through the Christmas market ...

I love the Czech wooden toys, especially the pencil hedgehogs !

And finally, dinner was at the (supposedly) best vegetarian restaurant in town (reservation also needed). The food was ok, but nothing exceptional, so I can't really recommend it.

Feliz Natal :: Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T16:50:00.000Z

Prague - day 1

2011-12-24T08:38:00.001Z

Hunger Wall Residence

Lunch at Café Lounge

Museum Kampa

Views from Museum Kampa

Charles Bridge at sunset

Christmas market at the Old Town Square

We arrived in Prague around lunchtime. It was cold (but not too much) and sunny, which is how I like it. We didn't do much that first day, and decided to just walk around. We checked in at our gorgeous apartment at the Hunger Wall Residence, which I would highly recommend when visiting Prague. Besides the really high standard of the apartments, breakfast is serviced by the Café Lounge next door, which was considered the best café in Prague last year, and came second place this year. Anyway, we had our lunch there that first day, and it was delicious. A. had lasagna, and I had the yumy grilled vegetables with bulgur that you can see above (and it was reasonably priced too).

Then we walked along the shore from the apartment to Charles Bridge, stopping every 5 minutes to take a photo. The bridge was almost empty, which I think is a rare event. We made our way to the Christmas market. I was curious to see if it matched the German markets we loved so much. It was somewhat different, and a bit disappointing though. It certainly was big, and incredibly crowded. But the stalls didn't offer so much traditional or local crafts, so I came back empty handed. Sara loved the animals stable, so we had to go back several times to see the sheep.

On our way back to the apartment we decided to skip dinner as we found an organic market nearby (after crossing Legions Bridge, it's right there at the corner on your right side) which sold fantastic fresh bread and goulash soup, the perfect comfort food for weary travellers like us.

A handmade christmas: chocolate nut toffee

2011-12-22T22:23:00.002Z

This year we've tried to make most of our Christmas gifts, and we chose things that we think our close friends and family would probably enjoy. I'll share some of those ideas here, because I truly believe the best gifts are handmade. This first batch was chocolate nut toffee, which I made for my book loving friends (with a little help from A. because the toffee part is kind of tricky). The recipe is from Apples for Jam, one of my favorite recipe books.

on playmobil

2011-12-15T23:32:00.005Z

I've never been a huge Lego fan, and instead my childhood was filled with some great memories of playing with Playmobil with my brother and my best friend. We'd spend long afternoons playing with a few different sets that had been gifted from my aunts who live in Brazil (at the time they were more popular there than here), taking over the whole living room floor with our make believe games.

So it was a nice surprise when a few weeks ago I discovered that Playmobil had launched a line called Playmobil 1-2-3, suitable from 18 months. I had planned to get S. a set of Lego Duplo for Christmas, but guess what she'll be having instead ?

And guess what else I discovered ? There's a Playmobil Christmas market ... I almost ordered this for myself, but managed to have some restraint ...

...

2011-12-12T00:35:00.001Z

(photo above: Dresden Christmas market)

We arrived back from our trip a couple of days earlier, having changed our return flight at the last minute due to a possible airline strike. Then the strike was cancelled but we were back in Lisbon already so there wasn't much we could do. We did visit all the places we had planned to, and although we had to cut short our visit to Cesky Krumlov we had a great time anyway. I'll try to sort out the photos soon and post a full trip report.

So with a whole weekend on our hands and all the unpacking done we decided to spend Saturday morning shopping downtown, which is something we hadn't done in a while.
Here's something we picked up to send to a friend in Switzerland ...

And then we decided to bake some cookies ...

Made this apple cake for the third time, and each time it seems to only get better

(I've decided to change the blog's template so if you're not seeing this on a feed you might've noticed a few changes and probably a few glitches ... I'm still working on it, hopefully I can finish soon)

it's that time of the year again ...

2011-12-01T23:57:00.001Z

Time to go visit some Christmas markets, that is ... This year we decided to visit Prague - I was there almost 15 years ago, and A. has never been, and supposedly the Christmas market is amazing. We also plan to spend a few days in Dresden, and then in the lovely town of Cezky Krumlov. See you back in 10 days !

entrelac tee

2011-12-01T08:19:00.000Z

Pattern: Betty's Tee
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran, 3.5 skeins
Size: 33 (to give a 32)
Ravelred here

catching up

2011-11-22T23:08:00.001Z

So I know I've been missing, but there's been very little time for blogging lately, and running around after Sara seems to be filling up all my available hours ... I don't have many new projects to show, although I did manage to finish a couple of things.
But first, some old knits I wanted to share with you: the smocked baby cardi I made for S. at 3 months, and which still fits her now at 16 months (although short sleeved) ... and the yellow daisy cardi I made last year and which finally fits her like a glove - really cute, right ?

As for new knits, I also made S. the red gnome hat above, and for myself an Angostura vest with gorgeous Fyberspates yarn (wool + silk).
Pattern: Gnome hatby Skruddevutt
Yarn: Schachenmayr nomotta Extra Merino Big
More details on Ravelry here

Pattern: Angostura, by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Fyberspates Scrumptious DK, in Cherry Red
Details on Ravelry

This was my favourite pattern from Ysolda's latest book, Little Red in the City. The book is a mine of information about sizing and shaping and adapting the projects to have the perfect fit, and as always Ysolda's patterns are very well written. The yarn is amazing, although a bit splitty while knitting, but the end result is stunning. Very good stitch definition, and so incredibly soft.

works in progress

2011-09-11T22:03:00.002+01:00

Some yarn I was dying to try, and I think I've found the perfect project for it ...
And currently on the needles, an Abstract Leaves Vest, perfect for Fall.

summer cardi

2011-08-25T23:21:00.001+01:00

It's usually said that for every dress a girl buys she should also get a matching cardigan. This dress I made two years ago and only now have I managed to knit a little summer cardi to match. Better late than never, right ?
Changes: didn't have enough yarn so made the sleeves shorter and only one set of ruffles (and used the same yarn and needle size for the ruffles). The button band was made by picking up stitches along the edges and knitting in garter stitch for 8 rows.

Pattern: Maple Street Cardigan by Cecily Glowik MacDonald (Interweave Knits Fall 09).
Yarn: Schachenmayr Nomotta Punto (5 skeins)
Needles: 4.0 mm
Ravelry link

♥ 1 ♥

2011-08-18T23:42:00.000+01:00

the birthday dress

2011-08-17T13:10:00.000+01:00

Finished it right in the nick of time, this morning while she was still asleep. It's a pattern from this book (one of the cover dresses). It turned out a bit short (barely had enough fabric) and if you haven't noticed, the cherries are upside down, but I think my client is not going to mind ;) More photos of the modeled dress coming later ...

a primeira vez na praia :: first time at the beach

2011-08-15T14:34:00.001+01:00

por Lisboa

2011-08-07T21:19:00.001+01:00

Na 6ª fui provar o melhor pão de ló do universo, e hoje fomos a um dos melhores brunches de Lisboa.

(good) summer reading

2011-08-07T20:46:00.003+01:00

by Persephone Books

mni stripes

2011-08-03T20:04:00.002+01:00

A few months ago I made this mini striped cardigan for S. It's the perfect project for using those leftover yarns, and the result is just too cute.

(S. wearing it at 5 months old)

Then last week I finally finished another version of this pattern, made as a gift for baby cousin F, who was born last May.

We had to make sure it would fit him this next winter, so here's S. modelling it too ... I think the size will be ok :)

Pattern: Little coffee bean cardigan, by Elizabeth Smith
Yarn: Sock yarn in various colors (used double)
Needles: 4.5 mm
Size: pink version: 6 months, blue version: 12 months

york - take 3

2011-07-28T19:00:00.001+01:00

:: our last morning before driving back to London ...

:: behind York Minster

:: and a quick visit inside ...

:: York Castle

:: views from the top of the walls

:: the Shambles, one of the most photographed streets in the UK

:: lots of interesting shops, including the best pastries

:: soap cupcakes !

:: and the only yarn shop I managed to visit during this trip ...

We definitely ♥ York !

more photos at Flickr

york - take 2

2011-07-27T20:00:00.000+01:00

... at the end of the day we returned to the York Museum Gardens to look for squirrels

... and found quite a few

We stayed at a fantastic apartment (5 min walk from the historical center)

which had this most fantastic view from the living room

We still had a little time before dinner so we decided to take a walk along the walls, starting at Bootham Bar right next to the apartment

the light was magical, and made everything look even more beautiful

york - take 1

2011-07-27T19:00:00.002+01:00

(Celina, tinhas razão, nós adorámos York :)

Our last couple of days of this trip we decided to spend in York. We've been meaning to go there for years now, so on our way back from Wales to London we planned a little detour. And so very much worth it, because we loved every bit of this wonderful historical city.

We spent the morning shopping (Cath Kidston for me, baby books for S.) ...

... had cream tea at Little Betty's

... had a little stroll in the lovely York Museum Gardens

... got strawberries from Newgate Market

... and enjoyed a bit of sunshine near York Minster

weekend baking

2011-07-25T20:42:00.000+01:00

:: making banana muffins (the whole family loves them, including the cat)

:: of course, it helps to have such a cute assistant :)

11 meses :: 11 months

2011-07-19T20:00:00.001+01:00

And on the day she turned 11 months her first tooth popped out :)

chester

2011-07-16T18:00:00.002+01:00

We only had one afternoon in Chester, but it was enough to enjoy a bit of its lively atmosphere. I had read it was one of the best preserved walled cities in England, full of medieval buildings and other attractions. Chester is also known for its horse races, but that's not what we had come for ....

:: the Eastgate clock, said to be the most photographed clock in England after Big Ben

:: gorgeous black and white medieval buildings (I learned later that some are actually Victorian reconstructions)

:: the Rows are a series of two floored walkways full of shops, also dating from the medieval era. These are unique to Chester

:: Chester castle

:: back at the hotel, S. made a new friend (obviously we had to bring one home with us)

:: delicious Thai dinner, the perfect ending to a well spent day

more photos at Flickr here

matching outfits

2011-07-16T16:01:00.002+01:00

Last weekend S. was sick with gastroenteritis - which she later passed on to us, so this was not a fun week - and for obvious reasons we had to stay home. While she napped I decided to do something crafty for a change, since it's been too long since I used my sewing machine. She was in desperate need of some pants so I sewed these two in less than an hour. I didn't have a pattern, just traced one from a pair that she usually wears. And then because I had bought her a few plain t-shirts the day before I decided to turn them into matching outfits...

north wales

2011-07-10T09:27:00.000+01:00

A lot of my travel obsessions come from places I read about on my favourite books. And sometimes the idea is planted years before, like this desire to visit Wales, for example. I first became curious while reading the first of the Welsh trilogy books by Sharon Penman, “Here be dragons”, which tells the story between the Welsh King Llewelyn the Great and Joanna, King John’s illegitimate daughter. I remember reading about Joanna’s first impressions of Wales and its landscapes, and thinking “someday I must go there”. And so I did, many years after, and even visited Dolwyddelan Castle, which I remember from the book.

Other books about the Welsh princes I read and enjoyed were the Brothers of Gwynnedd quartet, by Edith Pargeter, which are about the last Welsh prince (another Llewelyn) and his brothers. Coincidentally, Edith Pargeter is more known as Ellis Peters, the author of Brother Cadfael’s medieval mystery books (which I never read), which take part in Shrewsbury, another of the places we visited on this trip.

King Edward I is also featured extensively in Ms Penman's last Welsh trilogy book “The reckoning”, and so I was curious to visit the castles he built in Wales after the conquest. This includes Harlech and Caernarfon, but also Beaumaris and Conwy, which we visited on our way to Chester...

Beaumaris is a quiet little village in the isle of Anglesey. We went to visit the castle, of course, and then stopped at this lovely tea house on the main street for lunch (highly recommended)

Conwy turned out to be a much larger place, and it was incredibly busy when we arrived. We decided to skip visiting the inside of the castle, and opted for a long stroll inside the city walls instead.

The main streets were filled with shops, some of them quite interesting. These especially caught my attention:

.. and naturally, this dress (yes, I did went inside to take a look, but sadly it was way over my budget)

snowdonia - day 2

2011-06-26T14:00:00.006+01:00

On our second day in Snowdonia the sun finally made an appearance, which by a happy coincidence had been the day we chose to take the train up to Mt. Snowdon. Before that, however, we decided to take a short hike in the beautiful valley of Cwm Idwal. It's an easy path that goes all around the lake in its middle, and it took us about 2.5 hours. The views are outstanding, so it was definitely worth going.

After that we made our way to Llanberis, where we had a quick lunch at the station before boarding our train up to Mt. Snowdon. From the train we could see the hiking trail and a lot of people on it, and we almost wished we had decided to do the same, but unfortunately we didn't have the time for a full day hike this time. Again, the views during the train ride and at the summit are absolutely amazing ...

Next we went back to Caernarfon, to explore the castle area a bit more, and have another delicious dinner at the Black Boy Inn (next time we'll remember to book ahead, so we won't have to eat twice outside, as it was a bit chilly for that)

Back in our lovely hotel there was still time for a short walk after dinner to watch the sunset ...

snowdonia - day 1

2011-06-26T10:34:00.003+01:00

:: Beddgelert

:: Views from the road (A4086, Llanberis Pass)

:: Dinner at the Black Boy Inn (Caernarfon)

:: Harlech Castle

:: Dolwyddelan Castle

:: Swallow Falls

More photos at Flickr

on and off the needles

2011-06-23T23:15:00.036+01:00

So the other day I dug up all the unfinished socks I had laying around and came up with all of the above. I think these will be perfect for finishing during summer, since they're such small projects and so quite portable for carrying in my bag wherever we go. At least that's my hope, because to this date I have only ever finished one pair of socks, and that's because I really loved the colors. So there you go, my knitting goal for this summer, to finish 4 pairs of socks.

On the other hand, here's the finished cardigan for S. I finally found the perfect buttons for it, and I'm very happy with the result. It took me almost a year, and I had no idea what size would turn out (the pattern is written for worsted weight yarn, and I used a gorgeous dark red 4-ply I bought in Berlin last year instead), but I think it should fit her this next winter (or so I hope)

Pattern: Tiny tea leaves, by Melissa La Barre
Yarn: GGH Merino Soft (2 skeins)
Needles: 3.25 / 3.5 mm
Size: 2 years

♥ salt-water

2011-06-20T23:20:00.002+01:00

because one pair clearly just wasn't enough ...

10 meses :: 10 months

2011-06-19T23:44:00.000+01:00

(este mês ainda consegui tirar uma foto decente com o papel ... mas foi por pouco)

::aprendeu a gatinhar como deve ser, e já corre a sala toda mas ainda não nos consegue seguir de divisão para divisão

:: ainda tem pouquinho cabelo, mas já se nota qualquer coisa ...

:: aprendeu a ir atrás da gata, principalmente quando vê a cauda a abanar
:: as refeições às vezes são um pouco mais difíceis, mas agora gosta mesmo é de comer "comida a sério" (já não gosta tanto de sopa e papa muito menos)

:: a "separation anxiety" chegou com toda a força, e só está bem quando está ao pé de alguém que ela conhece. Tem feito birras quando chega à creche, principalmente depois de alguns dias só com os pais

:: dentinhos, ainda nada :)

shrewsbury

2011-06-19T17:16:00.001+01:00

We started our last trip in Shrewsbury, where we spent our first night (we drove from London) and the next morning. It was the weekend, so it was peaceful and quiet, and great for enjoying the sights. This is an historical market town, with a lot of medieval buildings beautifully restored. We were lucky to have stayed at the Draper's Hall Restaurant, which apart from providing an excellent dinner also offers a few boutique rooms. We stayed in the lime suite, which had a very convenient kitchenette and enough space for S. to crawl around. It's also centrally located so we walked all around the historical center quite easily, from the Old Market Hall to the Castle and then to Shrewsbury Abbey.

:: Old Market Hall

:: Ireland Mansion

::at Draper's Hall

::Shrewsbury Abbey

::Shrewsbury Castle

more photos on Flickr here

Fim de semana prolongado

2011-06-13T20:08:00.000+01:00

É bom saber que há coisas que nunca mudam ...

coraline

2011-06-07T22:32:00.000+01:00

We are back from our short vacation in Wales, and I've started my new job this week so I haven't had time to select from the hundreds of photos a few to show you, but I promise I will soon. We had a great time, the weather even cooperated in the end, and my only regret is that I only managed to visit one yarn shop during the whole week !

In the meantime here's my finished Coraline, which I still can not believe it took me almost 3 years to complete. Not sure why it took so long, it was on stand-by for most of that time, I guess I was discouraged by all that stockinette in such small needles. When I finally got to the fun part (the smocking) it went really fast though. The yarn was a great choice for this, because with all the interruptions I had while knitting it my tension was quite uneven, and it really showed, but a bit of blocking in the end did wonders. The yarn does stretch quite a bit, and in my case I probably gained an inch or so in length which turned out perfect.

Pattern: Coraline, by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Artesano Inca Mist (8 skeins)
Size: 32''
Needles: 3.25 mm

check-in

2011-05-28T00:47:00.000+01:00

You've probably imagined I'd never be showing any more craft related items on this blog ... but this week I've actually managed to finish not one but two handknit items - a cardigan for myself and another one for S. Of course I must say they are long overdue, since I started one last year and the other more than 2.5 years ago. They were properly blocked and dry this morning but I couldn't find any suitable buttons so any proper photos will only be taken when we come back from vacation.

We're taking a short holiday in North Wales this next week, and are staying in beautiful Snowdonia, with some quick stops along the way in Shrewsbury, Chester and York. We badly need a break, and since I'm starting a new job the week after I intend to make the most of it.

With little S. to take care of I doubt I'll have much reading time, but nevertheless I've picked a few titles I'm planning to read. I won't be carrying any books though (which is great, since S. needs a whole bag just for herself ...) - I've owned a Kindle since last Christmas and I must say it's been a lifesaver when it comes to traveling. Anyway, here's what I selected:

- Clara and Mr Tiffany, by Susan Vreeland. I've been a fan of Ms Vreeland since Girl in Hyacinth Blue and Passion of Artemisia, but recently I read Life Studies which I enjoyed less.
- The invisible bridge, by Julie Orringer
- Girl in translation, by Jean Kwok
- Every last one, by Anna Quindlen

9 meses :: 9 months

2011-05-18T23:39:00.000+01:00

E a um dia de fazer os 9 meses começou a gatinhar ... ainda não consegue ir muito longe, e ainda se cansa depressa, mas não tarda nada vamos ter de re-arranjar as prateleiras da sala.

Dentes ainda nem vê-los, as refeições às vezes correm bem ... outras vezes nem por isso ... Adora a piscina, por vezes já faz beicinho quando a deixo na creche, mas de resto continua sorridente e alegre como sempre :)

Nem acredito que já se passaram 9 meses ♥

8 meses :: 8 months

2011-04-17T23:08:00.000+01:00

Azenhas do Mar

2011-04-10T18:01:00.000+01:00

7 meses:: 7 months

2011-03-19T17:30:00.000Z

Now there's no way for that paper to stay still anymore ...

The 6th month big development was that she's now able to sit by herself

... but standing up straight is also lots of fun ...

and some hair is finally starting to show up ... she's not going to be a bald baby for much longer

kerrera

2011-03-12T23:22:00.001Z

Can't believe it took me most of winter to finish this, but now it's finally done. You can tell I didn't swatch because even though I made the smallest size it turned out a bit large, but it's just so warm and cozy I'll probably be wearing it as an outdoor cardi on top of other clothes anyway, so some positive ease is not a bad thing. I used every little bit of the 16 skeins I had bought, and in fact ran out of yarn for the last sleeve, so it's shorter by one row (not very noticeable, I'm hoping). I'm very happy with the yarn, it's a bit itchy when being knitted, but after being washed and blocked it turned out much softer.

The pattern is gorgeous, and I loved it at first sight. Also, the construction of the pockets and sleeve set-in is quite clever, so I learned a few interesting techniques while knitting this.

Pattern: Kerrera, by Gudrun Johnston
Yarn: DROPS Alaska, color 52 (16 skeins)
Needles: 5.0/5.5 mm
Size: smallest

baby hoodie

2011-03-08T11:55:00.000Z

no, it's not a mirage .. I actually made something recently which is quite an achievement. A couple of weeks ago it was warm enough that I thought S. was in need of a lighter jacket. I've been meaning to make the Baby-in-the-hood jacket from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings book for a while now, and so this last weekend I decided to finally take out my sewing machine again.

I made the 6-9 months size which is a bit large on her now so I'm hoping it lasts until summer. The pattern is quite easy and I think I spent a total of 3 or 4 hours on it, and it turned out so nice I might just make another one next fall.

Here's the back:

Also it's reversible:

And some modelled shots .. S. was entranced by the fabric, so I think she won't mind wearing this for quite some time.

foto da carochinha ...

2011-03-04T19:54:00.000Z

(as coisas que fazem aos miúdos na creche ...)

6 meses :: 6 months

2011-02-22T23:15:00.000Z

e assim se passou já meio ano ... A S. adaptou-se lindamente à creche e à sua nova rotina, dorme muitas sestas, come e brinca, e anda quase sempre sorridente. Adora as sopas do pai mas papas é que nem por isso... Os números da consulta de ontem: 64.5 cm e 6.7 kg. Apanhou a sua primeira constipaçãozita mas de resto tudo bem :)

quase sentada ...

2011-01-29T14:24:00.001Z

val d'isère 2011

2011-01-27T10:30:00.000Z

5 meses :: 5 months

2011-01-23T14:11:00.002Z

I'm a bit late with this post, but we were on a ski trip this past week, which left us all tired but happy ... S. is now 5 months and seems to be learning a new trick everyday. She starts daycare next week, which I'm sure will be harder for me than for her ...

Thank you for all the comments about Amélie, she had feline leukemia which we didn't know about (all her previous tests had been negative) but she was such a happy kitty and although she's sorely missed we're glad she went peacefully in the end.

amélie 2004-2010

2010-12-31T14:55:00.003Z

best reads of 2010

2010-12-27T11:14:00.000Z

I know the year is not done yet, and I might still add a couple of books to this list, but since I was discussing this with my book loving friends yesterday at lunch, here goes my best reads list of 2010 (out of 68 read so far):

Fiction:
- Room, by Emma Donoghue
- Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
- The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
- The Bronze Horseman, by Paulina Simmons
- Gone with the wind, by Margaret Mitchell (don't know how I never read this sooner)
- The Wind-up bird chronicle, by Haruki Murakami

Fantasy:
- The Hundred Thousad Kingdoms, by N.K. Jemisin
- A Conspiracy of Kings, by Megan Whalen Turner
- Gullstruck Island, by Frances Hardinge
- Under Heaven, by G. G. Kay
- Foxmask, by Juliet Marillier

Mystery:
- The Julian Kestrel Mysteries, by Kate Ross (especially #3 and #4)

Young Adult:
- The Exiles series, by Hilary MacKay

Comfort reads:
- Minding Frankie, by Maeve Binchy
- A Song for summer, by Eva Ibbotson

And my list of disappointments of the year (I so expected them to be much better):
- Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3), by Suzanne Collins
- Wolfskin, by Juliet Marillier
- My name is red, by Orhan Pamuk

Have a wonderful Christmas, everyone !

2010-12-24T16:09:00.002Z

4 meses :: 4 months

2010-12-23T14:43:00.005Z

Hoje foi dia de consulta e o resultado foi:

5.675 kg
59.5 cm

E temos ordem para começar a sopa .. vamos ver como corre logo à noite ;)

bamberg

2010-12-23T14:00:00.000Z

And we left the best for last ... our last couple of days were spent in the beautiful town of Bamberg, with its amazing historical old centre, great shopping, nice restaurants and cozy cafés. Our apartment was right around the corner of the Christmas market, and a few minutes walk from the old town. Despite the cold we spent most of our time outside, and warmed ourselves with some gluhwein or hot chocolate. The perfect ending to our first trip with S. (and hopefully the first of many to come)

baden-baden

2010-12-22T17:19:00.009Z

Baden-Baden is known for its spas, which regrettably we didn't get to try this time, although our apartment was right next to the much famed Friedrischsbad.

Nevertheless we loved it here, and had a great time exploring the historical sights. And on our last morning there it finally snowed ...

saarbrucken

2010-12-18T12:39:00.005Z

On Sunday we went to Saarbrucken to visit some friends who recently had a baby boy, and we had to visit the Christmas market there as well (to have dessert, actually :)

heidelberg

2010-12-18T12:31:00.003Z

We went to Heidelberg on a Saturday, and although cold and rainy the streets were incredibly crowded, but the trip was worth it. I loved the old part of this city a lot, and was sorry we only had time for a short visit.

Germany's Christmas Markets (round 2)

2010-12-18T11:34:00.005Z

Well, we loved visiting the Christmas markets during this trip so much we decided to go for a second round this year. Of course, travelling with S. required a totally different kind of preparation, but the trip was a success and she had a great time. Apparently she loves all the sigthseeing and also the cold weather like her dad :)
This time we landed in Frankfurt and since I'd never been there we planned to visit the market there during the morning. It was early so it was relatively quiet and nice ...

works in progress

2010-11-27T00:46:00.002Z

... slowly there's time to start knitting again :)
And it seems turquoise is going to be my color for this winter...

:: kerrera

:: vaila

3 meses

2010-11-21T15:04:00.002Z

1 + 2

2010-10-18T17:24:00.006+01:00

... and in a blink of an eye two months have passed ... time really flies when you have a newborn :)

:: 1 mês / 1 month

:: 2 meses / 2 months

♥ sara ♥

2010-08-24T17:00:00.002+01:00

August 17th, 8:53 AM
2.985 kg
45.5 cm

smocked baby cardi + cabled booties

2010-08-11T07:00:00.000+01:00

Knitting tiny little cardigans has become quite addictive, it seems ...

Pattern: Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater, by Carole Barenys
Yarn: Rowan RYC Cashsoft 4 Ply (1.2 skeins)
Needles: 3.5 mm
Size: not sure, maybe 0-3 months ?

I had some yarn left, so I also made a pair of matching booties

Pattern: Cabled Booties, by Hadley Fierlinger
Needles: 4 mm
Size: 3 months

daisy cardi

2010-08-09T16:02:00.000+01:00

Another amazing pattern by Kate, which I just had to make.
Maybe one of these days I'll make the adult version for myself ...

Pattern: Mini manu, by Kate Davies
Yarn: GGH WollyWasch, color 177 (3 skeins exactly)
Needles: 3.5 mm
Size: 6-12 months

:: nesting

2010-08-04T11:39:00.001+01:00

Still trying to finish a few things before the baby arrives ... not long to go now :)
A couple of months ago I got copies of both Lotta Jansdotter's "Simple sewing for baby" and Anna Maria Horners' "Handmade beginnings".
They both contain practical and useful baby projects (and in case of Handmade begininnings, a few things for mom as well), so they've been my inspiration for several projects lately.

First off the list was a diaper change mat.
I used a thick cotton floral fabric for the outside, and a red polka dot oil cloth for the inside.

Then I tried the nursing pillow. The pattern on Lotta's book turned out to be too small, so I just enlarged it a bit so it would actually go around my waist (well, I think it goes around my waist, since I really couldn't try it on). I also made a beige polka dot cover for it, since I figure it's going to get dirty easily.

The snuggler ... this one I just had to make as soon as I saw it. I actually made two versions, a light flannel for warmer days, and a fleeced one for winter.

And naturally, I had to make myself a sling. No pattern for this on either book but I just followed the instructions given here. I used some plain blue denim for one side, and some stash fabric for the other side. It turned out so nice I'll probably make a couple more in different patterns and colors.

do fim de semana ...

2010-07-27T09:33:00.004+01:00

:: Quinta do Troviscal, Castelo de Bode

:: Constância

Mitered baby blanket

2010-07-22T12:37:00.005+01:00

It's finally done, and I have to say I'm most pleased with the result !
Knitting these mitered squares was actually kind of addictive, and I might be tempted to make an adult-sized version in the future (not with baby yarn, though, that would probably drive me crazy ...)

I knitted 16 squares total, seamed 4 blocks of 4 squares each, blocked each of these pieces and then seamed it all together.

For the border I was going to do a 5 stitch i-cord edge, but realized that was going to take me forever so I did 5 rows of single crochet instead (and look how good that turned out :)

I mainly used leftover yarns, and I'm very pleased with the Drops Baby Merino (so soft) and Katia Caricia (also 100% merino). The pale beige yarn is Lopo Xavier Phoebus, another yarn I'm really loving at the moment.

Pattern: Based on the Mitered Square Blanket , by Mason Dixon.
I didn't actually have the pattern, but this is what I did for each square:

CO 72 sts
R1 and all odd rows: purl, placing marker in middle (after 36 sts) on R1
R2 and all even rows: knit until 2 sts before marker, ssk, slip marker, k2tog, knit to end
When you have 4 sts left (right side) : ssk, k2tog, and then on the next row (wrong side): p2tog

Needles: 3.5 mm
Yarn:

Katia Caricia in red (1.1 skeins)
Katia Caricia in grey (1.1 skeins)
Drops Baby Merino in white (0.7 skeins)
Drops Baby Merino in brown (0.7 skeins)
Drops Baby Merino in beige (0.7 skeins)
Lopo Xavier Phoebus in pale beige (0.7 skeins)

Final dimensions are about 83 x 83 cm.

inspiration ...

2010-07-21T11:37:00.000+01:00

:)

2010-07-15T17:38:00.002+01:00

Forgot to add these on yesterday's post .. a good assistant is essential for making a successful quilt :)

baby quilt #1

2010-07-14T15:06:00.002+01:00

Remember this doll quilt I made almost 3 years ago ? At the time I had cut enough fabric for a second piece, which I've finally assembled into a a baby quilt. Not large enough for the crib, but maybe a stroller quilt ? Anyway, I love these colors, and since it was small I decided to hand quilt it as well. Even so it took a while, so it's not something I'll likely try again soon .. the next ones will definitely be machine quilted :)

wip ... baby blankets

2010-07-09T11:00:00.001+01:00

A few months ago, a small stash I brought home from Rosa's shop:

Then turned into this ...

Half of those blue skeins were used into this, but the rest is patiently waiting to be transformed into this

And because one blanket is not enough, I'm also working on this ...

(more) baby knits

2010-06-30T11:50:00.003+01:00

A couple of more neutral knits (I confess I'm not partial to pink, anyway) which were really easy and quick to assemble. And with very minimal seaming, which is how I like it best.

Pattern: Snug, by Hinke (free Ravelry pattern)
Yarn: Brancal Manchester (2 skeins)
Needles: 6 mm
Size: 0-6 months

Pattern: Vest, by Debble Bliss (from Essential Baby)
Yarn: Phoebus, by Lopo Xavier (1.1 skeins)
Needles: 3.25 mm
Size: 0-3 months

Changes: the vest was knit on the round till the armholes, but apart from that I followed both patterns as written.

first coat (and booties to match)

2010-06-30T11:47:00.002+01:00

It seems that all I have to show you craft wise lately have been baby knits. What can I say ? I've been trying to get as much done as possible before the baby decides to make her appearance (32 weeks and counting ...), and besides, it's quite motivational when I can finish a piece in a couple of weeks instead of months for a change :)

I really wanted to make this coat from Debbie Bliss ever since I saw the pattern, and although I'm very happy with the final result, I have to say that seaming up such a tiny piece was quite an ordeal.

The booties are the popular Saartje's booties, of course, and it seemed the perfect way to use up some of the remaining yarn.

Pattern: First coat, by Debbie Bliss (from Essential Baby)
Yarn: Rosários 4 Merinoland in pink (2.2 skeins), Drops Baby merino in brown (0.2 skeins)
Needle: 3 mm
Size: 0-3 months

Pattern: Saartje's booties
Yarn: Rosários 4 Merinoland in pink (0.5 skeins), Drops Baby merino in brown (0.2 skeins)
Needle: 2.5 mm
Size: small

maggie ♥

2010-06-27T13:02:00.003+01:00

It's been a while since I posted any cat photos .. this is Maggie, all grown up now :)

red garter stitch kimono

2010-06-04T09:20:00.003+01:00

Pattern : Garter Stitch Baby Kimono, by Joji Locatelli (Ravelry link)
Yarn: Katia Caricia 100% merino (2 skeins)
Needles: 3 mm
Size: 0-3 months

This took forever to knit (garter stitch in 3 mm needles takes a looong time) but the end result is so nice I'm very tempted to make another one ...

Changes: added an i-cord finish along the front and neck

Have a great weekend !

soft white knitting

2010-05-26T14:00:00.000+01:00

And the baby knitting begins :)
I chose these patterns and color before we knew the gender (it's a girl, by the way) so it would be suitable either way. Besides, what baby doesn't look adorable in soft white knits ?

Pattern: Baby crossover jacket, by Hadley Fierlinger (from Vintage Knits for modern babies)
Yarn: Rowan RYC Cashsoft Baby DK
Needles: 4 mm
Size: 0-3 months

Pattern: Baby Sophisticate by Linden Heflin
Yarn: Brancal Manchester
Needles: 5 mm
Size: 0-3 months

Butterick B5173 - the red dress

2010-05-24T10:00:00.000+01:00

Dresses have always been one of my favorite items of clothing, and now with my belly advancing week by week, they've definitely turned into my best friend. They're practical and so confortable to wear, and perfect for this warmer weather.

Finding nice maternity dress patterns, however, is not so simple. Most of the ones I found would probably make me look more like a tent than pregnant, and although I do like empire style dresses, I usually favor a more fitted style.

So jersey or knitted fabric dresses seem to be what suits me best. I have a few Boden dresses, for example, that still fit me now, and I'm very tempted to get this tea dress.

After some online seach, I came across this pattern, which seemed to fit what I was looking for. It really is quite straightforward to make, although assembling that front band was not that easy since I didn't interface it. I also made it much longer, since I had bought more fabric than the pattern called for, and I didn't want to waste it.

I'm really happy with how it turned out, and I hopefully I'll get a lot of wear out of it during the next three months ...

(a simple) maternity top

2010-05-24T08:40:00.001+01:00

Pattern: my own

A quick and easy to sew maternity top, perfect for summer. I chose a very light cotton fabric which seems to suit this pattern well. It took me about 2 hours to assemble this (from cut to finish) so I think I'll be making a couple more soon ...

Berlin shopping

2010-05-11T18:00:00.000+01:00

Last Monday in Berlin it was pouring rain and A. was spending the day at the conference, so I decided to go shopping for the day. I went yarn shopping first, of course, but not only ...

:: Teddyland at Nikolai Viertel

We have a big passion for teddy bears in this house, so this store in Nikolai Viertel really made my day, especially the antique section at the back.

:: The flea market in Museum Insel

Great for browsing and getting some interesting souvenirs.

:: Fassbender & Rausch at Gendarmenmarkt

I can never resist a good chocolate store ...

:: The KaWeDe and its amazing gourmet floor

Another Berlin landmark and a must-see. It was indeed fantastic, we ended up getting a few things for ourselves, but the best was to be able to sit down and sample a few of the delicacies on offer.

:: The crafts section of the KaDeWe

The crafts section of the KaDeWe is actually on a separate building located across the street. I went there looking for yarn but didn't find anything I liked (very poor selection compared to the rest of the stores I'd been to) but couldn't resist some fabrics and the newest Burda magazine. They had Liberty, Tilda, and some cute Japanese fabrics for sale there as well, but at quite expensive prices.

:: around Hockescher Markt

:: one of my favorite streets was Alte Schönhauser Strasse. I bought this perfect pair of oxford shoes at Ugo Torrini (there was a 50% sale) and loved the vintage shop Soma further down the street.

:: around Kollwitz Platz

:: around Oranienstrasse

:: Yarn shopping

Based on the info I got from the Berlin group at Ravelry I decided to try a couple of the most recommended stores...

at Fadeninsel

Oranienstr. 23
Mo-Fr: 11-18, Sa: 10-14

at Loops

Wörther Strasse 19
Mo: Fr 11-19, Sa: 10-16

And this is what I came back with ...
Both shops offered quite similar things, and I ended up buying several skeins of merino wool (for baby stuff), some Regia and Lana Grossa tweed and Lang Jawoll sock wool.

Berlin essen

2010-05-11T08:30:00.000+01:00

:: we couldn't go to Berlin and not try a currywurst, right ?
Can't say I became a fan, but A. loved it.

:: having a break at Schloss Charlottenburg (with some hot chocolate and sacher tort)

:: having lunch at Piaggio, a really good Italian restaurant we found in Dahlem-Dorf (just across the U-Bahn station)

:: dinner at Monsieur Vuong. Hands down one of the best meals we had during this trip !

:: and ice cream, of course :)

Berlin sehen - day 2

2010-05-10T18:00:00.003+01:00

:: Gendarmenmarkt

I'd read it was the loveliest square of Berlin, and it certainly seemed so.

:: The Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz

:: Schloss Charlottenburg

We didn't have time to visit the interiors, but decided to just stroll around the gardens and surrounding park instead. The weather wasn't being very cooperative but we enjoyed ourselves anyway.

:: Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial

I was impressed by this monument, right in the middle of the shopping district of the Ku'Damm.

:: Berlin city beaches

Just something we found amusing during our visit. Apparently there are quite a few of these beaches around the city ...

:: The Reichstag

So later in the afternoon we decided to check the Reichstag visiting queue for the last time, and surprisingly it was not so long. Still, we queued for about an hour before going up, but it was definitely worth it (and were lucky enough to catch the sunset).

Berlin sehen - day 1

2010-05-10T08:40:00.002+01:00

Some impressions from our Berlin visit ... I'd never been and came back fascinated by this city. So much to see and not enough time, so we definitely must return.

:: Dahlem Dorf

We stayed here because it was right next to the University where A's conference was being held. It was peaceful and quiet, but only about 20 min from the center. The hotel was great, the Ethnological museum and the Botanical Gardens were located there (unfortunately we didn't have the time to visit either) and we found a fantastic Italian restaurant (Piaggio) where we had a lot of our meals.

We started our first day at Potsdamer Platz, and walked towards the Brandenburger Tor and the Reichstag. On our way we stopped briefly at the Holocaust Memorial, and for some strolls inside Tiergarten.

:: Pieces of the Berlin Wall on Potsdamer Platz

:: Tiergarten

::The Holocaust Memorial

:: Around the Reichstag

There was a huge queue that morning to visit the Reichstag (and apparently everyday) so we decided to come back another time and just strolled around on our way to Museum Insel. I tried to make a reservation for one of the free guided tours a few weeks before we came but it seems it has to be booked way more in advance.

:: Museum Insel

Due to our limited time, we chose to visit just the Pergamon Museum, and were awed by the main exhibitions.

:: Pergamon Museum

:: The Berliner Dom

The impressive Berlin cathedral was our next stop, and it was so worth paying the ticket to visit the interior and climb up to the dome - the views are incredible.

:: Views from the Berliner Dom

:: Kunst Markt

Between the Berliner Dom and Alexander Platz we came across this artsy Kunst Markt, full of creative and original art works.

:: Nikolai Viertel

This reconstructed medieval quarter is lovely and turned out to be one of our favorite places.

:: Alexander Platz and the TV tower

You can see the TV tower from almost anywhere in Berlin. We rested briefly here when returning from Nikolai Viertel and while we decided where to go for dinner nearby.

:: Checkpoint Charlie

I suppose no visit to Berlin is complete without a stop here. I didn't feel like visiting the museum but had to stop by just to take a couple of photos.

:: The Brandenburger Tor

We walked by this Berlin landmark quite a few times. It was always incredibly busy and full of tourists, but in the evening when we were heading back to our hotel it seemed almost peaceful and the light was just magical.

Sage Remedy Top

2010-04-30T08:30:00.000+01:00

When I found out I was pregnant I had all these grand plans about knitting myself some maternity wear. Then I realised it would take me ages to knit any of the patterns I liked, and by then it would probably be summer already and therefore too warm to wear any knits anyway. So I decided to concentrate my efforts on sewing, and choose just one knitting pattern which would be suitable for wearing in the spring. So when I saw this top I thought it would be perfect, since it looked like a relatively simple and fast knit.

The yarn I chose came from here, it's 100% wool and Portuguese (and very resonably priced), which is not something I come across very often. I'm very happy with it, and the knit fabric turned out just how I like it (a bit elastic and with enough drape).

I started knitting the second size, in order to accomodate the growing bump, but then made more side decreases until reaching the number of stitches listed for the smallest size when reaching the armholes.

I recommend a very good blocking after finishing this. It definitely gave my top a couple more inches in length and opened up the lacy portions.

Pattern: Sage Remedy Top, by Sarah Shepherd
Yarn: Lopo Xavier Elis, 2 skeins (from Retrosaria)
Needles: 4 mm
Size: M