Monaco Royal Wedding: Facts You Should Know

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Friday is almost here and before you start watching the show while slowly sipping some great quality Champagne (my recommendation for the weekend...), you should check some facts related to the event or to the future princess or the prince Albert.

What makes us all curious is of course, the wedding gown: how will it look like? Probably very simple and elegant, one thing is sure: the designer who will dress the princess for this wonderful occasion is Giorgio Armani, one of her favourites, and the dress will belong to the Haute-Couture Line "Armani Prive".

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Another interesting fact is that Charlene will have changed her religion for this wedding. The former Protestant has become Catholic in April, making it possible to marry her prince. The small state of Monaco has Catholicism as official religion and the royal family has been brought up in a strong Catholic environment.

(Picture Source: http://madhattery.royalroundup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/2011-0127-monaco-charlene.jpg)

Charlene will wed her prince twice. Yes, you've read this correctly. And I am not referring to the fact that she will have the church ceremony/wedding one day after she has the civil marriage, but there will also be a more private wedding in South Africa, on the 7th of July, according to the "Sunday Times". Together with around 200 guests the two will be again wed and have a beach party at a five star hotel called the "Oyster Box" near Durban. The menu will be created out of South African delicacies to which they will be drinking "the best champagne", according to the manager of the hotel.

(Picture Source: via http://www.oysterboxhotel.com/gallery)

Another thing you might want to know: Charlene loves children. The twenty years younger bride-to-be than her future husband is thinking of having children of her own once she gets married. But Albert already confessed being father of two children so far: Jazmine Grace Rotolo born on the 4th of March 1992 and Andre Coste, born on the 28th of August 2003.

And one more thing for today, before we wake up to Friday, the day of the royal wedding: the official dress-code for ladies states that at the ceremony on the 2nd of July the hat is an absolute MUST.

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Monaco Royal Wedding: Look-alikes

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Some decades ago, Monaco was preparing for a dream royal wedding: a prince marrying a star. It was like a fairytale and for many the confirmation that princesses can be made with love, and not just born. Grace Kelly (Gracia Patricia) is even now omnipresent in Monaco with the love she had to offer and the beauty she had and which she transmitted to other. One of my favourite places in Monaco was the rose garden, a garden in Fontvieille with various species of the flower Grace Kelly called her favourite.

Years after she disappeared from the living, a new princess is about to be born: Charlene Wittstock seems like the perfect match for H.S.H. Albert II and her stunning resemblance to the former princess might even shock - but maybe that is what Prince Albert cherished most: beauty, grace, love, elegance and down-to-earth...just like his mother.

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Monaco Royal (and Gourmet) Wedding: Sweet Goodies

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The wedding we are all expecting in Monaco this weekend has launched a series of initiatives from mainly French brands to create products related to this event. Two of them I would like to mention are Laduree and Fauchon...in one word: YUMMY!!!

Laduree has chosen a more personal approach in my opinion, creating a limited edition "coffret" with eight macarons, four being linked to the preferences and roots of the future Princess Charlene and the other four being linked to the likes of H.S.H. Albert II: Guava macarons for her and Anise-Raspberry for him. Hers are made of an almond shell and light cream flavoured with pink guava from South Africa and his are made of an almond shell and raspberry jam spiced with star anise.
The colours of the macarons are resembling the colours of the Monegasque flag, and the box is fitting the rest of the limited edition items which are on the market for this wedding. Designed in the shades of white and gold, it bears the Grimaldi family coat of arms and the monograms of the spouses (A and C).
I have previously written about Laduree and its macarons and limited editions, so if you would like to have a more in-depth view on it, check my other entry here.

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The other sweet surprise for this wedding comes from Fauchon, the gourmet food shop. On July 1st, when Charlene will say YES to her prince, around 8000 Monegasque people will be there to watch and to join the so-called "Cocktail for Residents" in Port Hercule, where, in co-operation with the caterers, Fauchon will introduce its limited and new version of the éclair. This dessert is even more Monaco than the one from Laduree, its covering glaze wearing the colours of Monaco, red and white, in a checkerboard arrangement. Inside the pastry will be a bourbon vanilla cream and strawberries from Carros scented with rose - a perfect mix of flavour and refinement that is meant to melt in your mouth. The lucky Monegasque people will enjoy the pastry at the event, but everyone else will be able to buy it for a limited time after the wedding. You can find it in the Fauchon boutique in The Metropole mall, Monaco.

And if after reading this you're in the mood for even more goodies, check out the following blog entries on the wedding: even more information to come with the countdown! Stay tuned!!!

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Absolutely Fabulous Raw Chocolate

No, I am not a Sagittarius, but a very nice Gemini who had her birthday last week. One might think that after receiving very wonderful gifts (which I did, all of them coming from the heart), one does not need to go out and buy new stuff. But how could I miss the latest edition of the Absolutely Fabulous Fair which took place last weekend at Cafepedia Romana in Bucharest? You're right, it was impossible to be absent, and I don't regret one bit m decision, because I made a very interesting discovery.

Among various clothes from designers who don't miss this fair and other vintage collectors/sellers, I found this lovely jacket. I didn't buy it, because my wardrobe is close to exploding, but I photographed it and, if some of you didn't make it in time for my birthday present, this would be on the top of my wish list.


I again admired the wonderful clutches from BuyHand which I am planning to get in the near future.



Ah, and of course, how could I not mention meeting finally wonderful Nookie Denisa from FashionInMyEyes. She had a lovely bag which I absolutely adored and oh her necklace fitting her nail polish (or the other way around?)...lovely! Me, on the other hand, I was a bit tired after a week of being ill and also all the excitement around my birthday...you can see me here (don't judge, I was tired).


And of course, I told you about a beautiful discovery I have made: RAW CHOCOLATE!

There was a lovely "Chocolatrice", as she calls herself, who greeted me in the lobby of the building and explained me what I wanted to know about this new product in Bucharest.
Most of us know that chocolate, even if healthy, can sometimes become a "guilty pleasure", so why not change this while still enjoying the great taste and even more benefits as usual? So why RAW you might ask...well, simple, because a product not being prepared with high temperatures gets to keep its natural goodness, in this case, the one of the cocoa bean. Also, most of the chocolate you can buy today is the result of a highly industrialized process, but this raw chocolate is a result of love and care for what the cocoa bean stands for, it is a handmade product. Another great aspect is the absence of the refined (white) sugar, which can easily transform chocolate bars into junk food. This chocolate here is dark chocolate which has been naturally sweetened with agave nectar.
There are many other benefits, such as:
- raw chocolate is an energy booster
- raw chocolate and raw cocoa beans can help strengthen your cardiovascular system
- raw chocolate helps reduce depression, chronic fatigue, weakness caused by stress
- raw chocolate helps boost the immune system
- raw chocolate is an aphrodisiac
- cocoa has anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties
- cocoa is a good source of minerals such as magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, copper and others plus some of the B Vitamins
- cocoa is the best antioxidant there is...

So, after reading all this, one can say that it is for sure healthy!!! How about the taste? Well, don't worry, I was nicely permitted to pick one flavour to take home with me and taste . After having a quick look at the offered variety, I chose "Easter Sunshine", because the combination of chocolate with sunflower seeds and sun-dried mango seemed curious yet intriguing.




My opinion? It's a wonderful combination of tastes and layers which come in your brain at different times, a great pick for a food lover like myself. It has the bitterness of dark chocolate and a consistency of "chocolate truffles" (my personal tip: don't leave them in the fridge, because the flavour will not be as developed as you could have it otherwise, store it in a room temperature dark place). But the sunflower seeds give it a crunchiness and a seriousness to the playful chocolate. At the end, the sweet and slightly sourish mango comes to complete this chocolate poetry. Mmmmmm....I just took a bite ten minutes ago and still can taste all the layers!!!

My verdict: perfect combination between healthy and indulgence, so no longer a "guilty pleasure"!
For more details, check out the Facebook page of the one who are "guilty" of bringing conscious to Romania here. And if you wish to purchase this chocolate, you can find it (from what I've heard, at the moment exclusively) at Bacania Veche. If you're new to my blog or have missed reading about them, check out the post about them here.

Have a healthy and sweet end of weekend!

Cavalli’s Spring Summer 11 Bohemian Flair

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(Elle Editorial Spain May 2011)

To mark his 40 years presence in the fashion world, Roberto Cavalli displayed an exquisite new collection for the Spring Summer 11 season. Revealing a free spirited universe, comfortable, funky, feminine, natural and exotic at the same time, the designer recreates in his collection a strong bohemian mood. Known for his provocative designs and vibrant prints, Cavalli mixes bold floral patterns with snake skin, denim and fringe, creating a hippie-chic vacation feeling. He tells the story of women and their sensuality, and the wild, bold sense of beauty.

Having as prime objective the femininity and to make women feel good, the artist sends this collection back in time, a time when people abandoned constraints to feel free, happy and natural. The bohemian atmosphere is described by slinky gowns, palazzo pant jumpsuits, hip huggers, snake print and a lot of fringe. Having seen them worn on the catwalk, these fabrics flow so beautifully with every move, making them part of the woman’s grace and sensuality. It is a soothing sight which reminds of an exotic garden, a refreshing summer rain, the wet smell of the earth beneath your feet, the light breeze gliding through your hair and the explosion of color in the rainbow before your eyes.

And this universe has been created by Cavalli, the designer explains, “just to make happy every woman in the world”.

(Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J-QZHQCaZE)

For the Child in You!

First of June is the day we celebrate our children, a day filled with so much joy (even on television programs), a day which is like a breath of fresh air. We take a break from all the daily fuss and just think for a moment of the little souls surrounding us and how much we want to protect them from all that is bad and spoiled in this world.

However, we do not actually stop to protect the soul which lives inside our body, the soul that belongs 100% to us. It is funny, but it is my parents who remind me I am still their child, even if all grown up. And in some cases it's the great friends with whom you can make a total fool out of yourself - just for fun - and they won't judge you wrong for doing that. It is them who help you stay the child you once were (and his does not exclude maturity).

This is why, today, I allowed myself to be a bit more playful than usual and create some mood-boards as images for what you should never exclude from your life.

Flower-power should not only be attributed to the hippie-period, but should be a golden rule in life. Don't you feel better when you see trees blossoming in spring? I guess it's the same thing with flowers all around you.


I think I could imagine the world without many things, bu I would never imagine it without music. And I would never imagine myself without my music which gives me a rhythm through every day situation...

...and with that rhythm I feel I am ready to dance through good and bad times in my life.


Even if your documents state that you are no longer a child in age, never stop playing! Life is so sad if we take it too serious and really no fun if we don't play. Make your job, your family, your friends, part of a game where you decide the rules and where everything is waking up for in the morning. Don't interpret the word "game" in a negative way. It's all about the positive energy you should put into the things you do, without bothering too much about the outcome. This is what children do...and look at them how happy they smile, even if their clothes are all dirty at the end of the day.
Last, but not least, don't be colourblind. See the world in all its colours and never forget the child in you. Make it wake up and enjoy the day!

Happy anniversary, children of this world!

(mood-boards created with Polyvore)