Bikinis & Passports

HEALTHY LIVING: it’s all about balance

vicky — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:56:54 +0000

It has been quite some time since my last fitness post. The main reason for that is that I simply don’t work out as frequently anymore and it feels wrong to me to give you guys tipps on how to stay active, while I am kind of struggling with it myself. Life has been super busy lately (which I love) but I’ve rarely seen the gym and only run about 2-3 times/week at the moment … However, after I posted this photo of myself on Instagram wearing a bathing suit during our vacation on Kuramathi Island I received a ton of emails, asking about my fitness and diet. While I wish I had the time to always answer all your emails, I simply don’t but sincerely hope this post clears up a few of your questions.

I don’t believe in depriving myself of anything, and to me happiness is more important than having a few pounds less on the scale. However, just like every other girl I am never 100% happy with my body – but I guess that’s normal! For staying fit, and most importantly healthy, here are a few things I try to incorporate into my daily routine:

- I run before work 2-3 times per week. Usually around 5 or 6 km. Other than that I try to head to the gym 1-2 times per week for working out with the free weights or taking classes like Zumba, Pilates or High Intensity Pump.

- Some of you mentioned my tummy and abs in your emails: I do a lot of crunches, sit-up and leg lifts on the mat (no machines for me – hate those!)

- For my legs I think running does the most, and I do THIS exercise whenever I am at the gym.

- Get a buddy to run or work out with. It is super easy to cancel plans with yourself, but much harder when you know there is someone waiting for you :)

- Walk, walk, walk! I always take the stairs and sometimes I even get off one subway stop earlier and walk the rest. Whenever the weather is nice I even skip 2 stops on my way to work, which is a 15-minute-walk. I do the same thing on my way home and just like that I already have 30 minutes of being active!

- My breakfast is a big smoothie. I am not really a breakfast person but I love fruit and it keeps me full until lunch time. (Find the recipe HERE.)

- For all of my meals I try to have double the amount of veggies than carbs. So for example if we’re having pasta, I make myself a huuuge salad on the side, rather than having a second serving of pasta.

- If I am craving chocolate, ice cream, chips or a cookie … I will have some! Not a fan of big restrictions, but just try to stick to reasonable portions. Sometimes a teaspoon of Nutella + a glass of milk is the perfect solution to satisfy those cravings :)

- Fresh ingredients!! I enjoy cooking at home and I make it a point to stick to lots of fresh ingredients. Preservatives, flavor enhancers, fats, and the likes can all be avoided with a fresh home-cooked meal!

- There is ALWAYS a healthy option! In example: For you’re next girls night try a cocktails with fresh grapefruit juice, basil and vodka instead of a creamy pina colada or long drink that involves coke or sprite.

I like to think of the points above as a mindset, rather than rules! Rules are no fun and are only made to be broken. So try to think of a few ways to make your life more healthy in general, without making yourself unhappy. And be sure to set realistic goals, otherwise you’ll just be disappointed with yourself if you’re unable to fulfill those goals.

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NEW IN: magazines & glasses

vicky — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:31:36 +0000

It is probably a rare sight to see me with glasses on – but I’ve actually had them since I was 13. I usually don’t wear my glasses in public, only for driving and at home on the sofa. However, Ray-Ban just launched their new ENVISION campaign and the motto is “Never Hide!” so I thought it was about time I posted some pictures of me & my glasses! When I was younger I always wanted a pair of Ray-Bans, and about 2 years ago I finally splurged on my first pair. I have loved the “new wayfarer” modell (RB5184) ever since, but last week I received a gorgeous new pair from the Legends Collections and am happy to have both these babies for reading and driving! I also received the new POLARIZED clubman modell (which you probably noticed in yesterday’s post) and am madly in love! I never thought they’d look good on me, but I guess some things you just have to try on for yourself – and now I am wearing them daily. The brand Ray-Ban obviously stands for quality and function and I love the fact that my mom still has a pair of the clubmaster sunnies from when she was younger, and my dad used to rock the aviators.

Do you guys own a pair of Ray-Bans? If so, post your favorite Ray-Ban-moment on Instagram using the hashtag #raybanenvision and show me! Can’t wait to see you guys rocking your favorite pair!

{old vs. new}

**Brought to you via Glam

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OUTFIT: earthy neutrals

vicky — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:37:34 +0000

At the moment I am absolutely loving neutrals – I don’t know if it is because my skin finally has a bit of color or because I simply grew tired of really bright colors (although some days I still wake up craving bright pink or yellow!). Especially my khaki colored pants have been on constant repeat recently and I love them paired with my new Massimo Dutti knit top. Add a few golden accessories and the monogram Louie to the mix and you’re good to go! Anyway, here is the outfit to go with yesterday’s post: I love how dressed down the look is, but the earrings still work great. What do you guys think?

MASSIMO DUTTI: knit top

ZARA: jeans

ISHARYA: prism mirror earrings (c/o Girissima.com)

LOUIS VUITTON: neverfull MM

TORY BURCH: reva flats - not pictured

RAY-BAN: polarized clubmaster sunglasses (c/o Ray-Ban)

HALLHUBER: bracelet

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NEW IN: stunning statement earrings

vicky — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:30:24 +0000

Those of you that saw last week’s Sunday Cravings may recognize these beautiful babies! I fell in love with them the instant I saw them on Girissima.com and when I got back to Vienna last week I had an amazing surprise waiting for me in the mailbox. Even though the cravings combined the earrings with a dressy wedding outfit, they also work amazingly for a casual ensemble – which is what I wore today. Here is a preview of the gorgeous earrings, the whole outfit is coming up later this week.

{Prism Mirror Cross Earrings via Girissima.com}

**brought to you in collaboration with Girissima.com

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TRAVELS: island life on Kuramathi

vicky — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:07:27 +0000

Even though we’re already back in Vienna, I am still dreaming about our days on Kuramathi Island. I finally managed to go through over 1.200 photos and created a little collection of our “island life” for you guys. We spent our days sipping of fresh fruit juices, walking around the island, snorkeling with sharks and enjoying cocktails during sunset. It really doesn’t get much better – trust me!

Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday!

*a big thank you to Kuramathi Island for inviting us!!

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TRAVELS: dinner at Nobu Dubai

vicky — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:06:33 +0000

Mike and I both have an insanely large appreciation for good food, and while we love cooking together on the weekends, we also love to experience really special and one-of-a-kind meals at restaurants. When I think about all the amazing dates we’ve been on, our dinner at Nobu in Dubai is definitely the #1! It was a super spontaneous decision but we loved every second (and course) of the experience. At all the Nobu restaurants they have something called “Omakase” which translates to “leave it to the chef”. Basically it is a tasting menu with some of the signature dishes and is made my the chef without you knowing what you’re getting. At the Dubai location they have 2 different Omakase options, one includes the typical Nobu dishes (like the amazing black cod miso), and the other includes a few Dubai specialities. We got both and shared everything, that way we got to taste typical Nobu AND the Dubai signature dishes. I lost track at one point, but I think we each had around 10 courses, one better than the other!

{amazing spicy edamame}

{the famous black cod miso – sooo good, but then again, everything was sooo good!!}

Unfortunately I didn’t take a pictures of everything we had, but it was all simply to die for and we thought the combination of the 2 Omakase menus was a great choice to get an impression of what Nobu has to offer! Definitely a recommendation for anyone that loves food!! Oh an don’t forget to order passion fruit sake for dessert, Anna suggested it and I basically drank the whole thing alone because it was so delicious!

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TRAVELS: dubai photo diary – part 2

vicky — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:54:12 +0000

About a week ago I showed you guys part 1 of our trip to Dubai, and as promised today follows part 2. For our 4th day we decided to book a jeep safari to the desert. We had heard many good things about the “sundowner”, which included watching the sunset in the middle of the arabian desert and dinner in a camp under the stars. I loved the whole experience (even though you have to have a tough tummy for it – a few people in other cars threw up …) but my favorite part was definitely the breath-taking sunset!

On the 5th, and unfortunately already last day in Dubai we rented a car and headed to Abu Dhabi. Ever since seeing this post on Anna’s blog I have wanted to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. And even though the photos are amazing, they really don’t do it justice. It is impossible to capture the beauty and majestic appearance of the building – you simply have to see it for yourself and take it all in. On our way back from Abu Dhabi we stopped at the Dubai Mall for some shopping, which was a little too much for me. In the sense that I actually only shopped 2 items since I was so overwhelmed with the size of the mall and didn’t even know where to start! I think I need a better game plan for next time :) For the last night we decided on dinner at our hotel at Toro Toro, which was an amazing experience. It is a small-plates-for-sharing kind of place and we tried 6 different meals. So yummy!!! And then we headed back to Nasimi Beach for a last round of melon mojitos and apple sheesha before catching our 3am flight to the Maldives.

Dubai was seriously so fun and Mike and I have already decided that it was definitely not our last time there. We still have SO much more to see and discover and I can’t wait to start planning our next trip soon!

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CRAVINGS: wedding season

vicky — Sun, 12 May 2013 05:59:24 +0000

Every year in May, wedding season kicks off. And for the first time, I officially get to be excited since my dear friend Victoria is tying the knot this summer. I think there is no need to mention that I am beyond happy for her, and guess what, lucky me gets to be part of the planning ♥

Obviously I am wasting no time thinking about what to wear! A few weeks back, I already decided I wanted to wear bright pink, and while browsing Girissima.com I came across an amazing dress in the perfect shade of pink by Malene Birger. So for this week’s cravings, I put together a possible option for me to wear to the wedding – what do you guys think?

1. gorgeous bright pink dress by Malene Birger

2. stunning earrings – which I am THIS close to actually ordering! I think they are soo gorgeous!

3. blue & pink is always such a nice combination, so I am also loving the cuff to go with the earrings

4. and obviously the wedding will be the perfect occasion to wear my Miu Miu glitter heels

**brought to you in collaboration with Girissima.com

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OUTFIT: neon & olive

vicky — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:03:34 +0000

This will probably be the only outfit post from our holiday, since my daily uniform is a bathing suit, and by the time we usually get ready for dinner it is already dark. But last night we went to have pre-dinner cocktails during sunset and then watched the sting-ray feeding in the northern part of Kuramathi Island. Since the Maldives are a muslim country, I try to wear things that do not show too much skin (which can be hard with temperatures around 30°C) for when we go out to eat at the restaurants. But this silky maxi skirt from last summer was perfect for dinner at The Reef last night. I love the combination of neon and olive – what do you guys think?

ZARA: maxi skirt (also adore this multi color maxi)

VICTORIA’S SECRET: neon shirt (similar)

HALLHUBER: studded sandals & bracelet

LOUIS VUITTON: Neverfull monogram MM

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TRAVELS: home away from home

vicky — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:53:28 +0000

For the time being, we get to call this cute little island villa our home at the Kuramathi Island Resort. I love the fact that we see the ocean from the bed when waking up in the mornings and are just steps away from the sand. The room category is called “superior beach villa with jacuzzi” and I would definitely recommend it. The superior villas are all located really close to the beach and have a lot of space, as well as privacy around the villa. Another favorite of mine is the outdoor bathroom! Seriously LOVE taking a shower out there and since we’ve had a “bit” (read: monsoon) of rain over the past few days, we’ve also had a few warm jacuzzi sessions, while the rain was coming down.

*a big thank you to Kuramathi Island for inviting us!!

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