Happy Birthday to Me

Happy birthday Maria!

Japaneese tea time with Johanna

Birthday dinner with my parents at Texas Longhorn Steakhouse

Must say I had a glorious birthday. I woke at at the SPA and instead of a terrible cream cake I got the most delicious breakfast buffe' ever followed by a nice yoga class and a couple of hours in the Japanese baths. The day couldn't start off in a better way...

In the afternoon when I got back to town I met up my friend Johanna and we went to a sweet little Japanese place for afternoon tea.

In the evening I took my parents to the great restaurant Texas Longhorn Steakhouse on Östermalmstorg, a place I've only been once before but it was a safe choice for the evening. We ate fajitas and both my parents loved it.

Thanks everyone for remembering me on my birthday. You are all so nice!

xoxo

22 hours at Yasuragi Hasseludden

Me in the outdoor hot spring yesterday evening.

Yasuragi Hasseludden is a spa just outside the city center here in Stockholm. It is a peaceful Japanese health center where you can enjoy Japanese baths, energizing activities like yoga and zen meditation, a variety of treatments and good Japanese food.

My mum and I went there yesterday afternoon and enjoyed the baths and saunas a couple of hours before I went to a yoga class while my mum stayed in the relaxation room. In the evening we went for a delicious Japanese dinner. We first were a bit disappointed that we only got 6 pieces of sushi and sashimi (as a starter) but then we got the main course and it was extremely good. After dinner I went bathing again. I first went swimming few lanes before going outside (it was 4 degrees in the air) to have a bath in the outdoor hot spring. It was a fantastic feeling to sit there in the middle of the cold nature in the warm bath in almost complete silence, I could only hear the wind in the trees and the sea that was just few meters away. 

This morning we got up early and found the most amazing breakfast buffe' ever, they had everything you could ever imagine on the buffe', even sushi for those who fancied starting off the day with raw fish... After breakfast I enjoyed another yoga class before joining my mum in the baths again.

Yasuragi is the Japanese word for inner peace and harmony and that was absolutely what we experienced during our 22 hours in there. I hope to go back very very soon!

xoxo

Lots of yammi food

 Fika with mum and her childhood friend Lisa at the new shopping center Mood

Fika with my university friend Lisa at Wayne's

Dinner with Dad at Narknoi

The food at Narknoi was really delicious, my absolutely favorite Thai restaurant in Stockholm.

This morning I went to the dentist thinking I would have few holes teeth but as I didn't I celebrated by eating lots of crap things all day long... ;)

xoxo

First time at a Bikram Yoga class

Yesterday I tried Birkam yoga for the first time. It was a real experience! For those who doesn't know what it is I can give the quick explanation that it is a yoga class practiced in a 40 degrees heated room.  It is a 90 minute class that consist of 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises. In my opinion the yoga poses wasn't among the hardest yoga poses I know but the very very difficult challenge for me was to stay 90 minutes in that 40 degrees room. I think I have never in my life been sweating as much as I did yesterday and as I hate sweating that was kind of a pain. 

The Bikram Yoga class promotes weight loss, muscle toning, stress relief, vibrant good health and an overall sense of mental and physical well being. I believe it is something you need to do at least 2-3 times before it gives you all those good elements. Yesterday I couldn't really concentrate on the yoga poses as all I could think of was the heat and that I had to stay in there for the all 90 minutes. As there was no clock in the room I also didn't know when we would finish so I could give my all at least the last 10 minutes...  

I don't wanna hide that I stayed home all evening yesterday night with terrible headache but at the same time the body felt more soft and smooth than ever. 

I don't think this was the first and the last time I did it. For me it would be a challenge to go back and do it better... But I can also say I prefere normal yoga where I can concentrate only on the challenge of the yoga poses themselves. Next time I come to Stockholm I think I will go back to DuCalm close to where my mum lives for another bikram yoga class.

Now I am off to the dentist, heeeeelp :(

xoxo

Lunch at John Chris

Monday lunch at John Chris in town with Zarah and Cicci.

xoxo

Massive Easter egg

According to Swedish Easter tradition everyone exchange Easter paper-eggs filled with candy at Easter time. In Italy they do the same but it's massive Chocolate eggs filled with presents.

This is the egg my dad gave me for Easter this year filled with almost 2 kg of candy and a book :)

xoxo

Happy Easter from Stockholm

It has been a sunny and beautiful day here in Stockholm, just slightly cold with just 5 degrees. Together with my mum I went for a almost three hours walk in the morning. In Stockholm I (but actually most Swedes) always walk a lot, a tradition that I love. To jump out of the door straight into a car like everyone does in Italy doesn't exist here. No one goes around the inner city by car, you go by foot or by public transport. Lovely Stockholm tradition!

So like I said I spent the morning out walking with mum and then home for Easter lunch and candy. In the evening I went for a big and yummi Easter dinner at my dad's place.

xoxo

It is all up to you...

People often ask me how I can manage to have a serious job where I work 8-10
hours a day, go training at least 3-4 times a week and on top of that I
manage to have a very social life with my friends and boyfriend. I also
manage to have other hobbies like reading, traveling, photography and
fashion. I never know what to answer. The job is a must. Training has
always been a natural part of my life. And my friends are more important to
me than anything else. I guess one of the biggest differences between me
and "other people" is that I almost never watch TV. I only turn the news
on while eating breakfast and dinner while many people spend hours in front
of the TV every day... I just don't like it and if I happen to sit down in front of the TV I
normally fall asleep, that is how much I like it... ;) In the weeks I only
sleep 7-7,5 hours per night which for sleeping baby like me is not enough
but I normally catch up my sleep with 10 hours per night in the weekend.


I believe time is precious and that priority in life is important. I
prioritize so many things in my life instead of comfort. I don't feel
complete if I don't have a job that challenge and where I can give my all.
I both feel and sleep better if I go training as much as possible and I feel
happier if I manage to hang out with my boyfriend and friends as much as
possible as well. Reading books is also an important part of my life (will
write about that another time).


In other words all these elements that people wonder how I can manage to
fit into my life are for me vital to feel good and if people don't point
it out for me I don't even think about all the things I manage to do while other people don't.


People complain they don't have time for both friends and training but time is all about priority. If you want you can do it, it's simple. Saying that you are too tired to go to the gym after 8 hours
working is for me it is just not acceptable. Stop complain and start doing
all the things you want to do is my tip for those complainers. Good planning is another tip.

Now I gonna back my luggage, have some lunch and hit the airport. Stockholm here I come :)

xoxo

Salsamenteria di Parma

Delicious parma ham with burrata

Everyone talks about this place but no-one goes? A over 100 years old Italian farmhouse trattoria located in three different locations around Milan. Yesterday me and boyfriend walked around the old part of Milan and didn't know what to eat and were very happy when we found this one. The food and the atmosphere was so nice and cosy. Very much Maria style of place.


Afterwards we went for drinks with SIlvia, Ilaria and some others...


Now I am off to the gym.


xoxo