Homemade jam

Welcoming the joyful season of the year is all about making homemade jam. The sweetness the nature has to offer can only be emphasized by the added sugar. Best served as a sweet treat in the morning with some sunbeams shining through the window to welcome a new day.

about making coffee

Making coffee in a chemex gives one the chance to slowly start into the day. To boil the water, take a filter and carefully pull in the coffee, take a smell out of the box before putting it back onto the shelf, then pour over the hot water sip by sip and watch the coffee dribble into the can. Drop by drop, the smell of coffee welcomes you into a new day.

How to make coffee with a chemex.

Oh, what an inspiring morning read!

But first, coffee... 

The creativity of coffee.

A cup of jo.

about sharing some news in the 'About' section

www.bestwishesfromberlin.com

to listen to good music 05/13

Here's to 05/13!

about planting your own little garden

Living in a big city like Berlin, I try to surround myself with nature as often as I can. Although the traffic and the streetlights make the city feel lively, what could be more 'alive' than an own little garden on the balcony? With cars and busses driving by, I plant different herbs like arugula or parsley, accompanied by some colourful flowers. Add some vegetables and you almost can harvest food from your own garden - like this very first radish we raised by only taking a little time each day to take care of it. Here's to many more self-grown ingredients for our kitchen!

This would spice up every kitchen wall. (free printables!)

Oh, going for a walk at this place must be magical...

And I'm already more than excited for this cookbook!

Need some flower recipes?

And last but not least: one of my favorite photo series combining flowers with ice cream.

Pfeiffer Beach, California

There is a hidden place in California where no sign is guiding the way. Where it is so empty that one greets each other when walking by. Where all you can feel on your face is the wind blowing. Where all you can see is the waves washing up the big rock. Where all you want to do is to seize the day.

about learning something new

Making macarons. With this goal in mind, I looked for a recipe, wrote down the ingredients, went twice to the supermarket because I forgot something and then started to make something on my own. Sieving the almonds, weighing the egg yolks and then baking everything together at the right temperature were all little steps that led to the learning result: one, even two baking sheets full of macarons au chocolat. From this day on, I know that I can achieve something by only taking the first step to just do it.

Homemade Bread

Is there anything better than freshly baked bread right out of the oven with just some butter on it? Baking bread, other than cake, is much more: a dedication towards basic ingredients. A creation out of the purpose to share. With my hands covered in dough, I think of all the gatherings which are still to come.

about enjoying everyday

'What would you do with an extra day?' This question leads to a lot of aspiring answers: to see the people more often you love the most, to drink a glass of wine every once in a while, to fulfil a childhood dream. And what is it about the weekend? A beautiful breakfast table, the sun shining through the window, the lunch break with friends, the good book read in bed - here's to celebrate everyday! 

Celebrating everyday life. (one of the most beautiful things I have seen in a while)

It is all about the little things, isn't it?

There is always a grain of truth in everything.

Oh, mornings...
 
What would everyday life be without sweets?

(Photo shot last year on film)

Brownies

By baking brownies on a weekday, the time stops for a little while. When mixing the ingredients and melting the chocolate, to take time for yourself and focus on something different, instead of a waste of time is much more: it is about to create something and enjoy the outcome of it. And sometimes, all you need is a freshly baked bunch of brownies.

to listen to good music 04/13

Here's to 04/13!

about having a picnic

It is time. To enjoy the warm weather, to meet with friends in the park, to walk barefoot, to listen to guitar music, to eat too much food, to drink too many glasses of wine, to celebrate the moment. It is time for a picnic outside. 

This makes a picnic even more cozy. 

A song like a bouquet of fresh spring flowers.
 
Signs for spring in Berlin.
 
Inspiring like spring itself. 
 
Photo above taken here last summer.

about being inspired by instagram

Captures of coffee breaks, tulips on the table or magazines as a morning read:

www.instagram.com/bonandjour

Rue Mouffetard, Paris

Strolling down the oldest market street, la Rue Mouffetard, combines the two ingredients that make a spring day in Paris: food and love. Spending the day outside, stopping here and there for something to eat and share all the smells and sounds in the streets with the one you love is what makes Paris 'la plus belle ville du monde'.

 

Rue Mouffetard
75005 Paris 

Continue for the recipe:

reading a poem // Hermann Hesse

Homemade Gnocchi

A few weeks ago, the craving for something good yet healthy and fresh marked the beginning of spring. On one of those far too less sunny days, I made homemade Gnocchi for the first time. The hours of kneading the dough were divided between meditation and desperation. In the end, when the fresh Gnocchi were served with dried tomatoes, crumbled cheese and basil, everything was good.

about being surrounded by beautiful things

We surround ourselves with beautiful things like we do with beloved memories. Whenever I feel the urge to sit down and rest for a while, the mug on the kitchen table is more than a birthday gift - sip by sip I remember the face my sister made when she gave it to me. And when I walk over the rug, woven in black and white, I can still see friends holding carefully their glasses of red wine while sitting and laughing on the floor late at night.

Here's to embrace the the beautiful things in daily life - and to many more memories.

Objects of use 

Bodie and fou 

Line + Liv

selekkt

ting

(Some of them only ship within Europe or to Germany, but it's all about the inspiration)

Tank Hill, San Francisco

Whenever there is snow outside these days, I dream about walking around the hills of San Francisco. Last summer, we found this precious little place because we were too tired to walk all the way up to Twin Peaks. And we didn't regret it: to have the sunshine, the wind and the foggy view all for yourself is what makes the sights of San Francisco.

A question: can you find the Golden Gate Bridge in these photos?

Tank Hill Park
2 Belgrave Ave / Bigler Ave
San Francisco, CA 94117

to listen to good music 03/13

Here's to 03/13!

about reading your favorite magazines

Reading one of your favorite magazines is like coming at home. Sometimes, you just want to close the door and leave the world outside - then there it is, filled with words so warm like a hug. On other days, somebody you love had already cooked dinner for you as a surprise - and this is when stories from other people inspire you like you never knew they would.

For me, being a freelance writer besides my studies in Literature, I like to be surrounded by beautifully written words all the time. At the opposite side of my bookshelf is this collection of magazines - always ready to sit down and flip through.

Chocolate cake

On sundays, to treat yourself with something sweet marks the perfect end of every week. With some chocolate melting above the stove, eggs mingeling in a bowl, everything is waiting for to be combined in a chocolate cake. Shared with your loved ones, a chocolate cake gives everyone the feeling of enjoying every little piece of cake - and when it's gone, this feeling lasts even longer until the following sunday.

about staying in contact with old friends

At least once a year, I meet with my oldest friends. There is a special relationship only time can create. When you sit on the table together and laugh about old times like it was just yesterday - and you had the same worries and wishes for the future like you do now.

A thank you to real friends.

What about a sweet surprise for a dear friend?

Oh, hello friend! 

Friends of friends.

Photo above taken in an old photo booth which are everywhere in Berlin! But this is also fun!

about making plans

 'To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.' // Oscar Wilde.  

To make plans is nothing else than to be alive. And nothing is so encouraging and uplifting than to make plans for the future. Whether you plan to leave the country and go on a world trip or to meet with your friends more often. Even the little things can make a wish come true.  

To get inspired.

Some lists.

Why don't you build castles in the air? 

To make your own lists. 

Continue for my own 24 things I can't wait to do while I'm 24:

Homemade Pesto

With spring around the corner, I wanted to create something on my own out of ingredients the nature has to offer. And to welcome the green colors outside, what is better than a homemade pesto - with arugula and roasted walnuts?

Café Central, Vienna

The Café Central  is a place where you feel like you're sitting in a bubble of coffee. To live in the moment, admire the architecture, order something sweet and then enjoy everything - bit by bit, sip by sip 

- in honor of all the wonderful writers.

Café Central
Herrengasse / Strauchgasse
1010 Vienna

reading a poem // Victor Hugo

about enjoying the first warm days

When the sun shines, the city awakes: the streets get more crowded, the smiles get brighter and the laughs get louder. By now, at the latest, it is time to wake up and welcome the new year by celebrating every sunny day - with wine, with poetry or with food, as you please.

Oh spring...

To enjoy the little things in life.

Some color to brighten up every day.

Love is in the air.

Inspiring photos of a couple exploring the world together.

about having breakfast together

This is a hommage to my favorite time of the day: to have breakfast together with my love. Every morning, we take the time to sit down with a cup of coffee and chat. Sometimes, we even forget the time while talking to each other. Oh, I couldn't imagine any better way to start the day than to spend time together.

Which is why breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. 
 
The most wonderful proposal!
 
Beautiful things for a beautiful breakfast.

While sitting on the kitchen table: turn your mood into music!
 
Oh, sunday mornings...

to listen to good music 02/13

Here's to 02/13!

about going running (in winter)

Here's to go running in winter - when at first you feel all cold, but then your body warms you; when you not only can feel your breath, but also see it; when the sky is only grey, but then the sun comes out and makes the snow sparkle - then I feel most alive during these dark winter months.   

A song to just keep walking.

Imagine running along the Seine in Paris...  
 
An inspiring point of view on running. 
 
To give yourself the treat to just sit down afterwards and drink a cup of coffee to start the day.

Photo above taken here, an old airport area in Berlin which is now open for running, skating and even urban gardening!

Les p'tites indécises, Paris

When living in Paris, every day I walked down the streets with my heart bumping in my chest. Like a flaneur, I discovered a lot of beautiful places by chance. At Les p'tites indécises, many memories are located -  a date with my love, a farewell dinner with new-made friends and a reunion evening with cheese plates and wine.

Les p'tites indécises
2 Rue des Trois Bornes
75011 Paris

reading a poem // Pablo Neruda

about doing nothing

about wearing your favorite sweater

 

Some days, wearing your favorite sweater is like the feeling of staying in bed all day long. The first rays of sunshine which make you smile, the smell of coffee which warms you, the nice song which makes you feel good. And the hug of your loved one which says 'good morning' and remains with you throughout the day.

A homage to the striped sweater!

People talking about their favorites in general. (only in German)

To remind yourself about the things you love.

For always feeling cozy in winter.

The sweater in the photo above.

Muffins

Every now and then, you need to be kind to yourself. On these days, I make some hot chocolate, sing along with the music while standing in the kitchen and bake. To create something out of flour, sugar and eggs is every time a little miracle to me. And the feeling of relaxing and producing something at the same time is already a treat in itself.

about dreaming about spring in winter

 

Whenever these days the sun comes out, I try to enjoy it to the fullest. When being outside, to leave the subway and take a walk around the neighbourhood brightens up every day as well as being inside and to sit down at the window with something to read and change the place wherever the sunbeams are going. And with some nice music and fresh tulips on the table, spring is not far away.

An inspirational piece of art to look at every day.

They have the best hot chocolate against the winter blues in Berlin.

The perfect music to feel spring already (and the vinyl cover is just too beautiful).

It's the beginning of the year, so say yes!

Some pictures from Paris which is most beautiful in springtime, shot in the early 1900s - and not with instagram. 

about going on a road trip

'We do not take a trip; a trip takes us.' // John Steinbeck

Going on a road trip gives you the chance to reconnect with the beauty of nature - and everything it has to offer. To sit on a bonfire at night, be surrounded by unknown people who have invited you to roast marshmallows and tell each other stories. To say goodnight when the only thing you can see is the sky full of stars. To wake up with the birds in the morning. To share pancakes for breakfast together. To drive slower and slower, because you're trying to avoid the destination.

An inspirational article about traveling.  

A daily journal for your adventures.

This song is the perfect soundtrack for driving in a car.

Remember the advice of our mums: never forget to wear a sun hat!

Photo above taken here, one of the most wonderful scenic road trip routes.

Mast Brothers Chocolate, NYC

It was on a rainy day in summer, when the craving of a hot cup of chocolate was the only thing I could think of while running around Brooklyn with an umbrella. When we finally stood in front of the doors of Mast Brothers Chocolate, I knew that despite my wet feed the only thing I had to think of would be whether to taste their delicious semi- or bittersweet chocolate.

Mast Brothers Chocolate
111 North 3rd Street
Brooklyn, NY 11249

about collecting things

 

Collecting things from different places is like to have the whole world at home. When I sit down on the breakfast table in the morning and sip out of my french bol, it tells a story:

The story of a beautiful spring day with beloved friends spent in Paris. Strolling down the streets, stopping here and there for a crêpes or a macaroon, doing some window shopping, when finally there were these milkbowls - but I wanted to 'think about it'. After a few days when I couldn't get it out of my head, I realized I needed to buy these bols but then the shop wasn't to open until half an hour earlier to my depart. So I locked my luggage in one of the lockers at Gare de l'est which was too small and too expensive and then I walked the way along to the shop, so that I knew how long it will take me to get back to the train station. When I looked at my watch, I was still too early, so I sat down on a bench at the Canal St Martin, enjoying the silence until I had to hurry back to my train, when I could finally buy these bols. Moments later, I made it to the train just in time with a smile on my face, because I had a piece of Paris in my bag.

Another beautiful tableware I want to surround myself with, especially those mugs.

A nice notebook to keep track. 

This shop in Berlin has all the wonderful magazines out there in stock, so you'll never miss an issue.

What about collecting letters?  

I bought my first cookbook - the beginning of a long lasting collection.

 

reading a poem // Charles Baudelaire

 

about going to your favorite café

After going for a walk, especially in the winter months there is nothing better than to go to your local café and give yourself the treat of just to sit down. To drink your favorite tea or coffee, ask which homemade cake is on the menu and then share a piece with a good friend while talking for hours without looking for the time. Or just to watch the other people and read in a good book when you need time for your own. And to smile every now and then when you recognize a nice tune, because this is what makes a café your favorite - good coffee, good food and good music.  

Another café to feel good while eating homemade cake.

Is there anything more cozy in cafés than a candle on every table?

If you happen to be in London, you can sit down on vintage school desks.

Best brownies in DC to go with a coffee!

Photo above taken at my favorite café here.

Scones

Whenever a dear friend comes around, I try to make it as comfortable and 'to feel at home' in our appartment as possible. Besides candles, lights around the window, nice music and a pot of tea, I like to prepare a little snack - which doesn't take too much time and gives this cozy feeling, wrapping the appartment in a wonderful smell, to show my friend, that I am happy to have her around.