Dining out With Our Baby at Ernie Hemingway

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Philip and I are laid back parents. We dine out every time we get the chance, and Varna was no exception. We were visiting different restaurants every day, but the one that won our hearts was Ernie Hemingway with a terrace overlooking the sea and pretty marvellous interior. letters-to-a-dining-out3-copy
That’s us when we we’re out. Philip behind the camera, me having a glass of wine, and Sofia taking a quick nap before she found out that we are out and about…you know, she has that duty to win the hearts of everyone around.letters-to-a-dining-out letters-to-a-dining-out1 We went for the Bulgarian way, splurging on seafood and other tasty bits.. The calamari and salmon tartar were the definite winners! Their texture and taste were divine! letters-to-a-ernie-hemingway-copyAnd that’s Philip with his minty shirt that just went great with the interior. Was that planned I wonder? :)) letters-to-a-summer-philip-copyletters-to-a-dining-out12
At a certain point we swapped places so that I could feed Sofia and Philip could enjoy the marvellous view. Normally, when we dine out Sofia eats with us (enjoying what I’ve previously prepared and as a bonus munching on some bread.. SHE LOVES IT ) so that she feels as part of the crew. This makes her very happy, which gives us some more time to enjoy ourselves. This time she wasn’t really in the best mood as my laughter interrupted her sleep, but thankfully it was still low season, which meant that the restaurant was half-empty. The service was also exceptional! Our waiter made sure that Sofia-Malou was feeling as comfortable as possible so that we could better enjoy our meal. He even went through the trouble to find us mineral water with low mineralization (basically in Bulgaria you don’t drink tab water and the babies drink only Spring water… in most restaurants, though they offer only mineral water) from Norway without charing us for it.letters-to-a-summer-time letters-to-a-summer-copyMarble Watch by Abbott and Mosley (here)

Do you also take your little one with you when you’re having a meal out?
xoxo
A.

My Face Essentials For The Beach

letters-to-a-beach-essentialsI skipped sunbathing last year, too afraid to expose my bump to the sun. I guess it was exactly when Sofia-Malou was still in my belly that it hit me that spending too much time in the sun wasn’t at all healthy for the skin (and my little one). It’s common sense, but I needed to have someone else to care about to actually stop spending hours under the sun.
Also, I have a blemish-prone skin, which means that every time I squeeze a spot, it’s very likely that a dark spot will appear in its place. If you have the same problem, you are probably aware that sun can only worsen the situation. Exactly because of that I’ve begun applying sun protect and make up with SPF every single day - especially now that its 30 C outside. Aw, and let’s not forget - the closer you get to that 30th birthday milestone, the more you realize the you need to take care of your skin and respect it if you want it to look great in a few decades time. hehe.

My current favourite sun protect is Dr. Spiller’s Aloe Vera Sun Protect € 27,55 (here). I’ve been using their Aloe Vera mask and I was so impressed that I just had to give their sun protect a go. And even though its with 30 SPF, it doesn’t go white when you apply it and gives your skin the needed moisture.
I also bring with me an CCC by Gosh € 14, 75 (here). You probably wonder why… and the answer is - because of the blemishes I have. I apply conceal over the problematic areas every now and then. This little trick helps a lot in protecting the blemish from getting darker than they already are.
I also take with me my Maybelline Baby Lips Mint €4,79 (here) as the sun dries the lips quite a lot, as well as two of my all time favourite my beauty essentials by Clarins - their Hydra Essential Silky Creme €36,00 (here) and Clarins Eye Contour Gel €37,20 (here) to apply after hitting the shower. My skin is very dry, so I can’t stand walking around without a rich layer of moisturiser to make it feel and look dewy. I highly recommend their eye contour gel as its very refreshing for the summer and also deals with the puffiness and dark circles around the eyes (works great for mommies or party animals that sleep way too little when on holiday :). Then I apply my all time favourite Channel Vitalumière Compact Doucer SPF 10 €56,50 (here) to make my skin look flawless. I don’t really use foundation when I’m on a holiday. I prefer to use as little make-up as possible and let my skin breathe when I’m out in the heat.
Marc Jacobs Sunglasses (here) are the last face essential I take with me to the beach - I’m in love with the pinky shade of the glasses as well as their minimalistic frame. I got them on sale from Smartbuyglasses.com and if you you feel like treating yourself with a new pair of glasses - go check out the great deals they have. letters-to-a-beach-essentials2And what are you face essentials for the beach?
xoxo
A.

My Postpartum Body

letters-to-a-yogaBefore I got pregnant I thought I was leading a healthy lifestyle. In reality I was eating a low-carbs diet, exercising a little bit too much and being way too conscious about the foods I was eating.
The thing is - obsessing over what you eat and being a health-freak doesn’t really make you a healthy living being. But it wasn’t until I conceived that I finally got in terms with that that and began to really care for my body and treat it with respect.
I learned that eating less is far more worse than eating small portions but often. I grasped that exercising a few times a week is enough and there is no need for me to hit the gym every single day.letters-to-a-sport1You can find amazing sportswear at Nelly.com (here) and Misguided (here). I got my Nike’s from their official website (here), in coral, of course - the more aggressive colour my trainers - the better!

When Sofia was 4 weeks old, I felt the urge to get back in shape. Dieting wasn’t an option - I was breastfeeding and my understanding of ‘being healthy’ had also changed a lot.
I had gotten into the habit of eating regularly and didn’t feel like doing cardio sessions all the time. I began doing pilates, yoga, and toning exercises all by myself at home while Sofia-Malou was asleep. Believe it or not - my body responds much better to the toning exercises I do on the matt than to the hard core HIIT cardio workouts I was obsessed with back in my pre-pregnancy days.
My favourite online pilates teacher is Boho Beautiful so make sure to check her out. Now I don’t exercise to be skinny. I exercise to get in tune with my chi and boost my energy that I need to have for when Sofia-Malou wakes up from her nap. If you’re also a newbie mommy, you’re probably also aware of the nasty side effects the sleep deprivation has on your psyche. So rather than beat yourself up over the fact that you have no time for going to the gym or your favourite class - grab a mat, a glass of water, and use the 15 spare minutes you have (while your little one is asleep) for doing some pilates . There is no excuse to giving yourself and your body what it deserves.
xoxox
A.

Happy Children’s Day, Sofia-Malou!

letters-to-a-sofia-eti12 You’re a little bit over 8 months, Sofia. And quite frankly, that’s the biggest milestone you’ve reached so far. We’ve been inseparable since the day you came into my life. And that’s exactly the reason why I often fail to notice the extent to which you’re changing every single day. But here you are, only a few months away from turning 1 and already giving me kisses, copying different sounds and standing up all by yourself. You’re also kinda crawling, something I thought you’d skip and go straight to walking. The first time you gave it a go was a few days ago, when I was performing the Downward dog. You did almost the same in your attempt to get on your feet - and without any doubt that was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.letters-to-a-philip-eti112 T-Shirt by minimum (here) // Watch by Abbott & Mosley (here) // Skirt by minimum (here) // Sunglasses by Quay Australia (here) // Baby Dress Le Chic (here) // Baby Summer Hats by babyshop.dk (here) letters-to-a-malou111You jumped from using a bottle straight to drinking from a cup and straw… and your favourite drink is still my milk. You have your ways and you’re quite independent. Your favourite activity is to lay on the ground and move around all by yourself - chasing toys and exploring the mundane surroundings that you probably see in a pretty whimsical way. So much is happening every single day and I’m mesmerised every time you wave at me Hello or clap your hands at the sight of our little yorkie running around.letters-to-a-sofia-malou1letters-to-a-malou-auntletters-to-a-sofia23 letters-to-a-sofia1111
Happy First International Children’s Day, my girl!
A.

I’m From The 90s.

letters-to-a-mother-daughter No, I wasn’t born in the 80s. I’m from the 90s… born only a few months after the collapse of the Berlin wall. I was raised in Sofia, Bulgaria, a country that the Communist Bloc rigorously chew and spit with indifference, leaving us, the children of change, dazed and confused… with a sense of questionable belonging to ‘strong roots’ we had no memory of.

Since an early age I was dreaming to leave Bulgaria and make a life for myself abroad. I enrolled to study in the UK. I travelled. I was exploring the West… until I met Philip. A boy born and bred in the the Kingdom of Denmark. A boy that used to splurge on McDonalds and watch the Disney show on Friday night, while I was eating a dish cooked from my mom that was supposed to last at least for a week. My mom back then was a kindergarten teacher and once in a while brought home boxes with second-hand clothes that the teachers were given the privilege to first choose from. Clothes that Philip and his Danish friends had probably thrown out, completely oblivious that a kid from Bulgaria was gonna use for quite some time.sofiaetiAngulus Baby Shoes (here) Easy Peasy Shoes (here) Melton Shoes (here) // Baby Bow (here)
Baby Dress by ebbe KIDS (here) // Bodysuit Noa Noa Miniature (here)

I got the natural urge to leave when I was 13. I promised myself to study abroad… My sense of belonging was never strong enough to be a reason for me to stay. And truthfully, I’ve never imagined coming back home for more than a week. But life happened and here I am, with Sofia in my arms and Philip by my side. I needed to fly the nest to think of it in a different way. I had to see it through the prism of a tourist to open my eyes for its beauty. And I’m not referring to the nature, buildings, and people that inhibit my homeland. I’m referring to the feeling I got when I stepped out on the street just a few days back. The central streets hidden under the shade of the trees. The fresh spring air reaching my nostrils. My body, mind and soul all of the sudden in perfect alignment with my home…

I MISSED THAT. A feeling that I’ve never experienced but deep down craved to one day get.

A few months ago my mom advised me to cease being apologetic when talking about my homeland in front of my foreign friends… To stop excusing its drawbacks. What mattered, she said, is that I managed to become the person I am today despite the not-so-perfect socio-economic situation down here. Now I’m not afraid that my daughter is gonna spend some time in my motherland. The flaws of my country are no longer flaws. They are part of its beauty. It took me time to grasp that and be a notch more confident that if Sofia is to spend some years here, this will only give her additional knowledge and strength.
And what about Philip? He loves it here… and still probably sooner or later he will feel nostalgic. But the same way Denmark changed me…Bulgaria’s gonna change him too.

xoxo
A.