Summer is...[A GOOD BOOK]

OUTER BEAUTY

Summer means reading. Easy reading. But well-written reading. This is that kind of book. Blå Koral by the Swedish writer Louise Boije af Gennäs. This is the second book in the series of six friends during the first decade of the millennium. This is a great depiction of our time taking place in Stockholm and Skåne, with many well known events and places. Gripping, with some extremely sad parts (bring out your handkerchief), but also very entertaining. Can´t wait for the third book, which is in writing by now...

Next stop beauty for fab online entrepreneurs

Katherine Power, Britt Aboutaleb, Hillary Kerr

OUTER BEAUTY
Today saw the launch of the latest offspring from the girls behind WhoWhatWear. They decided that beauty need its own online shopping mall and launched Byrdie. This is precisely like WWW and their other site Domain (a site dedicated to the home) a shopping site with editorial content. Today you can learn which products the actress Amanda Seyfried prefers to use, (she uses a lot from the great-but- impossible-to-find-in-Scandinavia brand Clé de Peau) or how to pick the perfect coloured lipstick. If you´re a beauty junkie this is a must-stop-by. But I am also interested in the fabulous founders behind these online shopping magazines. Hillary Kerr and Katherine Power met when they both worked as editors for ELLE (US). They knew they wanted to do something together, and they knew they loved reading about celebrities. Not what the celebrities were doing, but what they were wearing, and where to buy it. In 2006 they launched WhoWhatWear (actually refreshing to find out that they have worked hard for many years and that this isn´t an overnight Internet wonder). If you're curious about the girls own style you can see more on the coveteur.

[Photo from Byrdie.com newsletter]

The Monday Pep Talk | Most important for happiness?

INNER BEAUTY
According to the survey Wise Happiness 2013, based on the answers from five thousand Swedes and Danes (the latter ones said to be the happiest people in the world) these are the five most important factors for happiness:

1. Good mental health
2. Acceptable stress levels in private life
3. Good enough financial standard
4. Good physical health
5. Fun at work

[Text source: SvD via Chef. Pinterest image via thetumblrgym.com]

The happy summer bubble...

OUTER BEAUTY

For the moment I´m indulging in all summery things there are. Life mainly consists of beaches, garden parties, food, friends, chilled wine and beach hair. Let´s stay in that bubble just a little bit longer...

Mini road trip [Kåseberga]

OUTER BEAUTY

The other day we took a little road trip to the pittoresque fishing village Kåseberga in Skåne. The view is magnificent. And so is the sea food. 

TREND [Fall fashion]

Gorgeous bag from Elie SAAB

OUTER BEAUTY

According to fashion magazine ELLE this fall it´s all about 

"All shades of pink". 

Bahamas beach house [in turquoise]

The octagonal entry hall

OUTER BEAUTY
This is a colourful Bahamas home designed by Miles Redd, creative director of Oscar de la Renta Home. He is also the editor of the coffee table book "The big book of chic", so he should know a thing or  two about how to create a spectacular home for his clients.

The destination of a lifetime

INNER BEAUTY
"I´m a firm believer that travel does wonders for the spirit, and I don´t just mean the kind that involves visiting faraway places. There´s a particular journey anyone can take - a destination that isn´t reachable by airplane or automobile. I´m talking about the kind of travel that requires years to complete: the journey to your most fulfilled self, says Oprah.

The Monday Pep Talk | Happiness linked to success

INNER BEAUTY

This is in my book pile. A book that is said to turn the traditional concept of happiness and success around. Happiness fuels success, not the other way around. 

Dinner [at the BEACH]

OUTER BEAUTY

Sunny days are best spent at the beach. Warm summer evenings are also well spent at the beach. The other night me and two girlfriends took our oldest kids to the beach for a dinner al fresco. 

Blog tip | NY fashionista moves to the countryside

OUTER BEAUTY

I think many of us from time to time dream of trying out a totally different lifestyle. When the fashion director of Barneys in NYC announced that she was leaving the city that never sleeps for a life in the British countryside she made headlines in the New York Post.

Words to live by

INNER BEAUTY

The purpose of life is to live it, 
to taste experience to the utmost, 
to reach out eagerly and 
without fear for newer 
and richer experience. 

~Eleanor Roosevelt

[Image via Pinterest via insideinside.tumblr]

Lip protection [at the beach]

OUTER BEAUTY
During summer time, and especially while at the beach, it´s important to protect your lips. Not only with sunscreen. A layer of any lipstick will do good to cover them up as protection, as my local pharmacist once told me. My favourite at the beach is Max Factor Lipfinity, since it stays on and gives protection for many hours. From time to time during the day I may also apply some lipgloss with UVA protection, but as the pharmacist told me, the most important thing for lips is not the sunscreen itself, but the protection from a layer of lipstick. This does the trick, I would say having tried it out many sunny days. So let´s head down to the beach...

Inspiration board

[Image via thewellnesswarrior]

Summer Style [PINK]

OUTER BEAUTY
During summer I love wearing pink. All kinds of. This season preferably on the wrist. Wrap around leather bracelet from Tory Burch and pink stone with gold chain from my beautiful friend Charlotte Bonde.

The Monday pep talk | Change your words, change your world

INNER BEAUTY
Do you want to improve your chances of happiness and success? Most of us want to. According to the book Change your words, change your world by Andrea Gardner it is all very simple, by just changing the words we normally use in life. With these five tricks it is possible to immediately change the results of what you want. 

Snaps of the weekend

Life´s a beach. Pretty much. 

A sand castle is a must.

And later on excitement and cold Champagne for the heat at the horse show...

BON Summer Weekend!

OUTER BEAUTY

It´s the weekend! Although for many of us it feels like weekend all week long by now...What are you up to? I´m starting off by going to a cocktail party with my sister-in-law, leaving our husbands home with the children. I love some girlie time.Then my sister and her family come and stay with us for a couple of days so it´s going to be a lot about beaches, food, chilled rosé wine and watching all the cousins play together. I´m also planning on reading my newly ordered book, which I actually can´t believe I haven't read already. If I can find the time...I hope you have the best weekend!

Words of wisdom

"Just learning how to be 

content in a world 

that tells you 

you shouldn´t be

 is the greatest 

accomplishment of all."

INNER BEAUTY

Wise words told to VOGUE by author Hadley Freeman from her new book "Be awesome: Modern Life for Modern Ladies".

You´ll find me at the hairdressers...

OUTER BEAUTY

It´s time for some new highlights today. I´m thinking blonder. More summer-ish.

Hand picked in Skanör

Nydahls in Skanör

OUTER BEAUTY
I love visiting unique shops with hand picked items. That is exactly what Nydahl in Skanör in the south of Sweden is, a shop I try to visit regularly. The shop and its garden is filled with items and greenery that you will want to take home...

Summer time is...

My weekend...

INNER BEAUTY
I´m very good at this. Il dolce far niente. This isn´t something I´m up to very often though. But once in a while those moments come. And I´m proud to say that I (nowadays) really cherish these moments. It´s a necessary life saver. I believe this has the same health impact as meditation and mindfulness (ok, almost). This is my summer mindfulness.

The Monday Pep Talk | Making plans

INNER BEAUTY

The summer vacation is a perfect time to contemplate about goals and make plans.

Life is best lived outside [SUMMER]

OUTER BEAUTY
This is serving as inspiration for my own patio. Living room al fresco.

75 ways to live a HAPPY LIFE

INNER BEAUTY

There are endless ways of living a positive life. It´s of course highly individual. Above all I think it´s important to recognise what creates a positive and happy living for oneself. To create some core values for happiness to live by. The happiness expert Dani from postively present sums up her 75 best ways to live a positively present life:

1. Love yourself first. 

2. Live in the present moment. 

3. Don’t ignore the past. 

4. Look for the good in everyone. 

5. Don’t believe everything you think. 

6. Be honest with yourself. 

Words to live by

OUTER BEAUTY

Yes, that´s exactly what I´m doing today. Happy summer Friday!

Looking back | Beautiful Connecticut

OUTER BEAUTY

Last spring we spent two weeks in Connecticut and NYC with the whole family. I´ve been to NYC before, but never made it out to Connecticut. This time we took the opportunity to visit friends now living in Connecticut. Since it´s 4th of July I thought I´d show some photos from our trip to the beautiful Connecticut.

Decor inspiration | coloured chairs

OUTER BEAUTY
Make your dining area come alive with different coloured chairs, like in interior designer Ilse Crawford's dining room in her English Georgian home Dinder House.

[Pinterest image via afflante.com/original source NY Times]

Blog tip| Aerin Lauders' Hamptons

OUTER BEAUTY
The beauty and home decor entrepreneur Aerin Lauder spends her summers in the Hamptons. For this summer her own brand AERIN opened up a pop-up store in Southampton. One of my favourite bloggers, Heather Clawson of Habitually Chic, was invited the other day to Aerin Lauders shop and home in the Hamptons where they were treated to lunch, beauty treatments and Pilates in the garden. (Sounds rather fabulous:) Don´t miss to see her photos of Aerin Lauders beautiful home here. 

[Pinterest photo via markdsikes.com]

Swedish hotel gem by the sea

OUTER BEAUTY
At summer we love a classic hotel by the sea. This is exactly what Vitemölla Badhotell is, located in Kivik in the über pittoresque Österlen area. It´s been a while since I visited, by I remember the great food, the views and old school charm and elegance that comes with a hotel situated like this, just a short step from the beach. Can´t wait to go back.

SUMMER mascara [quick review]

OUTER BEAUTY

For summer days on the beach I´m loving the High Impact Curling Mascara from Clinique. Most of all it´s not a waterproof mascara, but since this one needs warm water to be removed it works beautifully while bathing in the ocean or the pool (tried and tested). And you don´t need that special eye makeup remover to take it off. This one also says to curl the lashes, which I honestly don´t know if it actually does, but it´s one of my favourite mascaras, giving beautiful lashes, staying put all day and is easily rinsed off in the evening. 

[Image from Pinterest via Clinique]