Veganism 2.0

Sooo, with the end of this month the end of my little vegan experiment has come and here are some of the experiences I made during this time.
It wasn't always easy to shop for groceries since you always have to keep a very close eye on the actual ingredients of that product, I noticed that 'traces of egg or milk' are literally contained in the most absurd groceries that you would never have guessed. However, I was also equally surprised at how some foods that I would have sworn contained milk or egg, don't. Did you for instance know that dark chocolate is often vegan? Most noodles you can buy in the supermarket also are vegan!
But don't be fooled here! When I did some research on vegan snacks that I could still eat in the beginning of my experiment I often ended up on websites praising 'Oreos' but when I actually went to the official Oreo website and checked the suitability in the FAQ it was strongly pointed out that it wasn't suitable for vegans... shame!
Anyways I didn't give up, especially since I'm not really a fan of salty snacks, which are vegan most of the time btw., and after a while I found that there are actually vegan substitutes to almost any snack you could think of. 
There is even a 100% vegan chocolate made with soy milk and since I'm an absolute chocolate lover I decided to try two of those soy milk chocolate brands out..

The vego bar was one of the bars I tried together with a bar by Cuor Di Soja chocolate.

These chocolates, however, didn't really have me convinced - they were more brittle and really tasted different from the usual chocolate. They did the job to stop my cravings for chocolate though so I think, if you just need a piece of chocolate once in a while and as long as you don't love it absolutely passionately, these chocolate substitutes will do.

The raspberry snack was my favorite here.

Another tasty snack to replace jelly babies, were those dried pieces of fruit for me - they're healthier than their non-vegan alternative and, quite frankly, they taste way better and more intensive!

I have also tried vegan cheese! One pizza topping cheese and one with peppers that you could eat right away.

The vegan cheese I loved so much was the pepper one by violife.

The pizza topping, didn't really melt in the oven and tasted a little too sweet to really confuse it with the actual cheese. The normal vegan pepper cheese was great, though & I ended up absolutely loving it (which is weird because I'm usually not really a big fan of cheese)!

The most important main-meal vegan substitute turned out to be tofu and of course I was already familiar with this since, as a vegetarian, this is something I like to have on my plate here and then, too. I actually came across a lot of tasty and quick tofu recipes in my time as a vegetarian that I really loved so I might be publishing a post about my favorite tofu-recipes on here very soon. ;)

Although these are all great snack- & food substitutes my ultimate lifesaver during this month was Soya for sure! The milk and dairy products that you can get from this bean are all 100% vegan and, since I couldn't properly start into the day without my müsli or a tasty yoghurt, Soya products were definitely a must for me here! 

My favorite brand for Soya products is definitely Alpro.

For those who, like me, didn't quite make friends with the natural taste of the soy milk, there are different taste variations such as coconut and almond - I LOVE the coconut flavored one & the vanilla flavored soy yoghurt to which I like to add some fresh berries, too!
So healthy and so delicious!

So if you are really trying, it's nowadays not hard at all anymore to find vegan replacements to your ordinary foods with many of them tasting really good and authentic, too! Eating out in restaurants hasn't been a big problem either since I was usually simply able to order vegetarian dishes without the cheese or other dairy or egg ingredients and whenever this wasn't possible you could always still order a tasty salad!

Apart from the obvious changes in my diet, however, I honestly didn't notice much of a difference – Quite frankly, I was expecting I would feel a lot healthier but maybe I didn't notice a difference here because I've already been a vegetarian, so already been living pretty healthy before.. 
Oh, I didn't lose any weight either btw. not like that has been my intention but it would have been a nice extra, too! I did notice my skin becoming better, though! It seems to be more bright and there are less impurities! 
Maybe I should have done the vegan experiment for a longer period of time to notice more of an effect or maybe the improvement of my skin was the only thing I would have noticed even then... 

Anyways it was definitely worth the experience! But I am also happy it has ended now and I can go back to my delicious dairy yoghurts & actual chocolate of all kinds but one thing I will definitely keep in my food repertoire is the delicious coconut flavored soya milk for sure!  

Are you vegan or have you tried it before? 

What were the changes you noticed? 

xx ♡ Micky

Writer's block - and how to get rid of it

Time is passing by, and you are still here staring at the screen with little to no words on your document. You feel a headache coming on, and you know that you should be writing, but you just don't have any inspiration to. Your mind draws a blank. We have all experienced this feeling before.

You guessed it: Writer's block. A dreaded feeling that leaves us squirming, trying to pour out words before the deadline of our essays, or trying to push out an article every Friday for our blog. It's a horrible feeling. Surprisingly, writer's block can be more than no desire to write. It can also be your fear of talking. Here are a few tips to cure your writer's block:

•  Talk to the little voice inside your head

Whether it's for your college professor or an article for thousands to read, thinking about whom will read it and what they will think about it can be daunting. So, forget about them and create a little voice in your head. That voice is your best friend, your number one fan, and loves everything that you put out. Talking to this voice will ease the anxiety you feel, thus providing a cure to your writer's block.

•  Take breaks

Maybe you are just tense and need a break, and that is okay! Go wash the dishes, get up and stretch, take a shower, or do anything you need to do before getting back into the zone. Taking your mind off your writing could be just what you need to get your creative juices flowing. Forcing ideas to pop up in your head may actually be hindering your creativity. Inspiration for something genius can come when you least expect it.

•  Take a trip

 Go to the park. Go see a friend that you haven't seen in ages. Just go somewhere, but there is a kicker: don't drive. Take a taxi, or bus, or even a plane. But don't forget your writing tools. Think about some ideas for your essay or article and jot them down as you ride. Don't stop until you arrive at your destination.

•  Don't plan your posts

 A deadline could speed up the writing process, but it may end up making the writing not as good as it can be and making you feel very bad if you missed it. So, write on your own time. You may have lost motivation for a particular essay. Write whatever comes to your mind. That one spark may turn into a masterpiece.

•  Try writing at a different place

 Getting up and leaving your work space may actually cure your writer's block. If you can, get up and leave that environment. Go to your local park, or Starbucks, or if you can't go to those places, just get up and move away from your desk. Take your laptop or iPad and just write.

•  Reread your past writing

If you have some old posts, go back and read them.
Sometimes we lose motivation and need something to motivate us. Remember your very first post, or your very best post? Go back and read them word by word. You may be doubting your writing skills and need something to start you up again. That great writer is still inside you, and didn't go anywhere. See how great you are? Sometimes a little reminder is all we need to regain our confidence.

•  Try writing at a different time of day

 Fixed schedules may become a part of our daily routines. Many famous writers have done it. Getting into a habit can be a good thing, but what if that habit becomes associated with something negative or boring? Change it around a little and experiment. Try writing in the early morning or late night. You may find yourself even more inspired.
 

•  Stealing ideas is okay

Your desire to be original may be causing your writer's block all together. You have a great idea, but it has already been done before. That's okay! Take that idea and make it your own, but don't outright plagiarize and copy that person. Grab ideas from different sources and mix them together to make your own creation. Read and research your topics and use those ideas in your next piece. As Austin Kleon says: “All creative work builds on what came before.”

•  Don't compare yourself to other people

It's good to read other people's work, but comparing your writing skills to their's may stop you from writing to your full potential. Your talents are unique. You should be embarrassing those talents for yourself without feeling that envy. Your basic and strait-to-the-point style of writing may communicate with your readers more than Author X's use of fancy words and vibrant metaphors. You will feel much better about your writing if you stopped comparing yourself to others. As well as to writing, this can of course also be applied to the beauty & fashion bloggers out there, you are your own unique self, so don't compare yourself to others.
 

•    Just write, editing can come later

Attempting to create the perfect piece of literature can discourage you from finishing it. Stop trying to be perfect. Accept the fact that your rough draft may be crappy. Just write as fast as you can. Editing can come afterwards.
 

•  Don't let your fear of criticism stop you

Haters lurk everywhere, in everyday life and the internet, and at least one person may not like you. You just have to deal with it and not let it get under your skin. What a few people think about your beliefs and writing in general should not affect you or your actions. Do not let them feel you with fear of getting your voice heard. It's not the end of the word. You are special and your talents should not go unheard. Letting go of the fear of negative criticism is one step towards eliminating writer's block. Remember: Haters gonna hate.

•  Google things for inspiration

If you are having trouble finding a topic to write about, Google it. It's one of the most valuable tools right at your fingertips. Think of something you are passionate about and type it into the search bar. Google never fails.

I hope this provided some relief to your (potential) writer's block. 

Sure, there are countless ways to cure it, but I just stated some of the most effective and common ways.

What do you do to cure your writer's block? 

xx ♡ Micky

Love x Hate tag

After having been tagged for this thing twice by Linnie from http://linxnee.blogspot.com & Lauren from laurlauu.blogspot.co.uk (thank you very much btw!<3), I thought it was finally time to upload a post to this – I'm very sorry I kept you waiting for so long. 
But here we go!  

Let's start with the things I hate/dislike:

• Arguments, they're just so horribly nerve-wrecking
• Know-it-alls and arrogant people, because their attitude...
• Salty snacks, I don't know why, I just don't like them ^^;
• Cats, most cats I've encountered have always been kind of evil
• Kitschy movies like Titanic.. Yup, I'm probably one of the few girls that didn't fall for DiCaprio.. 
• Spiders because spiders.. 
• Jealousy & envy because that's just not cool and honestly, I think it says more about you then the person you envy or hate on for some reason..
• Homophobic, sexist & racist people. because intolerance is such a no-go!
• Meat – I just don't like the taste & I'm a veggie, currently even vegan!
• Deep water since I'm just terribly afraid of water as soon as it get's so deep I cannot see what's beneath me anymore.

Now to the more happy things of life, the things I love: 

• My dog because she's the best & I promise she wouldn't bite you :)
• Books, especially ones that can take you into an entirely different world like novels of the fantasy genre, I do like educational books sometimes, too though!
• Horror/thriller movies simply because I like to get scared as long as I know it's not real ^^;
• Philosophy – you can debate anything and everything with me!
• Astrophysics, that has been my interest since I was a kid, it's so fascinating, you can't even imagine all the things out there!
• Chocolate, yum <3
• Japanese food! I love sushi, dorayaki, osaka ramen, curry, onigiri, teriyaki soba, …
• Art – I love doing it myself but I love being inspired by it just as much!
• Meeting new people, I love (most) people!
• Traveling.. there's probably nothing I love more! Wanderlust.:)

Yes, my dog might look like a seal but you just gotta love her! :3

I hope this wasn't too boring and helped you to get a better insight into my life and me as a person. 
I don't even know if I can still nominate people to do this because I'm so late with it but I'm gonna do it anyways, I nominate: 
Angelina from http://www.angelina-is.blogspot.com/
Lauren from http://www.adornlafemme.com/
& Amy from http://littlemoondragon.blogspot.ca/

What are some things you love or hate? 

xx ♡ Micky

Wool braids

It was about 2 weeks ago that I decided to get wool braids.
I first saw them on my friend from Nigeria and thought they looked so cool on her that I really wanted to give it a try myself. Of course, since this is a typical ‘afro’-hairstyle I wasn’t sure whether it would suit me because I’m so pale but now I definitely don’t regret making that choice!
I think they look really cool on me and I SO don’t regret getting them – although the actual process of braiding them into my hair took them 7 hours, yes, 7 !!
(I don’t even wanna think of the removal process, although one of the women who braided my hair said it isn’t that time intensive)
It was a bit of a torture but since it ended up looking so rad I have no regrets, some people even asked me to take photos with them, bet they thought I was famous euheuheuheu….:P
The kind of wool-strigns they used to braid are made out of cotton btw. – since I’m vegan, and also since I just like cotton better as a material. Anyways, there are not only positives to those long braids. Here’s my list of pros and cons I’ve experienced with them so far:

Pros:

• they just look cool
• put you into the spotlight of attention basically anywhere you go
• people will compliment on your hair (I get about 5 people per day telling me they like my hair)
• they just give every outfit a special touch, especially if you already dress a little edgy
• you save a lot of time when taking showers and doing the ‘hair care’
• they last very long

Cons:

• getting them takes ages
• can’t wash them like normal hair
• they get very heavy when they get wet
• they disturb a little while sleeping, resting on your head
• oils and sprays are a necessity to keep your hair hydrated
• the number of hairstyles you can do with them is quite restricted

So this is just a quick list of things I experienced since I have them, although some of the pros listed do weigh more than the cons to me.
Another cool thing about these braids is that they can stay in your hair for up to 6 months! Well, I think I will remove mine before university starts at the end of september but this might not have been my last time getting them. :) 

Did you ever have braids or thought about getting them? 

xx ♡ Micky

P.S. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below - I’ll answer them asap.

Switzerland 2015

I just arrived back home a few days ago after my little trip to Switzerland to which my swiss friend Muriel invited me and it was so amazing!
I was really positively surprised by how friendly and helpful swiss people were- It turned out they are very generous, too - hahah. 
During my stay i basically went to each part of Switzerland, the german swiss, the french swiss and the italian swiss - I am so glad my friend who invited me has a car so the whole traveling around was quite convenient. It was surprising to see how architecture, culture and mentality of the people changed depending on the region they were living in although Switzerland is not a big country.

However, out of all those linguistically different regions I liked the italian Swiss the most, probably because with it’s palm trees and italian inhabitants it just felt most like a vacation for quite a northern person like me. 
We chose to travel to Lugano, which is located near a lake which is called Lugano as well, the food and houses were very italian, just like the people and if you wanna see a lot of expensive italian sports cars, this is the place to go for you! 
If you wanna grab a cocktail I found a bar called ‘seven’ best for this because they really make awesome cocktails! 

Here are some photos I took during our little journey; 

photos of (us in) Lugano, as you can see the architecture and atmosphere was very italian!

And for a moment the idea to just grab a backpack and tramp through italy crossed my mind and I thought about all the people I'd meet and all the things I'd discover on this spontaneous adventure but then reality had me back and I decided to focus on finishing my plate of pasta instead. 

Photos of (us in) Lucern, the architecture was quite french but the mentality of the people was rather german, not as grumpy though! :'D

We also did some fun things like driving up a mountain with the Quad and going for a horseback ride. 

The view during the Quad ride. It was so different to what I was used to seeing every day that I almost got a little angry at my friend for taking the beauty of the surrounding nature for so granted..

All over, I’d say Switzerland is a place I certainly do not regret going and would recommend everyone to visit at least once in their lifetime - it’s definitely very unique!

Vegan update: 
it’s only day 5 of my experiment but it has worked really well so far, I’ve even found that when eating out you can order pizza and stuff without the cheese and other animal products which makes it not too hard to find places that actually offer ‘vega’ foods. 

Since many shampoos and cosmetic products are often tested on animals, too, I wanna try to cut down on those as well during this month and see how long I could go without using any shampoo or conditioner for a while. 

Oh! And I've discovered this vegan bar which tastes just awesome and gives you nearly all the energy you need! - So if you're a vegan and wanna try it, look for this - maybe you can find it where you live! I've bought these in Switzerland..

PS.: All photos in this post are taken by me, if you'd like to use them, please ask for my permission first. 

I hope this post was able to give you a little insight into the small but very nice country of Switzerland and you enjoyed reading it. 

Where did you travel recently and did you like the experience?

xx ♡ Micky